Deputy in White House Military Office Promoted, Replacing Boss Who Resigned Over “Scare Force One” Incident

It’s Friday evening, the time when presidents like to release information they hope won’t make too much news.

In President Obama’s case that usually involves releasing a Guantanamo detainee or filing a legal brief in support of a national security position held by his predecessor. This evening, however President Barack Obama is naming George D. Mulligan, Jr. as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office (WHMO).

Mulligan replaces his former boss, White House Military Office director Louis Caldera, who resigned on May 8 after the so-called “Scare Force One” incident of April 27, which had an Air Force One aircraft flying very low over Manhattan for the purposes of new photographs of the plane, with little notice given to thousands of understandably concerned if not scared citizens, visions of 9/11 in their heads.

 “George brings decades of experience and has served with integrity and a deep commitment to his country – not just in his role at the White House Military Office, but throughout his distinguished career,” the president said in a statement, adding that he “look(s) forward to continuing to work with him in the coming months and years.”

From 1994 until 2004, Mulligan – a Navy officer from 1986 until 1994 — served in various positions within the White House Military Office. 

In the White House internal investigation into the events of that day, Mulligan played a key role in explaining the various ways in which his boss screwed up.

The plan for the photo op was first officially conveyed to the White House by Colonel Scott Turner of the Presidential Airlift Group on April 9. Turner emailed and spoke with Mulligan addressing a number of issues about the plan. Mulligan says he told his boss, Caldera, about the proposed flyover on April 20.

The internal White House report states that according to Mulligan, "he briefly described the plan and stated that Colonel Turner was working on the details. He also suggested that when the plan was finalized the Director may want to inform White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina."

Mulligan thought Messina would want to know because the photo shoot involved the use of a presidential aircraft and because "it was unusual — i.e., it was a photo shoot near New York City and it required a high degree of coordination."

Caldera, the report says, "does not recall the conversation. He does not deny that it took place, but rather characterizes it as one of multiple things that were happening at the time."

On April 23, Turner sent an email to Mulligan with the final details of the flight. Mulligan recalls reading it the next morning, Friday April 24.  Mulligan spoke to Colonel Turner, then "forwarded this information" to Caldera in an email time stamped 11:21 AM:

"Sir: per our conversation about Scott Turner's plans to fly over the Statue of Liberty — it's scheduled for this Monday, April 27th. All has been coordinated…Will probably received some local press, but WH shouldn't catch any questions about it. Provided in case you want to pass to Jim Messina or Robert Gibbs for awareness. This is an AF operation, in close coordination with FAA. Happy to discuss with you as necessary."

At 12:11 PM on Friday April 23, Turner emailed Mulligan to talk again about the mission. Mulligan says he went to Caldera's office, and in a conversation he said lasted around 30 seconds, asked him if he had any issues after which he says Caldera said no. Mulligan says he suggested that Caldera tell Messina and Gibbs and Caldera said "ok."

Caldera recalls the conversation as "a brief hallway exchange." He recalls Mulligan saying that Turner was "doing a photo shoot with Air Force One, the traps had been run, and that he may want to notify Messrs. Messina and Gibbs." Caldera recalled the discussion as "an fyi, that unfortunately didn't register as a big deal" and as "an aside."

Colonel Turner sent an email to commander of the Air Force Air Mobility Command saying that Caldera and Mulligan "have both 'blessed' this event."

Internally, Mulligan emerged as the hero, and Caldera the goat, in the events leading up to that April day.

-jpt