[MilCom] POTUS CAP - Baton Rouge & New Orleans

[Shawn Levy, USMC S-2]

<Friday - 5/21/04>
 
POTUS visited Baton Rouge, LA to speak at the LSU graduation, and in New Orleans (Metairie) for a campaign fund raiser. 
 
ARROW 01 & 02 checked in on OAKGROVE GCI (265.4) at 08:20 local. This was also the ops & tanker freq. They monitored Hou Center, Hammond Low (343.95). Re-fueler was TANKER 05. 05 also had comms on AR-302 (366.2).
 
*During the last area POTUS CAP (Feb - 04), it was undetermined if ARROW or AERO flew the last leg of the CAP. This time it sounded more like ARROW.
 
ARROW 01 & 02 handed CAP over to CAESAR 11 & 12 (F-15, 159th FW/122d FS, NAS New Orleans) at 11:50 prior to POTUS arrival at MSY. CAP named "SAINTS" (common CAP name for New Orleans). Unknown if CAP named over Baton Rouge. TIGER would have been appropriate! TANKER 05 was re-fueler.
 
CAESAR flt checked several private aircraft during CAP that either had no squawk or wrong setting. One Cessna wouldn't answer radio when called by Hou Center. CAESAR 11 on intercept, pilot forgot to turn on his radio. Good way to get shot down. His reg number called in to Hou Center. 
 
CAESARs on:
358.2 - WATCHDOG Ops (CAESAR A/A)
265.4 - OAKGROVE GCI  (same function as with ARROW flt)
288.15 - Houston Center ARTCC, Brookly Low - Monitor
333.55 - BS channel
121.5 - Guard/CAP Net
 
119.5 - MSY tower - AF-1 checked it, on final for MSY at 11:50.
 
Other activity:
 
CAJUN 51 (A-10 926th FS/706th FS NAS New Orleans) flt of two, direct Alexandria, LA.
directed around Baton Rouge CAP. Pilots wondered why at first then remember TFR for the area. 
138.425 - GROUNDHOG CP
139.825 - CAJUN V-20
139.975 - CAJUN V-18
 
263.1 - Houston Center, Lafayette High: 
Unid a/c (poss tanker) advised he was flt of seven with six MAKOs (F-16 428th FW/93d FS ?) in tow. Handed off to Hou Center Alexandria High (348.75). MAKO 11 on 351.2 checking fuel offload (351.2 also happens to be CAJUN GROUNDHOG CP uniform).
 
338.25 - Houston Center, Baton Rouge Low: 
POISON 01 (T-38) maint flt level 180.
 
379.15 - NAS New Orleans Base Ops:
REACH 15T (not sure of the number) on ground, gave fuel load request.
 
384.2 - VP-94 (P-3) CRAWFISH Ops, advised CP of ETA NAS N.O.
 
RIVER 41 (VFA-204 F/A-18+, NAS New Orleans) Flt of two worked in EAGLE GOLF MOA. Also heard SENTRY 51 (E-3) in the area, unknown if training or part of POTUS CAP.
 
Shawn