Memorial Day

Rainy Hahn Air Base


In the past couple of years my respect for the military personnel have grown tremendously.

I work with pilots everyday I am at work, however it never occurred to me that majority of them were at one point, a soldier (MANY of them are ex military) since I see them in uniform and in a safe environment.

My airline conducts military charter on a regular base, and I have avoided working those flights as I knew that it would not be a 'fun' flight.
I thought I didn't have what it takes to work a flight without being emotional.

Last fall, the opportunity to work that flight fell into my lap and finally, I agreed to do it.

If that flight wasn't one of the most humbling experience I have ever had, I don't know what is.

What do you say to a 19 year old soldier who stops me inflight to ask, 'excuse me ma'am, can you tell me where we are going?'

We flew them to Hahn Air Base, outside of Franfurt, Germany, and they went onto Kuwait, and onto whatever destination they were going to from that point on.
I served maybe three glasses of water during that flight, since they all fell asleep from exhaustion.
Mind you, we have over 250 seats in the economy section of our 747.

The feeling I had watching them walk off the plane is indescribable.



Soldiers gathering their belongings


This Memorial Day, I am wishing that all those soldiers I brought out to where ever they were going to, are all well, and happy.



P.S. I worked to Washington D.C. today, and on my flight I had about 12 Secret Service guys that were in town for President Obama.

Below, President's choppers parked in the hanger area at Chicago O'hare airport






You see the guy working on it?