5,000 Military Personnel Participating in Inauguration

Obama's big day will be Wash. soldier's, too
By GALE FIEGE
The Daily Herald
January 6, 2013

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — When more than 1,500 service members salute President Barack Obama on Jan. 21 along the parade route for his second inaugural, Army Sgt. 1st Class Meghan Malloy will have had a hand in making sure all the other white-gloved hands snap at the right time.

Malloy, who grew up on Camano Island and graduated from Stanwood High School in 1998 as Meghan Slater, is a member of an elite team from the Department of Defense preparing for the inauguration.

She belongs to a 176-member joint task force charged with coordinating all ceremonial military support for the 57th U.S. Presidential Inauguration. The task force includes members from all branches of the armed forces, including reserves and National Guard. The total number of military personnel participating in the inauguration is about 5,000.
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