Obama reelection campaign drops price to enter dinner contest

By Dan Eggen  |  12:47 PM ET, 02/22/2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/obama-reelection-campaign-drops-price-to-enter-dinner-contest/2012/02/22/gIQA368VTR_blog.html





http://www.yobananas.com/modules/com_gk2_photoslide/5-dollar-foot-long-1574.html

Pamaha wrote:

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It still drives me crazy that they pad the schedule with transportation details. Did he fly the damn planes?!

The 89th Airlift Wing activated the 305th and 306th Expeditionary Airlift Squadrons here Dec. 1.
The squadrons will play an integral role supporting presidential airlift in the coming months, through a mission known as "Banner Express."
"The Banner Express mission provides dedicated assets to our highest priority airlift - presidential support, 'said Col Allan Hess, 89th Operations Group commander. "Air Mobility Command accomplishes this during election years by standing up two squadrons, C-17s based here, and C-130s based in Wilmington, Del."
Aircraft and personnel are pre-positioned to support an expected surge in airlift so the Air Force is postured to more efficiently and effectively meet the needs of the commander in chief while remaining good stewards of taxpayer funds. During the 2004 election season, Banner Express operations saved more than $18 million, largely from fuel savings.
The 305th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Alonzo Bristol of the 142nd Airlift Squadron, will operate out of New Castle Air National Guard Base, Del., and will have approximately eight aircrews, 60 maintenance personnel, and about a dozen operations personnel supporting five C-130s.
The 306th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Ben Vorhees of the 315th Operations Group, Joint Base Charleston, SC., will operate from here, and will have seven aircrews, more than 60 maintenance personnel, and also nearly a dozen operations personnel supporting four C-17s.
"This will be an integral total force component of our Sam Fox team here at the 89th Airlift Wing," Hess said. Both commanders represent the Air Reserve Component and the squadrons' members include active duty, reserve and Air National Guard Airmen. Both the 305th and 306th Expeditionary Airlift Squadrons were originally constituted as the 305th and 306th Troop Carrier Squadrons in 1943, and were deactivated in 1951 and 1972, respectively. The squadrons played a significant part in Air Mobility Command history conducting "D-Day" airborne operations during Operation Neptune.
The squadrons also participated in Operation Market Garden in September of 1944, and Operation Varsity in March of 1945, which led to the successful breach of the Rhine River into the heartland of Nazi Germany and ultimately the end of World War II only two months later. The squadrons were re-activated in 2003 under a provisional status for Air Mobility Command's Banner Express Mission. They are expected to commence operations in April 2012 and will deactivate in late November.