USTRANSCOM staffer decorates the White House for the holidays

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – Rita Whited pushed send and didn’t think she’d ever hear back.

But in early October, Whited heard back.  She received an email from the White House asking her to call Taylor Barnes, an intern in the First Lady’s East Wing office. Whited read the message on her BlackBerry, incredulous.  She rushed to a phone and dialed the number: 2-0-2-4-5-6…

“Hi Rita,” Barnes said.  “Congratulations!  Your application was accepted!  You’ve been chosen to decorate the White House during the 2011 Christmas season!” 

“I was thrilled,” said Whited.  “I think I screamed.  One of my co-workers started crying.  This was unbelievable news.”

Whited is a protocol officer at the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. and a Chief Master Sgt. in the Air Force.  Her husband Jefferson, also an Air Force Chief Master Sgt., is currently assigned to Korea.  They have one daughter, Allie.  “Jeff and I believe it’s important to serve our country through military duty,” said Whited.  “It’s important to give back.  And we’ve imparted that sense of shared responsibility with Allie as well.”

During her years in uniform, Whited came to love American history.  Almost as much as she loves Christmas.  For the last six years, she combined those interests and submitted an application to serve as a volunteer decorator at the White House during the holiday season.  Her applications went unanswered.  Until this year.

“Rita applied for this volunteer position several times and has been disappointed each time,” said Annalisa Melton, Chief of Protocol at USTRANSCOM.  “But this year, she was elated beyond belief by being accepted. It says a lot for USTRANSCOM, for our Protocol shop, and for Rita that she was selected to decorate the White House.  We are all proud of her.”

During their telephone conversation, Barnes shared the details of the decorating effort:  volunteers were asked to fly to Washington on Thanksgiving in order to begin preparing decorations at special White House warehouses.  On Sunday after Thanksgiving, they would move the decorations from the warehouses to the White House and continue decorating for two more days.  On Wednesday after Thanksgiving, Mrs. Obama would host a reception for volunteers. Whited was allowed to bring one guest. 

She knew she would invite Allie as her guest.

After speaking on the telephone with Taylor in the Social Office, Whited called her sister, Corinne Kendall.  They screamed in shared happiness on the telephone.  And then they cried.  Whited invited Kendall to come to Washington with her.  She needed someone to watch Allie while she was busy decorating.

That evening at home, Whited shared the news with Allie.  She asked Allie to come with her and attend Mrs. Obama’s reception.  Allie agreed.  Together, they flew to Washington on Thanksgiving Day. 

The decorating process started the next day in a large warehouse in suburban Washington.  There, Whited and a team of 130 volunteers assembled the large elements of White House Christmas decorations: the Gold Star Family tree for the East Landing, oversized wreaths for the East Colonnade, a model of First Dog Bo for the Library, and decorations for the Blue Room Christmas Tree.

“We worked long hours preparing decorations for the State Floors,” Whited said. “There was a palpable sense of camaraderie among the volunteers. We were all working to make the White House beautiful for the holidays and for more than 185,000 guests.  But more than that, we were all working to honor special people in our lives.  As I prepared decorations honoring members of the armed forces, I couldn’t help but remember Jeff and his Air Force wing in Korea.”

On Sunday, November 27, Whited and other volunteers moved from the warehouses to the White House.  “When we arrived, I found I’d been assigned to decorate the Blue Room,” said Whited.

An assignment to the Blue Room had special meaning for Whited.  Mrs. Obama’s holiday decorating theme was “Shine, Give, Share,” specifically honoring the contributions of men and women in uniform and their families.  The Blue Room Christmas tree was festooned with holiday cards from American military children from across the world.  Additionally, the tree was decorated with medals, badges, and patches from all of the military branches, borrowed from the Institute of Heraldry.  The Blue Room tree served as a “thank-you” from President and Mrs. Obama to all members of the armed forces.

“It was such an honor to hang military awards of honor on the Obama’s Christmas tree,” said Whited.  “The men and women who earn those medals are heroes.  I felt a tremendous sense of patriotism while I decorated the tree.”

On Wednesday, when all the decorating was complete, Whited and Allie attended the reception hosted by Mrs. Obama for the volunteers who helped decorate.  In a stroke of good luck, one of the other volunteers invited Kendall to attend the reception as a guest. 

“As Allie and my sister came up the steps to the East Visitor’s Entrance, I opened the door and said, ‘Welcome to the White House!’  It was a moment I’ll never forget,” said Whited.

When Mrs. Obama greeted the volunteers, Whited guided Allie to the rope line.  Mrs. Obama met Allie there and asked about life as a high school student and her father’s assignment to Korea.  “I was proud to see my daughter talking with Mrs. Obama,” said Whited.  “I never thought I’d be at the White House with my sister and daughter, introducing them to the First Lady.”

“Military families like…the ones who are here today truly represent what is best about America,” Mrs. Obama said at the reception just before meeting Allie.  “I have spoken with so many military spouses who are raising their kids alone while their loved one is stationed overseas for months at a time.  I have heard from so many wonderful military children who pick up extra chores, and just step up and keep their grades going while mom or dad is away.  And I’ve been inspired by the survivors of our fallen who keep giving back to the community day after day.”

As Whited left the White House for the last time that day, she clicked her heels and posed for the camera.  “It was the end of a dream come true,” she said.
 
“I want to thank all of the troops, all of our veterans, all of our military families, whose service and sacrifice inspires us all,” said Mrs. Obama.  “Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  We can't say it enough.  Thank you.  I know for some of you, this holiday season will be tough.  But hopefully, it's times like this that make you know that you live in a grateful nation, and that we are just so inspired by your sacrifice.  And hopefully, this is a memory that will stay with you every holiday season.”

See more photos on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006267/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006271/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006275/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006279/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006283/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ustranscom/6522006285/sizes/l/in/photostream/

 -USTRANSCOM-