thedrifter
06-26-03, 05:49 AM
Journeys with president memorable for Marine One crews
Submitted by: Headquarters Marine Corps
Story Identification Number: 200362562518
Story by Staff Sgt. Cindy Fisher
MARINE CORPS AIR FACILITY QUANTICO, Va. (March 31, 2003) -- Flying with the President of the United States is something the average American never experiences. While the Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, fly with the president year round, they never forget what an unique opportunity it is. From their first flight to their last flight with the detachment, the crews of Marine One aircraft never lose a sense of awe for their jobs.
When he first joined the Corps in 1992, Maj. Timothy 'Toolman' Fetsch, a Marine One pilot, had no idea that one day, he would be a pilot for the President of the United States.
"By virtue of the job, no matter how long you do it, you still get that feeling of nervousness. To be responsible for the safety and timely travel of the President of the United States is almost indescribable," Fetsch, a 32-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., said.
"Flying in D.C. is amazing too. At 200 feet and below, we fly right next to the monuments. No one here gets tired of that. If you loose that awe, it is time to move onto the next command. My best day at HMX, I flew a CH-53 in night goggles, then a daytime troop lift, and then flew the president. That epitomized the flexibility and variety of being here," said the pilot, who AH-1W Cobras before he came to HMX-1.
But the success of Marine One cannot be attributed to any one person, Fetsch said.
"In a lot of people's eyes, it's pretty prestigious to be a Marine One pilot, but everyone here realizes that it is a team effort and no one individual is responsible for HMX-1's successes."
The Marine One crew chiefs are an integral part of the Marine One team who spend countless hours preparing Marine One aircraft for presidential flights.
"The helicopters are meticulously maintained and kept spotless," said Sgt. Daniel N. Senn, a Marine One crew chief.
"We clean everything from the tires up. Every surface is wiped down until it gleams including the exterior. We wet sand the exhaust and even clean the rotor blades. In the cabin, we (clean) the chairs and even comb the nap of the carpet. In all it takes at least 10 hours for a good field day," the 23-year-old native of Richfield, Minn., said.
But that's not the hardest part of the job, said Senn, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1997 and originally trained as a CH53 crew chief.
"Just being responsible for the helicopter is tough, but the hardest part of the day is coming out of the door (of the aircraft) on the South Lawn (of the White House) and not smiling. You know everyone is watching," the Marine, who came to HMX-1 straight from his military occupational specialty school, said.
"My Dad still calls me to tell me when he sees me on TV," Senn said.
"I've gone to a lot of different places as a Marine One crew chief. I've even flown over the Buckingham Palace, in Paris, in New York City and L.A., but landing on the South Lawn is like no other experience," Senn said.
Another former Marine One crew chief, Staff Sgt. Bryant K. Dalton, who is on his second tour with HMX-1 and works in Maintenance Control, agrees that the South Lawn experience is one of a kind.
"When you're on the South Lawn, it's like a dream. You don't hear the rotors or the press crowd. You just glide around the copter. You have to make it look good because at that moment, the whole world is looking at you. It is a cool moment," said Dalton, who has flown with President Bush and with his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton.
"I've never worked as hard anyplace else as I have here," Dalton said. "But it has been worth every bit of it just to have the opportunity to have the president ask, 'How are you?'"
Sitting a few feet from the president for the first time was an unforgettable moment for Sgt. Brian S. Lisac, a 22-year-old from Pueblo, Colo.
"I just became a Marine One crew chief in October (2002)," he said.
"On my first lift, I was sitting two to three feet from the president," the Marine One crew chief said. "I couldn't believe it, I was within arms distance of the President of the United States. When that happens, you catch yourself staring at him and you can't help it. To make it worse, everyone else in the helicopter was looking at me as if to say, 'Don't stare.'"
The Marines of the detachment have also flown other members of the first family in the course of their journeys. Spot, an English springer spaniel, is one of the two first dogs and has also been a memorable passenger on Marine One.
"Spot is the quintessential presidential dog. When Air Force One pulls in and opens its doors, the president walks out and Spot comes after him. On her own, Spot runs down the stairs and goes directly to Marine One," Senn said.
Fetsch also recalled a moment with Spot.
"I remember one time, everyone had left Air Force One. The president usually stops to talk to people as he walks from the plane to Marine One. Well Spot hopped out of Air Force One and walked onto (Marine One) by herself. Then she patiently waited for the president. After the first few minutes, she went back to the door, poked her head out and kind of looked at the president as if to hurry him along. Then she sat by the stairs and waited very politely," he said.
** Marine One is the designation for a Marine Corps helicopter when it flies the President of the United States. The helicopters and crews that serve as Marine One are part of Marine Helicopter Squadron One, based at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico. HMX-1 is the only helicopter unit assigned to transport the president, but this isn't the squadron?s only mission. The oldest helicopter squadron in the Corps, it was established in 1947 to pioneer an entirely new concept in amphibious operations-transporting Marines to the beach head in helicopters. From this, the squadron has evolved into the operational test activity for new helicopter systems and products designed for the Marine Corps. HMX-1 has been involved in the testing of every helicopter used in the Corps. Currently its largest test project is the MV-22 Osprey.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200362563615/$file/Sennlow.jpg
MARINE CORPS AIR FACILITY QUANTICO, Va. - Sgt. Daniel N. Senn is a Marine One crew chief for the VH3 with the Executive Flight Detachment, Marine Helicopter Squadron One. Even after more than 72 lifts with Marine One "it's still great," Senn said.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Submitted by: Headquarters Marine Corps
Story Identification Number: 200362562518
Story by Staff Sgt. Cindy Fisher
MARINE CORPS AIR FACILITY QUANTICO, Va. (March 31, 2003) -- Flying with the President of the United States is something the average American never experiences. While the Marines of the Executive Flight Detachment, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, fly with the president year round, they never forget what an unique opportunity it is. From their first flight to their last flight with the detachment, the crews of Marine One aircraft never lose a sense of awe for their jobs.
When he first joined the Corps in 1992, Maj. Timothy 'Toolman' Fetsch, a Marine One pilot, had no idea that one day, he would be a pilot for the President of the United States.
"By virtue of the job, no matter how long you do it, you still get that feeling of nervousness. To be responsible for the safety and timely travel of the President of the United States is almost indescribable," Fetsch, a 32-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., said.
"Flying in D.C. is amazing too. At 200 feet and below, we fly right next to the monuments. No one here gets tired of that. If you loose that awe, it is time to move onto the next command. My best day at HMX, I flew a CH-53 in night goggles, then a daytime troop lift, and then flew the president. That epitomized the flexibility and variety of being here," said the pilot, who AH-1W Cobras before he came to HMX-1.
But the success of Marine One cannot be attributed to any one person, Fetsch said.
"In a lot of people's eyes, it's pretty prestigious to be a Marine One pilot, but everyone here realizes that it is a team effort and no one individual is responsible for HMX-1's successes."
The Marine One crew chiefs are an integral part of the Marine One team who spend countless hours preparing Marine One aircraft for presidential flights.
"The helicopters are meticulously maintained and kept spotless," said Sgt. Daniel N. Senn, a Marine One crew chief.
"We clean everything from the tires up. Every surface is wiped down until it gleams including the exterior. We wet sand the exhaust and even clean the rotor blades. In the cabin, we (clean) the chairs and even comb the nap of the carpet. In all it takes at least 10 hours for a good field day," the 23-year-old native of Richfield, Minn., said.
But that's not the hardest part of the job, said Senn, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1997 and originally trained as a CH53 crew chief.
"Just being responsible for the helicopter is tough, but the hardest part of the day is coming out of the door (of the aircraft) on the South Lawn (of the White House) and not smiling. You know everyone is watching," the Marine, who came to HMX-1 straight from his military occupational specialty school, said.
"My Dad still calls me to tell me when he sees me on TV," Senn said.
"I've gone to a lot of different places as a Marine One crew chief. I've even flown over the Buckingham Palace, in Paris, in New York City and L.A., but landing on the South Lawn is like no other experience," Senn said.
Another former Marine One crew chief, Staff Sgt. Bryant K. Dalton, who is on his second tour with HMX-1 and works in Maintenance Control, agrees that the South Lawn experience is one of a kind.
"When you're on the South Lawn, it's like a dream. You don't hear the rotors or the press crowd. You just glide around the copter. You have to make it look good because at that moment, the whole world is looking at you. It is a cool moment," said Dalton, who has flown with President Bush and with his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton.
"I've never worked as hard anyplace else as I have here," Dalton said. "But it has been worth every bit of it just to have the opportunity to have the president ask, 'How are you?'"
Sitting a few feet from the president for the first time was an unforgettable moment for Sgt. Brian S. Lisac, a 22-year-old from Pueblo, Colo.
"I just became a Marine One crew chief in October (2002)," he said.
"On my first lift, I was sitting two to three feet from the president," the Marine One crew chief said. "I couldn't believe it, I was within arms distance of the President of the United States. When that happens, you catch yourself staring at him and you can't help it. To make it worse, everyone else in the helicopter was looking at me as if to say, 'Don't stare.'"
The Marines of the detachment have also flown other members of the first family in the course of their journeys. Spot, an English springer spaniel, is one of the two first dogs and has also been a memorable passenger on Marine One.
"Spot is the quintessential presidential dog. When Air Force One pulls in and opens its doors, the president walks out and Spot comes after him. On her own, Spot runs down the stairs and goes directly to Marine One," Senn said.
Fetsch also recalled a moment with Spot.
"I remember one time, everyone had left Air Force One. The president usually stops to talk to people as he walks from the plane to Marine One. Well Spot hopped out of Air Force One and walked onto (Marine One) by herself. Then she patiently waited for the president. After the first few minutes, she went back to the door, poked her head out and kind of looked at the president as if to hurry him along. Then she sat by the stairs and waited very politely," he said.
** Marine One is the designation for a Marine Corps helicopter when it flies the President of the United States. The helicopters and crews that serve as Marine One are part of Marine Helicopter Squadron One, based at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico. HMX-1 is the only helicopter unit assigned to transport the president, but this isn't the squadron?s only mission. The oldest helicopter squadron in the Corps, it was established in 1947 to pioneer an entirely new concept in amphibious operations-transporting Marines to the beach head in helicopters. From this, the squadron has evolved into the operational test activity for new helicopter systems and products designed for the Marine Corps. HMX-1 has been involved in the testing of every helicopter used in the Corps. Currently its largest test project is the MV-22 Osprey.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200362563615/$file/Sennlow.jpg
MARINE CORPS AIR FACILITY QUANTICO, Va. - Sgt. Daniel N. Senn is a Marine One crew chief for the VH3 with the Executive Flight Detachment, Marine Helicopter Squadron One. Even after more than 72 lifts with Marine One "it's still great," Senn said.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: