Protocol – first impressions, lasting memories

At Robins Air Force Base, a talented team works behind the scenes to coordinate distinguished visitors, military ceremonies and community events, ensuring that every detail reflects the professionalism of the installation.

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE — Before the distinguished visitor arrives, before the ceremony begins and before military or civilian leaders step to the microphone, or step on the tarmac or step anywhere on Robins AFB for that matter, a team of protocol experts has already spent hours, days, maybe weeks, making sure everything is in place.

From coordinating travel and lodging for distinguished visitors to reviewing ceremony scripts, arranging honor guards and managing event logistics, the installation’s protocol team works behind the scenes to ensure that visits and ceremonies run smoothly.

Their work typically goes unnoticed by the people attending an event. But for the commanders and guests who depend on their expertise, the team plays a critical role in creating a positive first impression of Robins and the people who work there.

“What we do gives whoever’s visiting this base their first impression,” said Michelle Eddins, chief of protocol for the installation explained. “We represent this base for these people.”

The responsibility is substantial. The team supports a variety of events, including change-of-command ceremonies, promotions, retirements, award presentations, the annual Robins Airman Memorial observance, the Air Force Ball and more.

Each event comes with its own requirements, traditions and expectations.

Planning well before the event

For distinguished visitor visits, the team provides checklists and guidance to help organizations prepare, just a vast array, Eddins said. Their assistance includes the paperwork needed to request a visit or transportation, arrangements for lodging and other logistical requirements.

Ceremonies require a different set of preparations. The team supplies sample scripts and programs, explains how to coordinate an honor guard and helps organizations select an appropriate venue.

Once an organization prepares its final script, the protocol team reviews it as a courtesy, checking introductions, the order in which people are recognized and the overall flow of the ceremony.

There are also regulations and established procedures that must be followed. The details may seem small, but they can make a significant difference in how an event unfolds, said Eddins, adding they also help ensure scripts and itineraries comply with applicable Air Force and Department of War regulations.

Their goal is to handle the behind-the-scenes logistics so commanders can concentrate on communicating the installation’s mission to their visitors.

“They know we’ve got them,” she said.

That confidence comes from preparation, experience and an understanding of how to navigate the many requirements that accompany military events.

A career built on adaptability

For Eddins, who has been installation chief for three years, her life in protocol started a little over 16 years ago. Her primary job was being part of a training program that also included finance and “several different things” – time and attendance clerk out on the flight line, being one, and her background when she came to Robins AFB was in human resources.

“I just was dabbling just a little bit into protocol,” she said. “I did that for a very short period of time and had an opportunity to come over to the installation protocol office as a protocol specialist.

“So, I took that opportunity and it opened up an entire career for me.”

Not that success happened overnight. First, she said, was the learning curve.

“So, I was very, very young in this. And when you’re dealing with three and four-star generals, at that point, you’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It can be very intimidating.

“Then you fast forward to the position I’m in now, where I coordinate with the White House and senior military leaders, then now you’re just like, ‘I got this.’ So, but yeah, early on, it can be very intimidating. What you have to do is you just have to remember they’re there for a reason and it’s your job to make sure that they are taken care of while they are visiting your area.

“And that’s what you have to focus on. Otherwise, you can’t get done the things you need to get done. Somebody taught me very early on in my career in protocol. She said, ‘You know, you can’t let yourself get starstruck.’ She said, ‘Do not let do not feel intimidated. They are depending on you. They’re depending on you to make sure that their visit is a success and that you are touching on all the things they want to do while they’re here.’ And I’ve just always tried to remember that.”

Protocol, she went on, is a “very high-paced job,” but that’s one of the things she said she also loved about it. For example, making decisions “on the fly. I mean, really quick, it takes a lot of last-minute coordination. And some of it’s very complex coordination. Like we could have a DV coming in here and it’s like, okay, we’re standing out at the red carpet. We’re waiting for them to land. Let me give you an example, a good example. During COVID, we had, I was working a change of command ceremony, and we had a three-star general on the way in. This is when I worked for reserve command. We had a three-star general flying in to do that ceremony.

“The aide de camp called me and said, ‘Hey, look, the plane’s broken. We’re going to be a little late.’ So, we have this room full of people, this venue full of people. And I’m like ‘OK, just keep me updated.’ She calls me back about 20 minutes later and she says ‘The plane is very broken. We won’t be able to make it.’

“Oh, my goodness. So, we’re like ‘OK, can we do this virtually?’ I was able to work with the IT folks and the people on the ground there, and we were able to pull up big screens in the venue that we were in. And the three-star commander actually conducted that change of command on screen with his command chief from the Pentagon.”

Another example happened a few years ago. Out of the blue she received a call from the White House communications team. Thinking it was a joke, “I said, ‘Who is this really?’ I did not even believe it. I did not believe it.

“And they were like, no, seriously, you have company coming. You have a visitor. This was during Hurricane Michael. And I was like, ‘Really?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, the advance team will be there in about 30 minutes. As I was leaving for the day, I was like, ‘Okay.’ So, I come over and talk to the installation commander at the time and I’m like, ‘Hey, we’ve got company coming.’ And that turned into a full-blown, full-blown distinguished visit. It was a Presidential visit. But I mean, we were able to coordinate it. We were able to get lodging for everybody. We were able to get their team set up. It was a great visit.”

That’s the biggest reward, she continued. A self-described “people person,” it’s the people she gets to meet. And not just the high-ranking ones she said, but “it can also be that young airman that is just starting their career that may sign up and say, ‘Hey, I want to be the project officer for something. I want to be the one – I’ll volunteer to help you with the air show, or I’ll volunteer to help you with this ceremony or this visit.’

“So, I’m able to teach them some of the basics and some of the things that they will need to do if they’re helping our office and just giving them that opportunity and just helping them and being able to interact with them.”

Eddins was born and raised in Middle Georgia. Her father worked on Robins AFB back in the 60s, she said, before joining the military and being assigned elsewhere. She has three children, five grandchildren and three stepchildren. Her son is a lead for the C-130s while faith and family make up “the biggest parts of my life.”

Among the attributes that have made her successful are attention to detail, patience, adaptability and refusing to accept roadblocks.

“You’ve just got to figure out how to get around those,” she said. “Because there’s a requirement that you get around it. And so, it’s just being able to figure that out.

“Try to find a way to say ‘yes’, that’s what I try to do.”

A not-so traditional path

For protocol specialists Dave Mardis and Mac McFarlin, the path to their current positions was anything but traditional as well.

Mardis began his military career in the Marine Corps in the 1990s before continuing his service in other capacities, including the Army National Guard’s 29th Infantry Division in Missouri.

While deployed to Kuwait, he was selected to serve as a liaison between senior leaders in Third Army and the division.

Although he had previously worked in information technology, the assignment introduced him to the responsibilities that would eventually shape his career.

The work suited him, he said. He learned to handle challenging assignments, solve problems and remain composed when circumstances became difficult.

A civilian colleague in turn, he said, encouraged him to apply for a protocol position and helped him prepare his résumé.

His first civilian protocol assignment took him to Alaska, where he spent nearly five years supporting presidential visits, members of Congress, senators and other distinguished guests. Alaska’s location, he said, made it an important stop for some officials traveling to and from Europe and other destinations.

He eventually moved to Georgia to be closer to his sister after she was diagnosed with brain cancer. He joined the Robins protocol office and brought with him years of experience supporting high-level visits.

For him, one of the job’s greatest rewards is its unpredictability.

“Every day something new comes,” he said, describing how the work requires critical thinking and the ability to adapt to different situations.

He also appreciates the opportunity to support events that have a lasting effect on people.

The annual Robins Airman Memorial ceremony is one of the events that stands out to him.

“That’s a biggie for us,” he said. “We love that ceremony.”

From Arlington National Cemetery to Robins

McFarlin’s route into protocol began with military service as well and a series of civilian operations positions.

After entering the military in 1987, he served six years, including during Desert Storm as a gunner on a Bradley fighting vehicle. His training took place at Fort Benning.

Later, he accepted a temporary civilian position in operations at a California installation. Although he initially had limited experience in the field, he learned quickly and developed the skills needed to succeed.

After losing that job during sequestration, he spent time waiting for another government opportunity and hiking the Appalachian Trail.

While on the trail, he found a job announcement for Arlington National Cemetery. He applied online and was eventually hired.

That position in turn opened the door to a career coordinating event at one of the nation’s most significant military sites.

For 11 years, he helped arrange and execute ceremonies and visits involving presidents, veterans, foreign dignitaries and schoolchildren. His responsibilities included events on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, as well as the annual Wreaths Across America observance.

The experience was meaningful, but the long hours and emotional demands eventually took their toll. After working extended days, sometimes seven days a week, and enduring the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, he began looking for an opportunity closer to family.

He found that opportunity at Robins, where he could continue doing work he enjoyed while living closer to relatives in Georgia.

McFarlin said he appreciates the opportunity to interact with people throughout the installation and learn about its history.

With a degree in history, he also enjoys discovering more about the base through the many organizations and missions the protocol team supports.

He described protocol as the “belly button of the base,” a central point of contact for organizations seeking help with events, visits and ceremonies.

The position gives him a broad view of the installation, allowing him to build relationships across organizations that might otherwise operate separately.

Teamwork makes the difference

Although the team has extensive responsibilities, its members emphasize that successful events are never the work of one person alone.

The office works closely with mission partners throughout Robins, including the Air Logistics Complex, coordinating efforts to support visits and ceremonies.

The team also works with community leaders and elected officials who visit the installation or attend events.

That network of relationships is particularly important during the summer, when the base experiences its busiest change-of-command season.

The team may support 15 to 20 change-of-command ceremonies in succession during the summer months, requiring careful scheduling, preparation and coordination.

The office also benefits from having a military member assigned to the team on a rotating, one-year basis.

Tech. Sgt. Emilio Blanco, who was on leave during the interview, represents that military component of the office.

The assignment provides an opportunity to teach service members a new skill set, from planning distinguished visitor visits and ceremonies to communicating with senior leaders and working with organizations across the installation.

The military members, in turn, provide additional support during busy periods and help the office prepare for major events, including the base’s upcoming air show.

The team views the arrangement as mutually beneficial: the service members gain experience they can carry into future assignments, while the office gains valuable assistance.

The moments that matter

For Mardis and McFarlin, the rewards extend beyond successfully executing a schedule.

McFarlin recalled the Air Force Ball as an especially meaningful event. After spending days helping prepare for it, he enjoys seeing service members relax and have a good time.

Although he does not have children of his own, he said he regards the military community as a kind of family.

He also remembered helping coordinate a candlelight vigil for an airman who had died. Coming from his background at Arlington National Cemetery, he found the experience particularly moving because it allowed him to witness the grief and remembrance surrounding a loss in a different way.

Eddins also recalled a distinguished visitor event during Hurricane Michael that resulted in receiving a presidential coin from President Donald Trump during his first administration. The recognition was a source of pride, but she emphasized that the accomplishment belonged to the entire team.

The experience reflected a central principle of protocol work: individual recognition may be meaningful, but successful events depend on collective effort.

Professionalism when plans change

Not every event proceeds exactly as planned, they said. Different expectations, competing priorities and challenging circumstances can test even an experienced protocol specialist, they agreed.

The team’s approach is to remain professional, follow established procedures and explain the reasoning behind decisions when necessary.

Eddins said that when a commander questions an arrangement, a respectful explanation of the requirements and the reasons for a particular decision can often resolve the issue.

Some requirements cannot be changed, but flexibility and communication can help the team find workable solutions.

That balance — knowing the rules while understanding the people involved — is central to the job, Eddins said.

For a team that interacts with a wide range of personalities, organizations and leaders, patience and sound judgment are as important as knowing how to organize a ceremony.

Ultimately, the work comes down to preparation and trust.

The protocol specialists may not be the people standing at the center of a ceremony or delivering the keynote address, but they help make those moments possible.

Their work connects military leaders, mission partners and the surrounding community while ensuring that important visits and traditions receive the attention they deserve.

For the team at Robins, the greatest measure of success is often simple: when the event is over, the guests have been welcomed, the ceremony has gone as planned and the installation’s mission has taken center stage.

As Eddins put it, protocol is a rewarding career for those who love it.

For the people who thrive in it, the satisfaction comes from knowing that, even when the audience never sees the work behind the scenes, the details have made all the difference.