Central Command
The G8 Summit 2004

Gruber Aviation serves as
Central Command Center
G8 Summit 2004

At the request of the United States Government, Gruber Aviation, Inc. was asked to provide its hangar facility as a base of central command operations for the United States Secret Service during the International G8 Summit which took place on neighboring Sea Island on June 8 -10, 2004. For three exciting days, over 400 Federal employees made the Gruber Aviation hangar the communications and logistical headquarters for the U.S. operations for this annual international diplomatic conference hosting heads of state from eight world nations. As host nation, the United States chose neighboring Sea Island, GA as the site of the 2004 G8 Summit with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush serving as official hosts.

G8 Summit Background
In 1975, French President Giscard d'Estaing invited the leaders of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy to an informal gathering at the chateau of Rambouillet, near Paris. The idea was for the six leaders to discuss current world issues in a frank and informal manner. Following the success of the Rambouillet summit, these meetings became an annual event, with the inclusion of Canada as the 7th member of the group at the 1976 summit. The group remained at seven until Russia, who had attended the meetings as an observer throughout the 1990s, was invited to formalize this relationship in 1997. The first G8 Summit subsequently took place in 1998. The group's informal nature has allowed it to evolve while remaining effective and relevant. Despite an increasing workload, the G8 Summit has managed to retain its informal character and remain largely free of bureaucracy. The member of the group whose turn it is to act as chair sets the agenda and decides the most appropriate method to treat each subject. The chair hosts and organizes the summit, acts as the spokesman for the group during the year, coordinates the work of the G8 Summit working groups and is responsible for engaging Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), international financial institutions and other sectors of civil society in the group's work.

Content edited from G8 - Sommet Evian Summit 2003
http://www.g8seaisland.com/en/background.cfm