Photo By Joe Yanik | President Barack Obama greets members of the 89th Airlift Wing’s Presidential...... read more read more
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The 89th Airlift Wing supported President Barack Obama’s final official flight as president on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Jan. 10.
First lady, Michelle Obama, accompanied the president to Chicago where he delivered a farewell address to the nation.
“Serving the President of the United States is the highest honor for any Airman, and the Commander in Chief is the 89th AW’s top priority,” said Col. Christopher Thompson, 89th Airlift Wing vice commander.
The 89th AW comprises an air expeditionary, combat-ready force of more than 1,100 personnel, including Airmen who work at JBA’s passenger terminal and flightline to ensure the president’s air travel is a flawless operation.
Tech. Sgt. Brian Greene, Special Airlift Mission passenger services agent, stood on the flightline alongside Col. Christopher Thompson, 89th AW vice commander, to render a salute to Air Force One as it taxied to the runway for takeoff.
“It’s awesome to be a part of this kind of mission,” said Greene. “When I joined the Air Force, I never thought I’d be doing this.”
Staff Sgt. Heather Alred, 811th Security Forces Squadron operations security detail chief, was on duty during the president’s movement from Marine One to Air Force One as well.
“As detail chief, I’m extremely proud to have played a role to ensure the president and his cabinet secretaries traveling with him have a safe and comfortable departure from JBA,” said Alred.
The president’s next scheduled flight on Air Force One is Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, when his successor, president-elect Donald Trump, takes the oath of office.
The 89th AW provides global special mission airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the president and other senior military and elected leaders as tasked by the White House, Air Force chief of staff and Air Mobility Command.
“Our reliability rating is highest in the Air Force,” said Thompson. “This is because we only hire the best to serve in the 89th Airlift Wing, and each of our Airmen commit to perfection as the standard."
He added that the 89th AW has supported the president on 1,293 flights and the wing’s Presidential Airlift Group maintains a 100 percent on-time departure reliability rate and, as a whole, it maintains a 98.8 percent in mission reliability across the board.
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2017 14:49 |
| Story ID: | 220226 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 248 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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