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By Margo Turner
staff writer

Distinguished visitors arrive at or depart from the Andrews flightline aboard aircraft at any time, day or night, under the supervision of the 316th Wing Flightline Protocol. Each DV arrival and departure is a mission, said John M. Polhemus, 316 WG Flightline Protocol deputy chief and retired Air Force major. “We do 8,000 missions a year,” said Mr. Polhemus, who retired as the flightline protocol chief last year. “When you include the visitor’s accompanying staff, you’re talking about 18,000 to 20,000 people a year.” Flightline protocol members work closely with various organizations, such as the Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military service protocol staffs and foreign embassies, to ensure mission success, said Mr. Polhemus. The flightline protocol staff also works closely with the 89th Aerial Port Squadron, 316th Operations Support Squadron, 316th Security Forces Squadron, the White House, Department of State and Secret Service. Additionally, the flightline protocol staff operates the Passenger Terminal Distinguished Visitors Lounge, which must be maintained at all times. The upkeep of the flower garden, which visitors see as they enter the passenger terminal from the flightline, is also required. From the time a flightline protocol member begins their 12-hour shift, they are constantly on the go, said Senior Airman Samnang Seng, 316 WG Flightline Protocol specialist. “You have to think on your feet,” said Airman Seng. “Working in flightline protocol is on-the-job training.” The flightline protocol member might be bombarded by questions from the visiting agency or unit personnel, while at the same time they are making certain an aircraft is being refueled and food and luggage are brought on board prior to departure. “We are the centerpiece of information for all distinguished visitor missions,” said 1st Lt. Nathaniel M. Church, 316 WG Flightline Protocol duty officer. During their shift, a flightline protocol member also may be tasked to escort a DV to or from an aircraft. They may accompany the 316 WG commander and high-level government officials in greeting visitors as they arrive or be on the flightline when a visitor departs Andrews. Weeks or months prior to a visitor’s arrival here, Mr. Polhemus said he and his staff meet with an embassy attaché or a foreign advanced team to discuss various matters, such as security and protocol, concerning the arrival of the foreign visitor. The day of the visitor’s arrival here is often hectic, said Mr. Polhemus. “We start two hours before the arrival of the distinguished visitor,” he said. We have the motorcade and greeters go through multiple layers of security. The servicing of the aircraft commences four hours prior to departure, said Maj. Leslie J. Darby-Spikes, 316 WG Flightline Protocol chief. “Anything short of four hours is a hustle,” she said. With departures, all support staff are on the aircraft before the boarding of the DV, said Mr. Polhemus. Pre-boarding begins an hour prior to departure. Sometimes things happen unexpectedly during the arrival of a DV to Andrews. Tech. Sgt. Michael S. Raschiatore, 316 WG Flightline Protocol NCOIC, remembers when Russian President Vladimir Putin was en route to Andrews following his meeting with President George W. Bush, which was held earlier this year. President Putin’s support staff was concerned the caterers hadn’t arrived to load the Russian leader’s favorite food on the plane before he arrived at Andrews. “The catering truck had been in a traffic accident on its way to Andrews,” said Sergeant Raschiatore. “When it finally showed up at the North Gate, we had an escort by security forces. A normal drive from the North Gate to the flightline takes about 10 minutes. We got to the flightline in three and a half minutes.” Sometimes a visiting head of state thanks protocol personnel in a special way. Several weeks ago, Major Darby-Spikes and Lieutenant Church were invited to have tea with the prince of Saudi Arabia on his aircraft. Something as simple as freshly baked cookies is well worth waiting for in the lounge to many DVs, said Capt. Jennifer M. Collins, 316 WG Flightline Protocol duty officer. Captain Collins said flightline protocol members take turns baking cookies in the lounge kitchen. The type of cookies depends on who’s doing the baking. The flightline protocol staff also includes a volunteer, Alexandra Testa, who will be a senior at American University, Washington, D.C., in the fall. She has been volunteering at protocol since March 2005. Her college major is political science. However, after assisting in flightline protocol, she’s interested in national security because of her volunteer work, said Ms. Testa. “I do whatever needs to be done at flightline protocol,” she said. “I answer the phones, make sure the right people are notified in case of cancellations and direct people to the lounge after they leave the plane.” Every day is a challenge for the flightline protocol staff, said Major Darby-Spikes. It takes a member six weeks on the job before they feel comfortable in making on-the-spot decisions. “It’s a learning process,” she said. “Giving the wrong answer doesn’t cut it in our job.” No matter the time, day or night, the flightline protocol staff makes certain a DV mission runs smoothly, said 1st Lt. Cody L. Gravitt, 316 WG Flightline Protocol duty officer. A member of the flightline protocol staff is the first face the DVs see when they come to Andrews and the last face the DVs see when they leave.