Sabers support DV flight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kali L. Gradishar
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany - Two Sabers from the 726th Air Mobility Squadron were very surprised earlier this month when a temporary duty mission they were sent to Belgium to support included a group of people they never expected to encounter.

Staff Sgt. Jesus Macias and Airman Ryan Gibson, 726th AMS air freight specialists, were sent on a short-notice TDY July 31 - Aug. 2 to Cheivres Air Base, Belgium, with a lavatory service truck to service jets carrying distinguished visitors. The base was able to support the entire distinguished-visitor mission, minus providing lavatory services for the incoming C-32 Air Force Two and C-40 Clipper.

The base contacted local airfields for support, but found none. They turned to their nearest Air Mobility Command counterparts, and not long after, the two Sabers drove more than two hours in a lavatory service truck to carry out what they thought would be a typical day's duty.

Little did the Airmen know that among those on the aircraft were the U.S. vice president and Secretary of Defense.

"To them it was just another day, but when they saw what aircraft they would be servicing, they were very surprised," said Tech. Sgt. Dominick Delango, 726th AMS air freight operations superintendent.

Sergeant Macias and Airman Gibson departed Spangdahlem with a service truck and each returned with the vice president's coin in hand.

"We were there for probably six hours. From our base, it was just me and Airman Gibson," Sergeant Macias said. "It was just us to support the DV mission and it felt pretty good because we were able to get everything done pretty fast.

"When I first heard about the short-notice TDY, I didn't know who it was we were going to support until we got there. We did our job and received the vice president's coin, so that was pretty interesting," he said.

Both Airmen can attest - it's the little things that count.

"For one of the things we do to aircraft -- servicing the lavatories -- it's one of the little things that few people think about," Sergeant Delango said.

As their superintendent, Sergeant Delango, "felt good about being able to support that mission. It showed others that we are able to work on other aircraft than just the heavies. And it was an experience and eye-opener for our Airmen."

"There's a bigger picture here. We're not just supporting Spangdahlem. What we do supports the entire Air Force," he said.