Military support group prepares for presidential inauguration Published Jan. 12, 2005 By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- A little-known group of Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen is preparing to provide behind-the-scenes military support for presidential inaugural activities, the organization's deputy commander said here Jan. 11.The Joint Task Force - Armed Forces Inaugural Committee provides all military ceremonial support for various 55th presidential inaugural events, Brig. Gen. Duane J. Lodrige said.Support for President Bush's second inaugural activities, General Lodrige said, spans from Jan. 15 through Jan. 24. President Bush will be sworn in Jan. 20.The committee has about 700 servicemembers who come from all five armed services, the general said, and 25 percent of the committee is made up of reservists or National Guardsmen.The U.S. military has been involved in every presidential inauguration since 1789, the general said, when America's first president, George Washington, was sworn in as chief executive and military commander in chief.General Lodrige said support includes military cannon salute teams, trumpeters and phalanxes of marching servicemembers and bands. More than 5,000 U.S. servicemembers participated in inaugural activities during January 2001. About 5,600 are expected to participate in this year's Inauguration Day events, General Lodrige said. This includes 200 ushers and 5,000 parade marchers and cordon members.About 400 servicemembers, the general said, have been tasked as presidential escorts and will accompany President Bush down Pennsylvania Avenue en route to the White House after his swearing-in at the Capitol.The theme for the 2005 inaugural activities, General Lodrige said, is "Celebrating Freedom and Honoring Service.""Nobody does the 'pomp and circumstance' better than the military," he said; the armed services "have a long heritage of doing that."The general said the president recognizes the sacrifices servicemembers are making in the war against terrorism and "wants to do some special things for the military" as part of this year's inaugural activities, including a two-hour "Salute to Those Who Serve" entertainment gala for the military that President Bush will host here Jan. 18.Half of the tickets for the gala are being provided to military invitees, predominantly junior servicemembers, the general said. There are also plans to televise the gala to servicemembers serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and possibly South Korea.In this way, President Bush "will be able to reach out and touch some of our military members that we think about every day serving overseas," the general said.After the swearing-in ceremony and parade that follows, General Lodrige said the commander in chief is slated to host an evening military ball for 2,000 mostly junior servicemembers and thank them for their service."I just think it's a credit to him and to the administration that he's giving us these events," General Lodrige said.Months before the presidential election, the committee began collecting and organizing applications from bands and other performers wanting to participate in the inaugural parade, according to the organization's Web site. This eases the burden on the incoming Presidential Inaugural Committee, which selects parade participants.This year's parade is expected to last two hours and will feature 13,500 military and civilian participants, the general said.