Tradition Continues

By: Julia LeDoux | Inside NoVA
Published: January 12, 2009

When President-elect Barack Obama raises his hand Jan. 20 to take the oath of office, three service members from the Fort Belvoir area will be there to provide support through their positions in the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee.
“I wanted to be a part of the most historic election and inauguration process of my time,” said Army Reserve Sgt. Shamil Roman, AFIC Radio Plans Division. Roman is a six-year Army veteran from Woodbridge. She added she is happy to be a part of this year’s events. “I knew it would be something I would be proud of, and, so far, I have not been disappointed.”
Created in 1950, AFIC is a joint-service organization that coordinates all military ceremonial support for presidential inaugurals. It falls under the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, commanded by Army Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe Jr.
Military involvement in the presidential inauguration dates back to April 30, 1789, when members of the U.S. Army, local militia units and Revolutionary War veterans escorted George Washington to his first inauguration.
During the 10-day period of Jan. 15 to 24, the military will provide ceremonial support to inaugural events with musical units, marching bands, color guards, salute batteries and honor cordons. As many as 5,000 service members may participate in events on Inauguration Day. AFIC coordinates their presence and activities.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Lashawne Martin also volunteered for an AFIC position. She is the NCOIC of the AFIC Personnel Management Division. The 22-year Army veteran volunteered for this prestigious duty because she “wanted to do something different.”
“I have worked in the [Defense Threat Reduction Agency] inspector general office for five years and will retire in 2009,” she said. “Now, I am on temporary duty here with AFIC. I am excited about this job because it allows me to take care of people.”
The Army isn’t the only service with Belvoir personnel attached to AFIC. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Andrews, assigned to AFIC from the USCG Navigation Center, says he joined AFIC to “take part in a great moment in our nation’s history.” Andrews, a 12-year veteran, works as an AFIC base station operator.
The three service members are among more than 700 personnel from all five military services attached to AFIC.
More information on AFIC is available from its Web site, afic.northcom.mil/.

Tradition Continues

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