We may not be thinking so favorably about our government leaders at this moment, in more productive times we are fascinated about how things happen behindthescenes. Is called american diplomacy and secret weapons, david which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. That played a vital role in American History over thepast three, inviting president s and leaders alike to converge , converse and most importantly, relax. Located deep in the woods of marylands picked off the mountains is the ultimate behindthescenes venue of our imagination. We are thrilled this evening to be joined by rear admiral Michael Michael giorgione who served in the United States navy, preparing 2010. He served as the commander of four president s bill clinton and george w. Bush. Working under the White House Military Office, the organization responsible for air force one, marine one and military aides. His new book inside camp david is the first insider account of camp david and is available for purchase and signing following his presentation. Join me in welcoming welcoming rear admirable michael giorgione. Thank you, wonderful to be here. First thing rosen laurinburg for putting this together. Nothing will slow her down, she did great job. Thank laura rosenberg. [applause] ive got some family gets here tonight i want tointroduce so you understand whos come here to be with me. First my parents, mom and dad, mary lou and tony. My wonderful sister luanne giorgio and her friend ellen, raise your hands. Thank you. My cousins cousin, my cousins son, john and his friend suzanne zachary. Raise your hand. Eventually my nephew matt and amanda are coming in from baltimore, they will be here eventually. Heather wishart smith, raise your hand. If you read the book you know about heather because shes written twice about the broken water line in the Swimming Pool incident. She was a junior officer and weve been friends ever since so thank you for being here with my daughter. Bill closely, my Naval Academy classmate and dave, we are here in the crowd tonight. Four of my business colleagues, robert bonelli, president of Jordan National gas products in the back, thank you for being here. And from the cv Memorial Scholarship association, an organization i am involved with, we have our president steve murder, retired. And we have barb whidden and lisa mahar, and we have Catherine Tracy austin husband lloyd, thank you for being here. Before we get into it, let me give you some insight about writing a book. When you are a consultant living on your own everyone already is appointing on you for a living and one day when you tell them you are writing a book, you get a very discerning and look. Mike, what are you up to . Im writing a book. Oh, whos michelle . Michelle is my wife. Michelle would normally be with me on this trip yet she is back in coronado where we live dealing with chronic back pain so im sorry she couldnt be here but i will talk about her abit in my presentation but if you get comfortable telling people you are writing a book , they look at you very seriously. They expect you to wear to jackets. Theysend you pipes for christmas gifts. But once you get confident in writing a book , they kind of look at at everything as a book so in taking that hammer and nail approach, 20 stories. My wife says do you want to see the movie ladybird a few weeks ago mark i said absolutely, lets go. Weresitting watching ladybird. About 30 seconds in, he says what are you doing . Are we in the right theater . Why . Why is this story opening in sacramento. The johnsons were never in sacramento. She said this isnt about lady bird johnson. I saidthats why i came, i thought this was about president s and politics and an interesting behindthescenes story. Different movie. I started treating everything like a male hammer you get used to it. Its out there in the Public Domain and its been a great honor not only to serve arnie navy and nation but talk about the story that began 19 years ago. In the navy, david is a navy command, ill explain a little bit of the history. In the command on becoming the Commanding Officer, you have a change of command ceremony. That morning my wife michelle and our two daughters ages seven and four unitas journal with this and written note. Here daddy, we want you to write stories about camp david and the president in this journal. Someday our children will read them. 19 years ago i thought okay, maybe ill write something and i did. I had it from president clinton to president bush, what happened that weekend. Never thought id do anything with it. This is the day they had me that journal, by the historic holly. First rule about speaking in public is know your audience. Whos been to camp david . Its fascinating. Fascinating that youve been there and some of you i know in the navy, maybe on the stories, thermal theres almost invariably somebody who knows someone who served there so fact check me as we go. They give me this book and the journal and i keep notes. And when i seriously got interested in writing a book a few years ago, the thing that isolated with this event. This is allliving Commanding Officers that made the trip in november 2016. This is a reunion group. Posted by the current camp david commander under the obama administration. The camp was a little more open. The commander could use it for guests. He got permission to have a reunion of master chief, former master chief and Commanding Officers and here we are altogether. A gentleman to my left and the picture to your right right here, blue shirt is 91 years old. He lives in coronado california. I found it in 1998 when i was called to go to my interview, he told me about camp david. And he became my mentor about what its all about and ill talk about chuck. In his interested experiences with the johnsons in the kennedys. When i go to all the ladies and gentlemen talking about the camp and the fact that they too had written stories over their time there, this was meant to be. Id already gone down the road with the publisher and knowing that i was going to interview every single one of them and include their stories well and thats what the book concludes, not just my stories but the stories and revelations and insights of all these fine naval officers that serve. So my thoughts, im going to take three approaches, talk about the history of camp david, what it is, why its navy etc. Talk about chapter 6 and the century and talk a bit about the command or being in charge of something and making a parallel from being a Commanding Officer to what it must somewhat be like being the president. Some of the similarities there and then share photos and stories about my time during the years 1999 to 2001 with then president clinton and president bush. The history. This is an aerial photo of camp david off a public website, all public photos, nothing secret here. Youre looking down on them, the president s lodge. President roosevelt, 1942. While i was going out on the floating white house and the president ial yacht man by needy sailors. The photo on the right is the president s today, its a Public Museum in the port of Oakland California but you love going out and getting away from the white house and during the war years, wasnt a good idea to go out on the water to combat threats like sea. He asked the staff can you find me a place where i can go to get away, especially in the summers from the heat and humidity to deal with my asthma and a place where i can go, aquiet rest thats nearby the white house that i can use as my retreat. You recall in the late 30s after the hoover administration, roosevelts new deal bringing the country back to work , he created part of the new deal was the wta. Work in progress administration. And part of that was the civilian conservation board. Much of their work was putting 18 to 35yearold man back to work building parks, demonstrations, the recreational demonstrations around the country. Also putting money and reserves into the federal banking. One of the conservation camps they built was the recreational demonstration area located in claremont maryland. Is north of frederick up to 70. And the staff found relocations in nearby and this was one of them. Camp number three. Roosevelt visited in july 1942. Was enamored with it, it wasnt winterized at this point. And with some of the original cabins in place today, remodeled over the years, he coined the term my shangrila. Where did the term shangrila come from . Supporting the lost horizon, the shangrila there is a utopian society, a mystery place of intrigue and get away and most people didnt get around easily in the 40s. They had all these great access tools that we have today and he said this is my shangrila, my getaway. When he first visited in july 1942. And he continued to go through the summer months ostensibly, mostly by himself but principally with Winston Churchill on two occasions. The retreat today though is known as camp david. Its a Navy Facility why . Its a needy facility because when roosevelt took the sailorsoften got and they went with him , to be the stewards and caretakers and he got some readings in washington dc to guard, thats where the Us Navy Department and heritage. The command reports the White House Military Office in the east wing of the white house they support the president moving him around the world that includes air force one, marine one , camp david, white house communication agency, white house transportation agency, white house mess and medical unit, special programs, etc. These are the uniformed personnel, civilian men and women, over 2000 of whom support the president. Behind the scenes, moving him around wherever he goes, whoever he engages with. The navy has camp david but its appropriate budget line in us Navy Appropriations is to maintain david but we know it as camp lejeune why . Meeting president roosevelt with president truman, not greatly and ever with david in florida, this is successor president eisenhower came in, but it was a bit pretentious. Bought a closing like some other president s after him as well. Ida became enamored with again which was an early trend of many president s. And decided you know, maybe there is a need here even though i have my farm. Pieces but i dont like the name. There might be funny names for the cabin. So he renamed camp david after his grandson, David Eisenhower,12 years old in this photo. David eisenhower today is about 70 years old and he recently retired from the university of pennsylvania. I was introduced to rotary san diego a few weeks ago and the gentleman that introduced me was a long lawyer , had David Eisenhower as ca in graduate school you never know whos sitting in the aisles. You never know. So call david, the other thing eisenhower did is he renamed and he took in the eisenhowers home state of colorado and he named their cabinet president of the lot which it is today. You are the only family with two daughters, seven and four, inside the camp. Maybe you have guests on the weekend. Play dates are interesting that they can be difficult with security protocols, gated access road and Everything Else you can and cant do. One of those early challenges. The loneliest century, chapter 61 of my favorite in the book, talk about the willingness of command, selfinterest backing, a committee, club, a team, your business. Sometimes the hard decisions you have to make and deliver what the president has dealt with and how they use camp david and what we felt responsible for the upkeep. Upper left is icl going to an inspection inside the hangar in the shouting missed about 1800 feet above elevation. Look at the president. I principally see two purposes, a place to get away to rest, relax and recharge. And a place to take administration or International Leaders to work diplomacy. Party much most president figure out a nice balance of the two. President obama in the living room of aspen with a picture window behind him. President carter on the iconic log next to the fishpond. President nixon look at the same picture would that president obama was in front of. It said nixon never anything but a coat and tie at camp david. You were supposed relax, where polo shirts, shorts. Not his style. Interesting to read about his relationship with his staff and read about it in the book about how he fired the man in the living room with one handshake noontime is ever shaken their hands and sent them off the way. Very interesting use of the camp and a very low like century if you will. President bush talking on the phone in the president office. On the right pulitzer prizewinning photo from april april 1961. Who remembers was going on and maybe with this photo was all about . Bay of pigs, very good. Today like the introduction, i find this incredibly humble, may be a desperate move but certainly hat in hand move that the upstart Young Democratic president , president kennedy, called the old establishment military retiree general dwight David Eisenhower to camp david, a place he knew better than kennedy did at this point, and pretty much as what did i do wrong . And eisenhower says i told you so. I told you we planned this and i told you how to execute it. You messed it up here this is what happened. Think about this. What politician today anywhere would call in someone, one, predecessor, two, opposite party and say how will you help me . So very humbling time i think a very classy move on both of their part but eisenhower goes there for the day and pulitzer prizewinning photo is taken. President roosevelt in aspen, that stone hearth is still there. Its a lot cleaner today. That is the stone hearth fireplace inside aspen. President truman driving himself in one of the few of ten times he goes there. I mentioned the president churchill earlier with excuse me, president roosevelt with Winston Churchill twice he visited. Also find this intriguing, they are out fishing outside of camp david in the park smoking cigars, probably having some whiskey and a shot of cigar desk keeping the mosquitoes were talking about the war years and what u. S. And Great Britain need to do. Important work getting done. Present eisenhower with his Vice President richard nixon. More lonely times president johnson with the ambassador of South Vietnam undoubtedly talk about the vietnam war how to either continue or end it. Another president , excuse me to the right president nixon, same log, same fishpond, talking with brezhnev pick in the book theres a story about the blue lincoln continental, the car that nixon gives to brezhnev and he takes, brezhnev gets in the driver seat, motions nixon to get in the passenger seat and all the gulf downhill almost to racket in the fence line. [laughing] a very hairy moment with no security around the and great peril, two superpowers of the time almost wiped out into a chainlink fence at the time. Little human moments. A lot of highs and lows, even though we have a saying you in the world of the of the preside are not of the world. We are in their world briefly. We see them like people, we see what they eat. You say hello, you talk about things the church come whatever but you are not of their world. You have to do with that. You have to remember it. These human things happen all the time. President carter thought about closing camp david. Thought it was not necessary. Thought it was a waste. Invariably made famous for the 1970 camp david peace accords with anwar sadat and Menachem Begin. President reagan one of the few times he brought a world leader here, principally and the first lady nancy with their almost exclusively by themselves on the weekends. He has visited over 500 500 tin his features in office, the most by any president and it truly was for the reagans a place to get away. From the white house, from the scrutiny from the press, a place to go and watch and to recharge themselves, do the nations business. President clinton using this for our radio address. Those memoirs in the background of president bush and the wall are handwritten notes photocopied that president carter sent to anwar sadat and Menachem Begin to negotiate the camp david peace accords. President reagan since he was often a start his saturday radio address is at over 150 radio addresses from camp david, this is on the back patio, the main entertainment cabin. President obama in his office also in the cabin laurel. Then we see a continued for the use of diplomacy. The g8 summit in 2012 was supposed be held in chicago. If you recall we had a lot of riots and demonstrations, the top 1 , Federal Reserve bank, et cetera, et cetera. He said lets move it to camp david. Wendy hall data had some Great Stories about welcoming these World Leaders for the weekend. In dealing with an accounting the personalities in the idiosyncrasies and learned quickly what do they want in the cabin and what you dont want and all those behindthescenes stories that are wonderful to share. Bottom left is president bush with whats called a council of war after the 9 11 attacks. Hes assembling a staff in the laurel Conference Room to talk about americas response to the attacks. And far right is president trumps last visit. You can see the camp david plaque pickup always on the been there five times, he has taken his staff and his cabinet there three or four of those five times. I dont know that it will be his preferred place to rest and relax but i do see maybe a more convenient use is using for staff. Hasnt yet brought a National Leader there but i think theres great value and great opportunity for that. The lighter moments, the fords walking with their dog liberty. The reagans almost always went horseback riding, the weather permitting when they went to camp david. Bottom left president george h. W. Bush with Mikhail Gorbachev of the soviet union at the time. This incident is about horseshoes. The bushes lined loved horsesh. The bushes left any recreational sport or game. They were walking the grounds near aspen antiregulation horseshoe pit, and bush tells gorbachev went to this. Gorbachev doesnt know what it is and he throws a horseshoe and he gets a ringer the first time. So seizing the moment, the staff and the great builder shop take the horseshoe, make a black and give it to the president that night to get to Mikhail Gorbachev at dinner. Its these little personal moments that camp david is about and the phrase the spirit of camp david. Its about the place in the woods which is an fancy, very austere, good amenities but its basic cabins, no brass, no polish, no marble. Its what you bring people like you do to your family room and talk about working together. Thats what i saw my time there, i think thats what command officers and most staff see there in their time there as well. President clinton sing in the church choir during my time. He loved sydney in the church choir. The adult choir. So every saturday night he would get the music in aspen and every sunday morning which show up and take his place in the church choir, okay . Sit in the front row. We call this pew one. Everything has got to be one, right . He takes his place. Our music director talking a few weeks ago he left camp david after 17 years in 2013, wonderful gentlemen, purpose, doctorate of music. He ran a program for 17 years, both services at camp. Present eisenhower back on the green yet put in behind aspen by the famed golf course designer robert trent jones. Grandson david again. President george h. W. Bush, chrissie evert, a weekend tennis game. No big deal. [laughing] the clintons went to camp david every thanksgiving. They love camp for thanksgiving. So i got to see them twice. We got to host them twice so to speak and it would bring their large extended family. If you dont know part of the Clinton Family is senator barbara boxer, she is married to a brother of hillary rodham. Roger clinton, the somewhat musician. Dick kelly president clintons stepfather at the time when he was living. Large extended family and you sit back and you watch these folks all have fun four days. Its kind of like our family, to some degree. Again, we are in the world. We are not of their world. You learn about your president obama behind the ovalshaped or hourglass shaped pool behind aspen as well. This is put in by nixon. He expanded a lot at the facility. And then this very poignant somber story about kennedy. President kennedy, jackie, the two kids with. I mentioned chuck alsup, the 91yearold gentleman. He was the Commanding Officer with his four kids and his wife in cedar for the kennedys. The surreal moment when jackie can stocking on your door at cedar, says excuse me, joann, can your kids come out and play . Johnjohn and carolyn. Sure, mrs. Kennedy, they would love to. And as im interviewing shock in his living room, his kitchen at coronado last year, and a son hank hill is now 66, was 12 then, the big brother to johnjohn, they tell a story about the day of the assassination. They tell a tell a story aboute Public Schools sent all the children home, and young hank goes back up to cedar up the hill crying, shaking his head, extremely upset. And today he is still very emotional about the story in the kitchen of chucks home. He asked his dad, why . How does this happen . And his dad says son, god gave man free will. Sometimes things happen. Chuck assembles the crew, they lower the flag to half staff, they say a prayer and they go on their way. Think about this. Now you have a quoteunquote boss. Great turmoil, thanks, despair in the country. They wait for the next loss to come, which is president johnson of course. Chuck says we were asked to back things up. We never saw anyone from the Kennedy Family again. We packed things up and sent them back to their home of record. There was a gentleman with a Construction Company working at camp at the time. He had a clearance to work inside the camp. Ken plummer said its a shame we dont have a chapel, we do have place and marines and their families to go for that moment of silence, the moment of solace. He said when i retire i want to raise private money and build a chaplain and give it to the United States. True to his word can plunder when he retired he got permission, president reagan at the time, and you raise private money and he built Evergreen Chapel. 1991, president george h. W. Bush, its open for the first time and since then the president s choose to worship, the crew worships, this is where we go, Evergreen Chapel. Typically theres coletta catholic mass and a protestant mass of service. So to source a day and i took them a book on president was there we go to both. My daughters wish a my daughters would say we should be getting extra credit. I dont get this. But its providing the religious programs for those of use. When i was there the president leslie to chapel. They found aspect quite country church, no photographers, no press, limited scrutiny in limited people looking at you, no photography, play should go to be yourself sit in q1, taken the service, mingle with us afterwards and go about your day. A wonderful, wonderful gift that ken plummer gave to us. My time. Cedar. In the book a dedicate the book to michelle. It says to michelle, thank you for making cedar our home. Imagine theres a a number of veterans in the room and maybe others in your professional growth that it moved around a lot. Every time you move into a new house, its a real challenge in making it a home. For me that always felt on my wife michelle, to make it a home. A special every house that we lived in with our children she made it especially a unique and special home. So all these things are touches and the way we entertained and engaged guests and the crew and families and relatives. It was very special. Great memories i know i have as well as our predecessors and successors have as well. Cedar, winter, summer, the opposite side, poplar, the command office building, popular. Then my favorite building. I mention holley previously is where churchill, roosevelt sat on the porch. Its where carter force anwar sadat and Menachem Begin to meet and the cramped Conference Room as opposed to the bigger facilities available. He wanted into have close and personal space. Currently the camp library. I put his phrase on the bottom of the slide, perfect but natural. This is the true test one leadership story about camp david. How do you possibly run a facility on top of the mountain in nature with great men and women from the navy and marine corps, indeed, perfect quoteunquote but make it look natural . How do you clean nature up but not make it look ground . How do you make sure you clean nature up but not affect the functioning of hvac in the building or the lights . This is a beautiful shot, but its not ready for humans to visit, is it . You had to get the fireplace going. You had to clean the snow. What you do with all the snow . How do you get the dirty stuff out of there . What do you do when a water line breaks . Asked heather. How do you beat perfect but natural . Which of course is not possible. Theres no perfectionism but you can be really good. Much of the book that talked about the stories that i and other Commanding Officers experienced in balancing the needs of your family, the needs of the crew, how to handle discipline, how do you handle rewards, how do you handle those awkward moments with president s, how do use humor in a right way maybe sometimes. How do you apologize when your crew are you make mistakes but do it in a nongratuitous, genuine way . Constant constant pressure and angst about how am i going to be perfect but natural. But so much about to influence the rest of my life and career i took from there. Like to toggle and significant entering president Clinton Stein and thats a middle east peace summit in the sum of 2000. Summer president clinton would sit down with Yasser Arafat, abu barack, try to pound out the police treaties, the last summer before the elections. Gets them together, given about five days notice they were coming. Which was fine because it gets too much time you over when things come he overdo things can you start by doing things you did write the first efforts of great thanks but it is the opening shot on the opening day the scene around the world. Im standing where you are with the Marine Security and all the press photographers, the one time the press is allowed in. They are filming this and a walk down this path we and they go into laurel, they are jostling at the door. Who goes in first. A very lighthearted opening to a very long 12 or 14 day event with great angst and back and forth that does not result in the peace treaty. Part of the protocol can do to joy screw the in your dress uniform. Just happens secretary albright is helping me that they as he comes in the date for the peace summit starts in july. You greet any World Leaders who come in our guests who try to come again try to be perfect but natural. Dont need to be awkward about it. And then some guess to want to you at all. Like Yasser Arafat refused to fly on u. S. Helicopters in a u. S. Sedan, came in on his own entourage to the security checkpoints. And only by happenstance i run into inside the laurel cabin and only by happenstance is a white house photographer standing steps this photo here i am now in a polo shirt and khakis which is how we dress down to camp david casual, a uniform we still wear today. To kind of tone it down after the official arrival. Until you by i get probably the most surreal photograph i have shaking his hand. So president thinks hes making progress, connacht about a week but he has to go to the jeep summit in okinawa, japan. And i disposed to leave he cant fly out of camp david, its nifty, rainy, cloudy, not good visibility. He take the motorcade to Andrews Air Force base. We are standing outside of aspen to see off, typically try to see a guest off. We stand there for five hours, okay . So you think this this is a wes or stricter president clinton was on a scripted guy. Kind of rain with the moment. This maybe wasnt so unusual we were standing around but in this case it was a great strength that i observed. Because what he was doing was was working ehud barak and arafat to the individuals working their egos, working their personalities, heavily heavily and passion, like making the deal, working with them on what they wanted for each other now the u. S. Caddell. For five hours a did not seem like that long, albeit on us, we stand awaits is a good buy. One point his daughter chelsea walks out and says im sorry, commander, but my dad is running a little late. Its okay, we will hang here for a while. That goes on picky takes off. He tells secretary albright keep them here, ill be back. He comes back and they go on about another week passed the g8 summit, and to no avail nothing was ever signed. Probably one of the greatest disappointments was no peace treaty between israel and the plo. Chapter 11, changing of the guard. How would you say goodbye to a president . I look back into vhs tapes. Then something when they said goodbye to reagan and george h. W. Bush, the crew did something that you asked the white house can we say goodbye to the president . Sure, do whatever you want. Four days of all kinds of guess, 200 people coming coming through, craziness. Hes got to pop singers singing, the chapel, don henley, just a lot of million in a good, fun way. Then the final day they are at camp david, the sunday before the tuesday inauguration. So that morning at chapel my wife michelle on the left and ginger williams, the chaplains wife event clintons some gifts that it hung on the chaplain walls for ages. That evening we had a little farewell ceremony in the hangar. This is senatorelect clinton, this is when she won the new york senatorial race. She makes comics, the president makes comics. We get some milk bones to buddy. Anybodys happy it would take one last photo with the camp david crew in the Clinton Family. Last moments, last night there at camp david at least as the president and first lady, senatorelect. Every ceo talks about saying goodbye to president s. Again as a person. You see this family, you kind of get to know them, theyre kind of in the world but not of the world and you say goodbye. And then thats it. At the landings of that night at 10 00 cold, dark, the clincher saying goodbye and chelsea turns to me and she has me to stop animals, a panda and a cat she says commander, id like you to give these to your daughters. Ive had them for eight years in my here at aspen, and id like them to have them as a memory. I said, very gracious, nice thing from a charming lady going off to college. Just one of those great moments of human nature that you treasure, and then suddenly they get in helicopter, the door shut and theyre gone and its over. Changing of the guard. We had that 36 36 day the asquh hanging chad. Of course president bush is not greater, we got to go to the inauguration. I think senator leahy of vermont to get me tickets. Imagine during the final clinton weekend he was a much worker. I had to give tours that day. Fast thing to be with people like you and i, kind of come on the tour of the facility that you post. So we go to the inauguration. President bush comes up two weeks later by himself and he asked me in his golf cart to drive threat and shall run kaepernick thats embarrassing because i know hes been there a lot with his dad. He probably knows it just as much so i keep it very simple, kind of camp david to or for dummies and a drop them off at aspen. They welcome, mr. President , nice to have you here. This is what impressed me. Just a few weeks later in february, he reaches out to tony blair. The bushes have never met the players. Different political parties, the players are great friends of the clintons and reaches out in february of 2001 to tony and his wife and invites them, couple only to camp david to be with george and laura. And again watching from the sidelines use a president , a world leader reach across to our number one ally, invites into camp, not the white house would stuffy and formal wear its china and crystal but the camp david what is your family room, two couples, no staff. Light moment in the world, currently. Very pleasant weekend. They did a press conference off the hill, a very lighthearted, schumer is that just a great start and to think tony blair visited two or three times since this. Flash forward unfortunately to seven months later and 9 11 attacks, and what i think is, you see this relation back in good times, and the point of developing relations before you need them, i think that had a lot to do with why Prime Minister blair was in the Congressional Chamber when bush talks the world about what we going to do to respond to the attacks. Similarly president bush reaches across the pacific one of our most important pacific allies in japan, and invites him for a very open visit, camp david in july, very lighthearted again reaching out building a relationship before you need it. At least for me as a command it impressed me from the sidelines to see how you do business in an appropriate setting. The bushes loved camp david. They went there a lot, and the crew really worked hard, not that they do for every present but its a different tempo. They love camp david. You see them with their parents picky stephen sitting in p1 listening to a childrens service. And on the watch Evergreen Chapel which is dedicated in his fathers in administration its the ten year mark, june 2001, so we have a nice service just like they did ten years prior, all the same clergy or denominations were invited, similar remarks, songs were sung and all the president s with all the films as exit the chapel taking photos that day. Then we all go to brunch together. So the bushes were very punctual. In fact, he was so punctual he caught me early one day when these early and i wasnt punctual. So the bushes, and i know for my successes for eight years, theres a minute rule. You were always 30 minutes there before bush because he tended to run on time or early. So he supposed to come up one more week before we leave but he cant make it picky cancels of the trip. His secretary calls me in the office. Fortunately i was sitting in the office on the phone and the phone rings and its the president s secretary. She says good morning, commander. Can you take a call from the president . The president of ffa . The boys club, what . Acis about that cheerleading competition . What . Yes, of course i can take the call turkey says sorry, can make at it this weekend but but i likeo invite you and your family down to say goodbye. Come down on a weekend or a day and say goodbye. Everyone gets to go down and do a departure photo with the president. Every Service Member that serves better, but he said bring your family debt and well spend some time together. This is that day. We get to go again. He spends some quality time talking to the girls, writing the notes. We were in the rose garden. Its one of many things you learned about being president is in never want embarrass the president put in an awkward situation which you think how could i ever put some in an awkward situation . He was being george bush, telling a story, and he tells us how every first family, the president and first lady plant a tree in the south lawn, kind of a tradition. So he tells this innocent story, and michelle asks an innocent question, what kind of tree was it . And thats in doing this picky set i knew you going to ask me that. He says, he doesnt know, it was a treat about this big. [laughing] so thats the lighthearted moment over here. So again, folksy human moment, use within a president i believe the least i saw, that you i served, just kind of bring it back to earth, back to normal but again you in the world, you are not of the world. Never forget that. A nice farewell photo with president bush in the oval office before we go on a way, depart august 2001. If you were visiting me or maybe some of you this photo taken x to the iconic camp david sign one of the last family photos of my family and me, before we departed. And when underway and its been a true joy, pleasure, honor to come back a few times to visit camp and go to the anniversary balls and reignite with crew members and go down the jury to get to go about writing this book and sharing it with the world and being, having opportunity to talk about it and take their questions. And with that, ladies and gentlemen, i will conclude with it all started with this, simple note from our two daughters, 19 years ago, and here we are today. So thank you very much for your attention and im open to your questions. [applause] balcony. Thank you so much for a very interesting lecture. My question is this. If you can tell us what happened during a normal week when the president is not there . What actually happens, takes place . All military members, we recruit heavily, you have figure sailors and marines to get highpowered crew, which is its own leadership challenge because youre making beds, planting flowers, take care of the place. You do most of the upkeep. We have some contractors who do some of heavy work. You are training, practicing, cleaning, going to military classes if you have the time to do that because we all eventually move on after two to three to five years. Officers typically two to three years. Are are enlisted troops three to five, depending on their specialty. Maintain it, keep it, always be ready. Thats what we do. Yes, sir. How many people can you accommodate comfortably . Comfortably about ten cabins, comfortably maybe 2040. During some of the summits we have crammed people into the barracks. Our single sailors and marines live in the barracks. So sometimes they would cram i think a story about carters, Hamilton Jordan and his bunkmate for two weeks in a a barracks m like a dorm room with piles of laundry growing. So thats uncomfortably but when we hosted the israelis and palestinians, its all about showing equity. If you get five cabins, they get five cabins. If you get six golf carts, you get six golf carts, that type of thing. Yes, men. Who owned the horses . The horses came from National Park service down here in washington, d. C. They were not there horses. [inaudible] just for those weakens. In fact, i someone horse operations once, the claims one to go horseback riding, the president and chelsea. I got a seat in action with Part Services brings the horses up and runs them through a metal detector. No one is free that, okay . [laughing] and off they go. [inaudible] thats the hard part. Those of you who are parents its understand its cool when you live there and if family and friends visit, but with february Andrew Snowden and the park roads were icy and they cant get and of housing area to play with every other friend, you are by yourself with mom and dad. Dad says you cant go sled riding on the president sale. You cant build a snowman and your wife says that ridiculous. Why can you not let the children of the summit . I dont know, where i was supposed be ready. Dont make it so hard on me. Its this balance again. They have wonderful memories. Our oldest was in second and third grade. The youngest was in preschool but there were tears. There was remorse on their part. There was angst. They wrote about it in the college essay, yeah. [laughing] scored some huge. Im sure. They so have great memories but there are other poignant moments that jews are not always fun. Every family has dealt with in different ways. Yes, then. To details about your new look over and how prepared you for this very unique command . Yes, i think up to that point i had done well in the navy says it one of the three or four officers we will send to the white house pick the question was about preparation, and i was selected. Then you serve with this exceptional crew and you realize constantly, if you keep couldve been anyone else. I was fortunate to serve there. I had great people. If youre handpicking your people you let people do their job, you dont micromanage them. If i can do that at camp david with the president and survive, i think the rest of my career is going to be okay. It was a great testimony, a great proving ground for how to treat people and let them do their thing and let the next something which is what theyre going to do most of the time. And when they need your backing, thats what you do. [inaudible] balcony. [inaudible] how many stories similar to win. In fact, im surprised some of my predecessors were not fired. John was there are three or four years with nixon. His dog attacked the nixon french poodle and tore it up. [laughing] john went to sick bay called eucalyptus, and the president s position are stitching the president s talk together. John is biopic he says im done, this is it. He goes over to aspen to go apologize, and he says its okay, come back tomorrow. He lived through it. I never had a store like that but what i learned was we all had so many similar stories and thats what it was even easier to write the book and bring in their anecdotes as well. Yes, sir. 9 11, the days after, what can you say . So we are in hawaii. That was my consolation prize for leaving camp david, and we all our story and we were awakened at 3 p. M. One of the early reports we heard was a plane was going to camp david. So our daughters hear this and were all thinking about friends and family which is left there. And then, knowing whats going on behind the scenes may be, you cant imagine what a whirlwind of uncertainty and chaos that must have been. The gentleman asked me, michal connor, has some Great Stories, poignant moment in the book but when he went through and what the crew went through. The chaplain served during my time stayed longer, its such relationship with the bushes and president bush use some of his words to the nation takes a seat is very human relationships grow from a tragedy. And again though i wasnt there so i never had to deal with it face on. [inaudible] yes, that is not been disclosed and that is where Vice President cheney was sent, the undisclosed location was, in fact, camp david. Where do the chaplain and the priest come from . So the r5, six offices assigned to camp david. The Commanding Officer, the executive officer, and then three other lieutenants, lieutenant junior grade, all civil engineers. One supply corps officer, one chaplain. The Navy Chaplain corps. During my time it was always of the protestant faith, okay. The Catholic Priest mount st. Marys seminary right up the street we had contracted priests. [laughing] its like watching the old reruns of the witch because you did know which darren was going to show that sunday. We had four priests cycle through but father sam ran most of our program spirit we had our communion, first communion for a number of virtual. The pins on the demographics of your command and what they need. Typically there still a Catholic Service and a protestant service. How was physical security provided . Wonderfully. [laughing] its elaborate. The marine corps still guards, they are responsible centuries. I talk about the lonely century. Lots of other fancy stuff that goes on in protecting the space like the white house although the white house is is in certan much more Public Domain. Full security. There is one story though back in the 80s of woman to drive her car up the access link and crashed into the gate. We need to adjust on this and figure out how to prevent that from happening again. So theres been some of those less than humorous incidents, but, of course, cant talk about it much more than that. Yes, maam. [inaudible] i love the idea your to take up leads and put them down for mrst looked to meet. What was that phrase i thought you . Perfect but natural. See, you overdid it. Im very, very interested in president ial food and i was delighted that you sometimes gave menus and picked out bits and pieces from mrs. Carter [inaudible] camp david archives that keep track of menus. Was a good place to go for i went to the library of congress of got quite a few books. After every visit weekend we would write trip report and sent to the white house. Im sure the ten a Public Domain. I dont recall if the menus were in there. Maybe for big events with International Gas buddy dont recall if we went to that detail. But our cruise, our sailors, they worked along with sometimes the present would bring the own staff initially but you see the men and women working together and the white house chef social teaching each other how to serve the the president , what you like and dislike. Thats pretty important business. [inaudible] the president payfors own food at camp david. Even though were in a budget like to run opera camp david because it has a mission, in the United States security world, when it president brings guests on the weekend, all the food and drink is kept separately and thats paid for by the president here. But the camp david accord witted and paid for by i imagine the state Department Like the middle east peace summit where we would have kosher meals brought up three or four times a day was all covered through that diplomatic [inaudible] thank you. Appreciate it. Any other questions . Wonderful, yes. [inaudible] could you carry on your own social life and go to the Grocery Store . Did you have a staff also . On the staff, on the dishwasher. [laughing] its like i dont care who you are in that building, youre still bad, still doing the dishes. Everyone works for you, so we were friendly with everyone but its a Different Air when you are the boss. And so were from pittsburgh, so a lot of family would visit us was close enough we could entertain the weekends when the president wasnt there. We would have friends come visit. You try to be a normal family but its not a normal environment. You have a modest house with the graveyard, but but i you get te the yard is tempered sometimes. I think its wonderful memories and going back over the years that utahns has been especially wonderful to see where our kids played in what they did in the rinse and how the facilities were used. What kind of lead time which you have . The opening story of my first visit with the clintons and that was zero lead time. Having a change of command on a friday. At 10 a. M. , my predecessor said no visit on the books. The clintons are not coming. That morning, dress whites, tt morning before the event the change of command they are coming that night. Site talk about in the book it was a wonderful way and asked about my career, it was a wonderful way, i was handed the drivers keys. I have no idea how the powertrain works. I would be an idiot to do anything but sit there and watch the crew do their job. I go to the kickoff meeting, sit there and tried ask intelligent questions. What kind of breath mints do we have . [laughing] i dont know. There was no notice. The last year and have president clinton quite honestly it was visit is on, its off. Its off, its on. Hes coming to pack up some stuff. Its off. Hes come right away. We did know there are coming off the helicopter, first lady, the first lady social secretary efficiency arche is coming to president bush for scripted. We always knew from the first ladies social secretary, what cabins one, what meals. You adjust. You learn to adjust. Could you list a variety of activities and amenities that were there for people . Play volleyball. Volleyball on a squash court. George hw w bush loved it. Loved that game. He always loved that playing with the sailors and marines and the family. Volleyball, skeet, archery, driving range which is what the landing zone, the putting green behind aspen, two pools, darts, pool, the lounge, horseback riding, crosscountry skiing. If you want to call or go real skiing in leave the camp, and every president rick reed at president obama had his own president ial birth cant, ten event with his own friends so thats talked about in the book. Mrs. Obama like to do the work out on the weekend with a friend. Thats what its for, get away, relaxation for the president and family. Everyone has used it differently. Can the personal and the families use the full . Yes, the staff pool which is where have theres story comes in because president bush wasnt supposed go swimming in the staff pool. Showed up one morning and she can tell you all about that. Its than usual because usually they go to the aspen pool, the class shaped pool behind aspen. But its in their place. They go wherever they want and you adjust as needed. We had a Fitness Center and Basketball Court with all the cardio and weights and all that as well. Okay, yes, sir. Including the reporters and Commanding Officer, did you have any say so as far as kind of redecoration . Cedar was the house belonged to the facility but the furnishings were yours, like it was into when you moved in, you put your own things in it. All the guest cabins would be decorator typically by the first lady or her staff over time. So the clintons left all the furnishings were there probably for about eight months to a year plus, then slowly mrs. Bush changed things out. But our personal belongings of what decorated cedar, and when we left everything was empty once again. Yes, maam. Where did your children go to school while you were there . Waited they live . Okay. So the school bus, theres a photo in the book, we would drive her out the gate, on the public road, park center vote which is in the park system, the school bus would come up and pick her up. At the time she is going to an Elementary School for second grade. We moved her to Frederick Middle School or frederick Magnet School for third grade but the same process. Out the gate, catch the bus, downhill. If youre late in your own family kitchen and you cant find your homework, or something is going out the gate participation icy or rainy and you cant get out and you will miss the bus, the bus doesnt wait, someone is driving her to school, dad. I dont care who you are, your dad, your driver to school. I talk about one of those moms were she said dad, how do we have to live here . [inaudible] yes, and we had the Navy Housing Area downhill i talked with kudos get you to play. They were at school with wonderful friends and do in the Public School system as well. The youngest was in preschool only. [inaudible] [applause] thank you. Thank you, everyone. Have a wonderful evening. Nice to have your tonight. Thank you. Thank you, lauren. [inaudible conversations] heres a look at some books being published this week. Good evening everyone, and welcome to the New York Historical society. Im dale gregory, Vice President for Public Programs, and is always a thrill to welcome you to our spectacular robert a smith auditorium. The knights program, stalin waiting for hitler, 19291941 is part of the distinguished Speaker Series which is the heart of our Public Programs and we always want to thank