Essex man helping plan inauguration

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Southeast Missouri man has received a rare and significant honor: the opportunity to be part of President Bush's inauguration.

Air Force Maj. Jeffrey Pierce of Essex, Mo., is presently serving as a member of the Joint Task Force Armed Forces Inaugural Committee. He described the assignment as "a once in a career opportunity - a chance to participate in a historic event."

This is the 55th inauguration ceremony. "It was not called (the Joint Task Force Armed Forces Inaugural Committee), but the military has participated since George Washington was inaugurated in 1789," Pierce said.

When Washington traveled from Mount Vernon, Va., to New York City for his inauguration, he was joined by local militias along the way. He was then escorted by members of the Continental Army to Federal Hall where he took his presidential oath.

Military participants were first called the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee for the inauguration of President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953.

Today the committee is made up of military personnel from each of the armed services, each of which nominates the individuals they want to send, according to Pierce.

"I was pretty surprised - I did not expect to be participating in this event," he said. "It sounded like a unique opportunity and I was excited to get to play a part."

This military tradition "honors the commander in chief, recognizes civilian control of the military and celebrates democracy," Pierce explained. "Every four years the people of the United States choose a new commander in chief. The military celebrate that in deference to the new commander."

It is not, however, a security detail. "Security measures are handled by the Secret Service," Pierce said.

"We're not in charge here," added Tech. Sgt. Pamela Smith, JTF-AFIC media relations action officer. She explained the JTF-AFIC just supports the Presidential Inaugural Committee which is made up of people appointed by the president and volunteers. "We are playing a major role, but we're not the deciding factor," she said.

It is the Presidential Inaugural Committee that decides the size of inaugural parade and how many inauguration balls will be held.

Bush's inauguration in 2001 had nine balls, and President Clinton had 14 in 1997. "That's the most anybody's had so far," Pierce said. The number for this year's inauguration "has not been determined yet," he said.

Heading the JTF-AFIC is a two-star Army general, Maj. Gen. Galen Jackman. During the funeral for President Ronald Reagan, "he is the general that escorted Nancy Reagan," Smith noted.

The JTF-AFIC is divided into seven directorates, according to Smith, who is part of the public relations directorate. Pierce is in the ceremonies directorate - the largest of the seven with about 310 people. Other directorates handle things like transportation and supply, she said.

By the time the inauguration takes place, the JTF-AFIC "will end up with about 710 people assigned to it," according to Pierce.

Pierce, however, is one of several hundred who show up a couple of months early. "There's a lot of equipment and logistical needs that have to be acquired," he explained. "My official title is deputy chief, military assistance division. What we do is provide escorts for a significant inaugural participants."

In the ceremonies directorate there are presently 70 "military assistants" assigned to specific people such as "the first and second family members, cabinet level appointees and other distinguished guests," Pierce said.

As the actual inauguration draws near, some of the personnel in the ceremonies directorate will be assigned to "various ceremonial units and bands," according to Pierce, as well as duties related to the parade, the swearing-in ceremony, the White House and setting up the inaugural balls.

"The inauguration parade will have about 10,000 participants," Pierce noted.

Following the inauguration as part of the air staff Pierce will be assigned to the "'lessons learned' section - basically working on after-action reports from operational experience," he said, reporting on "what was done well, what could be done better."

Pierce said he will spend a total of "about eight months with the inaugural committee."

Pierce has served "a little over 14 years" in the U.S. Air Force. "I've been stationed in California, South Carolina, Oklahoma and now (Washington) D.C," he said, currently about six months into a three-year stint at the nation's capital where he will be assigned to a staff job following his JTF-AFIC duties.

"My normal duties are flying airplanes," Pierce said - specifically C-17s, the second largest aircraft. "It weighs about 585,000 pounds," he said.

His wife, Ellen, who goes by "Corey," is from Matthews, Mo. "Both our families still live in the area," he said. "She thought it was an exciting opportunity and exciting to live in the D.C. area for a few years."