President Barack Obama landed at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, following a flight from Atlanta where he announced a major U.S. response to the Ebola crisis in Africa.
The President was greeted by the Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Lloyd Austin, the newly installed Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Gen. Joseph Votel, Commander of MacDill and the 6th Air Mobility Wing Col. Daniel Tulley, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-D).
After the official greeting, the President shook hands and greeted military personnel along the rope line, according to radio pool reporter Peter Maer with CBS News.
Before leaving base, President Obama stopped at a military spouse appreciation reception under way at the Harbor Bay Community Center.
Wednesday, President Obama will visit CENTCOM, which has responsibility for enacting his strategy to destroy ISIL, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Central Command is responsible for the U.S. military response to the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, as well as 18 other countries in the Middle East and Central and South Asia.
The President also will tour the Joint Operations Center before making a statement to news media and thanking military personnel for their service. He is scheduled to return to Washington D.C. in the afternoon.
