President Bush planned funeral details for years, former secret service agent says
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Former secret service agent Thom Bolsch spent his first couple of years of his career working closely at the White House with former President George H.W. Bush, who he remembers as a strong leader with a penchant for always being on time.
"(The Bush family) cared so much about us, the secret service and all the staff at the White House," Bolsch said.
Air Force One will carry the president's body back to Washington D.C. on Monday morning for several days of memorials that have already been mapped out, according to Bolsch, for several years.
"They pretty much wrote the script for how all of this will play out," he said. "So, we have their playbook and we practiced it many times with his staff."
Multiple law enforcement agencies along with military groups play a key part in assisting to make sure all events run smoothly and safely.
"That is why we've been practicing this for 10 to 12 years to make sure everything goes smooth," he said. "We would meet with the staff usually quarterly, but at least twice a year to make sure if there was any changes, if they wanted anything done differently, and we would do dry runs to make sure everything was in place."
Agents assigned to President Bush's personal detail will most likely be reassigned to new departments.
