As Cubans pack the streets of Havana “for a glimpse of President Obama,” spiritedly cheering the President and his family, and as Americans loudly applaud or vociferously lament the historic visit, one dedicated group of men and women goes quietly about their business of ensuring that the President and his family make it safely to and back from Cuba.
Col. Christopher Thompson, the 89th Airlift Wing vice commander, and 89th AW Airmen salute as Air Force One departs Joint Base Andrews, Md., March 20, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace)
Whether Air Force One’s flight is a relatively short one, such as this one, or one spanning thousands of miles and several continents, the preparations are just as meticulous and exacting.
The men and women of the 89th Airlift Wing (AW) at Joint Base Andrews, Washington D.C. call this their “no-fail mission.”
It is a mission performed perfectly by hundreds of pilots, crew members, maintainers, communications professionals and other Airmen enabling “national interests and diplomacy through the global transport of the president, vice president, cabinet members, combatant commanders, and other senior military and elected leaders as tasked by the White House, Air Force chief of staff and Air Mobility Command,” according to Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace, 89th Airlift Wing Public Affairs.
Every mission supported by the 89th AW is a “Special” Airlift Mission”, or SAM, but none more special, or critical, than when the VC-25A flies under the call sign “Air Force One,” perhaps the most visible symbol of the United States.
Flying, participating in or supporting such missions is an honor to members of the 89th. In the words of crew chief, Tech. Sgt. Joseph Wallace, “Becoming a flying crew chief in this wing and with this unique mission has been a dream come true. Whenever we’re needed and wherever we must go, I feel like being part of this wing means being part of something truly great…I’ve been to dozens of countries and have supported missions that most people only see in the form of highlights on the nightly news. With each mission, I know history is being made and I’m right there when it happens.”
So True.
History is being made in Cuba on this flight of Air Force One.
The last sitting president to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge in 1928. He did so on the battleship U.S.S. Texas, an overnight trip from Key West, after a 32-hour trip from Washington in a presidential rail car.
President Obama noted that it only took him “three hours.”
Once in Cuba, President Obama wrote:
¡Hola desde Cuba! Michelle, the girls, and I are here in Havana on our first full day in Cuba. Cubans have lined the streets to welcome us, and it’s humbling to be the first U.S. president in nearly 90 years to visit a country and a people just 90 miles from our shores.
He continues:
Like so many Americans, I’ve only known the isolation that has existed between our two governments. I was born in 1961, the year of the Bay of Pigs invasion. A year later, a Cold War confrontation over Cuba pushed the world as close as it’s ever been to nuclear war. As the decades passed, the mistrust between our governments resulted in heartache for our two peoples, including Cuban Americans, many of whom have endured decades of separation from their homeland and relatives.
I’ve come to Havana to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. I’m here to bury the last vestige of the Cold War in the Americas and to forge a new era of understanding to help improve the daily lives of the Cuban people.
There continue to be real and important differences between our governments, including profound differences on the way to promote safety, security, opportunity, and human rights. But there’s so much Americans and Cubans share — our cultures and passions, our hopes for the future, not to mention a love of baseball.
I know one visit, and one president, cannot erase the decades of history that have left so many Cubans in poverty or exile. But sometimes the most important changes begin with the smallest step. I believe in the Cuban people and their desire to build a future of their own choosing. And I believe that changing the way we do things between our countries will, over time, help make that possible.
So I’m looking forward to meeting and hearing directly from Cubans from all walks of life. And I’m confident that, working together with the Cuban people, our two countries can begin a new journey together that delivers progress for both our peoples.
We wish you success in your mission, Mr. President, made possible in no small measure by the no-fail performance of their mission by the men and women of the 89th Air Wing.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave goodbye to a crowd of Americans as they board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., March 20, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace)
Note: The Air Force announced in January 2015 that Boeing aircraft based on its 747-8 jumbo jet will be replacing the VC-25s — specially configured Boeing 747-200Bs — presently used as Air Force One.
UPDATE:
–Despite some Republicans blasting Obama’s trip, a new poll finds the majority of Americans are in favor of restoring ties.
–Booking.com is going to start offering hotel reservations in Cuba.
Lead photo: White House
