Air Force trains flight attendants for VIP trips

By David Dishneau

Associated Press

Published: Thursday, Feb. 9 2012 1:31 a.m. MST

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Air Force Flight Attendant Tech Sgt. Joel Rose, left, points out safety equipment aboard a 757, or C32, as he trains new flight attendants at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Military flight attendants serve America’s top government officials, their staffs, guests and reporters aboard 19 planes flown by the 89th Airlift Wing out of Joint Base Andrews near Washington. Their customers include the president, vice president, first lady, secretary of state, secretary of defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As attendants on Air Force One and other VIP planes flying as many as 1,000 missions a year, they perform all the safety and comfort functions of their commercial airline counterparts and more.

Ann Heisenfelt, Associated Press

Summary

The U.S. military says more flight attendants aboard Air Force One and other government VIP planes are learning advanced culinary skills.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — The U.S. military says more flight attendants aboard Air Force One and other government VIP planes are learning advanced culinary skills.

Students at Joint Base Andrews near Washington recently prepared chicken paillard (py-AR') with mashed potatoes and asparagus at the direction of a Los Angeles-based chef who has cooked for celebrities including Tom Cruise and Simon Cowell.

The Air Force hired The Corporate School of Etiquette to teach three such classes in the last 18 months to flight attendants in the 89th Airlift Wing at $22,000 per class.

The Air Force says the president and his top advisers need to be well-fed when traveling on official business — but they can opt for more pedestrian fare.

The flight attendants say their top priority is ensuring passenger safety.

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