[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               MILITARY OFFICERS WAITING ON THE PRESIDENT

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                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 1994

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, the White House is yet again scurrying to 
explain why uniformed military officers were used as waiters at last 
week's Democratic Party soiree for 650 donors. According to Saturday, 
June 25th's issue of the Washington Post, a White House official said 
the officers are overreacting at expressed embarrassment. ``They 
shouldn't be so sensitive,'' the official said. Sensitive. Perhaps 
officers are sensitive to the fact that American soldiers will live and 
die upon the orders of a Commander in Chief who fails to display any 
understanding of the military.
  This continuing poor treatment and disrespect of military officers is 
yet another prime example of how the Clinton Presidency views the 
military. Does President Clinton think that officers sworn to defend 
the Constitution of the United States are best used to hand out hors 
d'oeuvres and white wine. Perhaps we should explain to the President 
that military service doesn't mean the service of platters.
  This administration continues to belittle the importance of our 
military's mission. If our Commander in Chief, who lacks any military 
experience, thinks that our uniformed military officers' time is best 
maximized waiting tables then we indeed have reason to be concerned.

               [From the Washington Post, June 25, 1994]

             From White House Officers to Aides-de-Canapes

                            (By Ann Devroy)

       The White House on Tuesday night was Looking for a Few Good 
     Waiters. And now White House officials say, somewhat red-
     faced, they meant no disrespect when they temporarily 
     transformed uniformed military officers into canape passers.
       With a commander in chief who lacks military service and 
     has been accused--along with his aides--of insensitivity to 
     the military, the Clinton White House worked overtime 
     yesterday to explain what probably would and did go unnoticed 
     in prior White Houses.
       As best as can be determined, military aides assigned to a 
     Democratic Party soiree for 650 big donors, scheduled to be 
     held under a tent in the White House Rose Garden, were 
     pressed briefly to join the domestic help serving hors 
     d'oeuvres because a storm forced the party indoors.
       One of the White House military social aides said yesterday 
     that such duty was humiliating: ``We are military officers, 
     not waiters.'' The aide went on to say that it was 
     ``embarrassing to us and should be embarrassing to the 
     president'' to have uniformed officers who are in the White 
     House to represent the uniformed services fill in for the 
     waiters and waitresses.
       But a White House official who was at the reception said 
     the aides are overreacting. ``Everyone was pitching in when 
     the party was moved,'' he said. ``They were just asked to 
     pitch in too. They shouldn't be so sensitive just because 
     they're in uniform.''
       Neel Lattimore, a deputy press secretary, said the sudden 
     shift of the party indoors resulted in White House senior 
     staff aides and others helping out. ``We also asked the 
     assistance of the military social aides. This was meant to be 
     a team effort'' in which no disrespect was intended, he said.
       Chief White House Usher Gary Walters said he recalled 
     ``several other occasions'' in previous administrations where 
     the social military aides helped out in emergencies.
       Two types of military aides work at the White House. There 
     are the officers from each service who are the president's 
     military aides, traveling with him and carrying the nuclear 
     codes and performing other such duties. And there is a 
     rotating group of about 40 young, single officers selected by 
     the services to represent the best of their military branches 
     to work for at least one year at the White House in a variety 
     of protocol and social duties.

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