First Lady Pool Reports of May 6, 2022

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #1: Wheels down at Shannon

Good morning from Ireland. Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down at Shannon Airport at 10:02 a.m. local time.

We are expected to be here for about 90 minutes before continuing on to MK Airbase in Romania.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #2: Leaving Shannon

The pool did not see FLOTUS during our brief stop at Shannon.

Executive One Foxtrot will be wheels up shortly from Shannon.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #3: Arrival in Romania

FLOTUS' plane touched down at Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport at 5:02 p.m. local time.

She exited the plane at 5:12 p.m. and greeted military officials. The officials' names are in the background note the WH sent last night.

Motorcade is rolling to the Air Force base shortly.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #4: Serving food

Pool was ushered into dining facility at MK Air Force base at 5:28 p.m.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the total number of personnel at the base here roughly tripled in size to about 2,700, per military leaders here. The base is located near the Black Sea.

FLOTUS, wearing a Beau Biden Foundation hat and a black mask, served mac and cheese and potatoes to service members.

She served food alongside:

Colonel Sharon Lyght, U.S. Army: Commander, 16th Military Police Brigade
- Command Sergeant Major Christopher Allison, U.S. Army: Command Sergeant Major, 16th Military Police Brigade

FLOTUS exchanged pleasantries with the service members as she served food.

A sampling of the questions from FLOTUS to troops:

"Do you want a potato?"

"That's all you want?"

"Where are you from?"

"How are you?"

She had one extended exchange with a service member who was from Pennsylvania and said he attended the University of Delaware.

"I'm a Blue Hen, too! So is my husband."

At 5:53 p.m., the pool was ushered into the seating area. FLOTUS entered at 6:02 p.m., sans mask, to applause and greeted service members at various tables. She posed for photos and shook hands, thanking the service members.

At one table, FLOTUS talked about the hardship that deployments have on families, referencing her own experience during Beau Biden's deployment.

One note of color: The first lady's office heard the base was running low on ketchup so they brought roughly five gallons on the plane to leave at the base. FLOTUS entered the dining area holding two bottles of ketchup.

After going around the tables, FLOTUS posed for photos in front of a cake decorated with an American flag. It appeared there were not plans for FLOTUS to cut the cake but she then exclaimed that everyone was likely waiting for it so she cut into it and served the first piece.

FLOTUS then posed for photos and pool was ushered out of the dining facility at 6:26 p.m.

We are now headed to a story book reading event.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #5: Joining Forces event

Pool arrived at the morale and welfare center at the base at 6:44 p.m.

FLOTUS entered the room at 6:47 p.m. alongside Staff Sergeant Sharon Rogers. The two were videotaped reading "Night Catch" for Rogers' son, Nathan.

FLOTUS then directed comments to Nathan, saying, "Thank you for your service because when your mom serves, you serve too."

FLOTUS and Rogers hugged and pool was escorted out of the room at 6:52 p.m.

A note on the American flag cake from the previous report: WH official says it was made to commemorate FLOTUS' visit.

Motorcade will roll back to the airport shortly.

From the White House:

Joining Forces, the First Lady's White House initiative to support military families, will facilitate a virtual story-time with "United Through Reading," an organization that connects military families with deployed service members through video recordings and virtual book readings.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #6: New challenge coin + Departure to Bucharest

Motorcade arrived at Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport at 7:11 p.m.

FLOTUS greeted members of the Delaware National Guard and handed out her new challenge coin for the first time.

On one side of the coin features the USS Delaware and the USS Giffords, both of which she is a sponsor of. It also includes the state flower of Delaware and 261st, which was Beau Biden's unit number in the Delaware Army National Guard.

On the back, the coin features the full prayer that FLOTUS would say when Beau was deployed to Iraq.

Photos won't attach but if you would like to see photos, I posted on my Twitter @tylerpager.

After greeting service members, FLOTUS accidentally got back into her vehicle before shaking her head. She laughed and headed up the stairs to the plane.

Executive One Foxtrot will be wheels up for Bucharest shortly.

FLOTUS 5/6 Travel Pool Report #7: Arrival in Bucharest and RON

FLOTUS made a brief off-the-record visit to the press cabin during the short flight to Bucharest.

Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down at Henri Coanda International Airport at 8:17 p.m.

FLOTUS exited the plane at 8:23 p.m. and shook hands with greeters, who are listed in the original background note.

Motorcade had an uneventful ride to the RON in Bucharest and arrived at 8:52 p.m.

Some additional color on the challenge coins: FLOTUS gave her first coin to Staff Sergeant Cheryl Linda of the Delaware Army National Guard

Have a good night.