 WHCA seal | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 25, 1942 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Jurisdiction | United States,Defense Information Systems Agency |
| Headquarters | Naval Support Facility Anacostia,Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | 501–1,000 |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Defense Information Systems Agency |
TheWhite House Communications Agency (WHCA), originally known as theWhite House Signal Corps (WHSC) and then theWhite House Signal Detachment (WHSD), was officially formed by theUnited States Department of War on March 25, 1942 underPresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt. The organization was created to provide secure normal, secret, and emergency communications requirements supporting the president. The organization providedmobile radio,Teletype,telegraph,telephone andcryptographic aides in theWhite House and at "Shangri-La" (now known asCamp David). The organizational mission was to provide a premier communication system enabling the president to lead the nation effectively.
In 1954, during theEisenhower administration, the WHSD was reorganized under theOffice of the Chief Signal Officer,Army Signal Corps as a Class II unit and renamed theWhite House Army Signal Agency (WHASA). In 1962, WHASA was discontinued by order of theUnited States secretary of defense under PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. Its duties were transferred to the auspices of theDefense Communications Agency under the operational control of theWhite House Military Office, and reestablished as the White House Communications Agency.[1]
WHCA has played an unremarked, but significant role in many historical events, including:World War II, theKorean War, theVietnam War,Panama andGuatemala,Operation Just Cause,Operations Desert Shield andDesert Storm, andOperation Restore Hope inSomalia. WHCA was also a key player in documenting theassassination of President John F. Kennedy and the attempted assassinations of presidentsGerald Ford andRonald Reagan.Richard Nixon awarded the agency thePresidential Unit Citation in recognition of their performance during his1972 visit to China.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
The White House Communications Agency is composed of Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps personnel. The agency evolved over the past 60 years from a small team of 32 personnel working out of the basement of the White House to a thousand-person self-supporting joint service command. The headquarters for WHCA is atJoint Base Anacostia–Bolling and consists of six staff elements and seven organizational units. WHCA also has supporting detachments inWashington, D.C., and various locations throughout the United States. WHCA is organized into functional areas, each with its own mission in support of the total WHCA mission of presidential support.[9]
The White House Communications Agency is a joint military unit. It has members from each branch of service:United States Air Force (USAF),United States Army (USA),United States Coast Guard (USCG),United States Marine Corps (USMC), and theUnited States Navy (USN). They are stringently vetted before being admitted. After meritorious service of 365 days, typically, its uniformed service members are awarded thePresidential Service Badge.[10]
WHCA also maintains many civilian employees throughout the agency and satellite locations.
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