First Lady Pool Reports of October 16, 2023

FLOTUS Pool Report #1 - Arrival

First lady Jill Biden landed at 12:24 p.m. at Patrick Space Force Base, arriving aboard Executive Foxtrot 1 from a morning appearance in South Florida.

Biden descended a mobile stairwell with Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough. She was greeted at the military facility's passenger air terminal by Brigadier General Kristin L. Panzenhagen, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, and Chief Master Sergeant Susan Sparks, special advisor to Chief Master Sergeant of The Space Force.

Biden did not take questions from pool media, instead boarding a motorcade bound northward through Cocoa Beach for a tour of Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.

She and McDonough are first slated to tour the Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center.

FLOTUS Pool Report #2 - First tour stop

Biden walked between two enormous Atlas V rocket boosters, which were stored horizontally, inside United Launch Alliance's facility at the Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Space Launch Delta 45 Capt. Jennifer Guion, Atlas/Delta flight commander with the 5th Space Launch Squadron, spent roughly five minutes explaining her group's mission with Biden and McDonough.
The motorcade's next scheduled stop on base is the Morrell Operations Center.

REPORTABLE BACKGROUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
Background | First Lady Jill Biden Visit to Florida – Monday 10/16
Visit to Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
On Monday, October 16th, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough will visit Patrick Space Force Base to meet with service members and military families. This visit is part of the First Lady's Joining Forces initiative to support military families, which is focused on supporting those who also serve: military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.
During the visit, the First Lady and Secretary McDonough will tour Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to learn more about the Space Force mission. This portion of the visit will be pooled press.
After, the First Lady and Secretary McDonough will meet with military spouses, and learn about the Department of Defense's STARBASE Program with military children at Patrick Space Force Base. This visit will be open press.

Arrival
The First Lady Secretary McDonough will arrive at Patrick Space Force Base and will be greeted by:

1. Brigadier General Kristin L. Panzenhagen, Commander, Space Launch Delta 45
2. Chief Master Sergeant Susan Sparks, Special Advisor to Chief Master Sergeant of The

Space Force
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Tour Stop 1: Advanced Space Flight Operations Center
The First Lady and Secretary McDonough will tour the Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC) and meet with Guardians of the 5th Space Launch Squadron (SLS), Space Launch Delta 45, who will provide an overview of their mission.
They will be joined on the tour by:

1. General Kristin Panzenhagen, Commander, Space Launch Delta 45

1. Lieutenant Colonel Jae Jeon, Commander, 5th Space Launch Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45
2. Ron Forston, Director, Program Management, United Launch Alliance

1. Captain Jennifer Guion, Atlas/Delta Flight Commander, 5th Space Launch Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45
2. First Lieutenant Winston St. Luke, Launch Propulsion Technical Leader, 5th Space Launch Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45

About the Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center
The Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is home to the 5th Space Launch Squadron (SLS). Its mission is focused on vehicle integration, mission assurance, and resource protection. The squadron provides critical oversight and risk assessment as rockets are assembled for the Department of Defense (DoD) and their mission partners.
Tour Stop 2: Morrell Operations Center
The First Lady and Secretary McDonough will tour the Morrell Operations Center (MOC) and receive an overview of what goes into launch operations.
They will be joined on the tour by:

1. Brigadier General Kristin Panzenhagen, Commander, Space Launch Delta 45
2. Major John McDonald, Director of Operations, 1st Range Operations Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45

1. Captain Christianna Castaneda, Range Operations Commander, 1st Range Operations, Space Launch Delta 45
2. Lieutenant Shelby Andrade, 1st Range Operations, Space Launch Delta 45

About Morrell Operations Center
Located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the Morrell Operations Center (MOC) is the hub of range operations during launches. The center is named after the late Major General Jimmey R. Morrell, who served as the first commander of the 45th Space Wing from 1991 – 1993.
Patrick Space Force Base
The First Lady and Secretary McDonough will meet with military spouses, and learn about the Department of Defense's STARBASE program, a STEM education program for students in the community at Patrick Space Force Base.
STARBASE Visit
The First Lady and Secretary McDonough will visit a STARBASE classroom and meet with fifth grade students participating in two STEM experiments.
They will be joined by:

1. Brigadier General Kristin L. Panzenhagen, Commander, Space Launch Delta 45
2. Zach Roddenberry, Director of STARBASE Patrick

1. Pamela Jordan, Chief of Child and Youth Services for Patrick Space Force Base
2. Susan Clark, School Liaison Officer for Patrick Space Force Base

1. Caleb Solomon, STARBASE Lead Instructor
2. Katie McDonnell, STARBASE Deputy Director and Lead Instructor

About STARBASE
The Department of Defense's (DoD) STARBASE is an educational program, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, that aims to improve the knowledge of the nation's at-risk youth in order to develop a highly educated and skilled American workforce who can meet the technological requirements of DoD. At STARBASE, students participate in challenging "hands-on, minds-on" activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Military Spouse Roundtable
Following the tour, the First Lady and Secretary McDonough will participate in a roundtable with military spouses. The First Lady's remarks at the top of the roundtable will be open press, the conversation will be closed press.
The roundtable participants will include:

1. Sheila Casey, Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of Joining Forces

1. Derek Budd, Spouse of First Lieutenant Taylor Budd, U.S. Space Force

3. Kristen Nance Clonch, Spouse of Major Curan Lacy Clonch, U.S. Space Force
4. Avtandili "Dilly" Gabunia, Spouse of Captain Tiffany Crick, U.S. Space Force
5. Megan Gasser, Spouse of Captain Joshua Gasser, U.S. Space Force
6. Amanda Hartman, Spouse of Captain Derek Hartman, U.S. Space Force
7. Mariah Smith, Spouse of Captain Benjamin Smith, U.S. Space Force

Background on Patrick Space Force Base
Patrick Space Force Base (SFB) is located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach in Brevard County, Florida. In December 2020, Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station were renamed as the first installations of the U.S. Space Force. Patrick SFB is home to Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45), now under the new U.S. Space Force, and serves as the world's premier gateway to space.
Background on the First Lady's Joining Forces initiative

Since day one of the Biden-Harris Administration, the First Lady has prioritized military-connected families through her Joining Forces initiative, which supports those who also serve: military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors. Guided by the life experiences and the perspectives voiced during in-person and virtual listening sessions with military-connected families and stakeholders, the work and priorities of Joining Forces centers on the needs of this population in the areas of: Economic Opportunity; Military Child Education; and Health and Well-Being.

The First Lady has visited over 25 military installations; worked with Joining Forces partners to support over 50 events with the military-connected community; and helped coordinate the Administration's efforts to increase and raise awareness of resources and support for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors.

Through Joining Forces, the First Lady continues to support military-connected families. Most recently:

1. June 2023: In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the nation's All-Volunteer Force, Dr. Biden visited U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina to celebrate and honor Marine graduates and their families.
2. June 2023: The President and the First Lady traveled to Ft. Liberty, NC to meet with service members and their families and announce a new executive order to support military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors and increase economic opportunities for military-connected families.
3. May 2023: Ahead of Memorial Day, the First Lady delivered remarks at a seminar hosted by the War Horse for Gold Star children and siblings to share the power of writing and encourage participants to tell their stories of resilience and sacrifice.
4. April 2023: In continuing her tradition of highlighting the experiences of military-connected children through art in the East Wing of the White House, the First Lady featured an art installation of ten 'suitcases' designed by military and veteran children to reflect their journeys as military-connected families.
5. March 2023: Ahead of Month of the Military Child, Dr. Biden visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County, Ohio, to meet with military families. During the visit, Dr. Biden toured a local Purple Star elementary school supporting military-connected children and hosted a listening session with military parents.
6. January 2023: The First Lady and Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks visited Fort Drum, New York, the home of the storied 10th Mountain Division, to meet with military spouses and community leaders to discuss improving employment opportunities for military spouses. During the visit, Dr. Biden met with military children participating in a "hearts" and crafts project at the installation's child development center. The "heart-work" was featured at the White House for Valentine's Day.
7. November 2022: Dr. Biden convened National Guard leaders for a roundtable discussion in the Roosevelt Room featuring children of National Guard members sharing their experiences and the role of their communities and schools in their well-being.
8. October 2022: The First Lady spent two days with service members and their families at U.S. Army Fort Benning, including visiting service members in basic training and hosting a roundtable with military families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).
9. April 2022: The First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Knob Noster Public Schools' Whiteman Elementary School, located on Whiteman Air Force Base, home to the 509th Bomb Wing and attended Knob Noster High School's "Purple Up Pep Assembly."

FLOTUS Pool Report #3 - Tour

Biden and McDonough just greeted personnel inside the Morrell Operations Center and received a quick briefing on rocket tracking, safety and stormy summertime launch weather at the Cape.

They stood before banks of dozens of black monitors inside Mission Control Room #2. Screens showed an informative array of maps, pie charts, line graphs, video camera footage and other data.

Lt. Shelby Andrade, 1st Range Operations Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45, told the first lady 56 launches have lifted off from the Cape this year – a record-breaking pace thus far.

The motorcade is now en route through Cocoa Beach to Patrick Space Force Base, where Biden will meet with fifth graders at a STARBASE classroom.

FLOTUS Pool Report #4 - Tour

First lady Jill Biden visited a group of fifth grade students who were participating in a pair of STEM experiments at STARBASE at Patrick Space Force Base. Then she met the assembled press elsewhere in the building and delivered brief remarks about her Joining Forces initiative.

Then the press departed before Biden participated in a roundtable discussion with military spouses.

"This is personal to me and to your president. And your well-being and your happiness matter to us," Biden told the spouses and the media near the beginning of her speech.

"And we want to know what's working, and what we could be doing better," she said.