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DISA SUPPORTS PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

By Miriam Moss, DISA Corporate Communications

With crowd projections ranging from 2 to 4 million people for the upcoming inauguration for President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, various news media have speculated that this could be the most attended presidential inauguration in U.S. history. During this event, protective communication support is essential to ensuring the safety of Obama, Biden, and those who will be in attendance. DISA will be providing this critical communication piece.

DISA’s Center for Network Services, especially the Communications Management and Control Activity (CMCA), will be providing personnel and communications services to the U.S. Secret Service for the event, according to Jack Bryant, chief of CMCA.

“Specifically for the inauguration, Army and Air Force technicians [from DISA] will be installing and maintaining radio networks supporting Secret Service command posts and various points throughout the parade route,” said Bryant.

The CMCA is comprised of civilian and military personnel. In addition to providing necessary protective communications for the presidential and vice presidential candidate, the CMCA also has the responsibility of providing support to both the Secret Service and the Department of Defense for special activities, such as presidential elections, the Olympics, and the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. CMCA has been known to support former presidents and visiting heads of state.

This is not the first presidential inauguration that DISA has supported. DISA’s support started with the inauguration of Richard Nixon in 1968 at which the then Defense Communications Agency, DISA’s predecessor, provided vital communications support.

Support for this inauguration ceremony will include establishing necessary command posts and security rooms, installing radio communications, and providing radio communications from the motorcade to the supporting command posts.

“In addition, temporary voice and radio circuits are ordered in support of a number of multi-agency command centers (MACC) strategically positioned to support protection operations.”

What is also “unique to this inauguration are the use of multiple MACCs that are virtually interconnected. The circuit requirements are more vast as compared to previous campaigns,” said Bryant.

As a result of the estimates regarding the magnitude of the crowd that will be attending the event, this will be the greatest security operation conducted for a U.S. presidential inauguration; DISA has been requested to have 30 technicians “cleared” to support as needed.

“This is the most ever requested for the inauguration support,” said Bryant. Necessary planning, logistics, and coordination for the inauguration started months ago.

“Planning for the inauguration began immediately after the election; however, the communication requirements are predicated on when the Secret Service receives their requirements from the Presidential Transition Team,” said Bryant.

The locations for communication equipment for the 2009 inauguration appear to be more spread out than previous inaugurations, and as a result, there is a greater volume of circuits being ordered for protective communication services, according to Bryant.

It is anticipated that Inauguration Day will be an extremely long one for CMCA and Secret Service personnel. Just how long is contingent on the actual activities that will take place.

Bryant explains, “One site could have six social events, which could equate to six separate Secret Service command posts each with their own radio requirements.”

“CMCA support activities related to the inauguration don't end on the 20th, but could go as long as 30 January,” added Bryant. “After the event, equipment has to be recovered, accounted for, and prepared for the next mission.”

There are a lot of protective communication requirements that have to be met in order to ensure the safety of Obama, Biden, state officials, and other dignitaries during the ceremony, parade, parties, balls, and other high visibility events that will be taking place on the date of the inauguration and in the days following it. This is a lot for the Secret Service to take on alone.

“Without the agency's support, meeting the communications requirements would be extremely difficult,” said Bryant.