Podcast Summary
From military service to flight attendant, Wanda's passion led the way: Staying focused on goals and pursuing passions can ultimately lead to achieving desired career paths, even if not immediately available
Passion and determination can lead to extraordinary opportunities. Wanda Joel, a former senior master sergeant and deputy superintendent on Air Force 1, shares her inspiring story of pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a flight attendant. Despite initial setbacks, Wanda's fascination with aviation and her experience being inspired by a compassionate flight attendant as a child propelled her to join the Air Force. After serving in various roles, she finally applied and was selected for the special duty assignment on Air Force 1. Her journey shows that even if your desired career path may not be immediately available, staying focused on your goals and continuing to pursue your passions can ultimately lead to achieving them.
Leveraging LinkedIn for Hiring and Background Checks: 70% of LinkedIn users don't visit other job sites, making it essential for businesses to utilize LinkedIn for hiring top talent. Background checks are crucial for certain careers and can be time-consuming, but making wise decisions early on, like maintaining a clean online presence, can impact future career opportunities.
LinkedIn is a valuable resource for hiring professionals, even those who aren't actively looking for new jobs. With over 70% of LinkedIn users not visiting other leading job sites, businesses risk missing out on top talent by not utilizing LinkedIn for their hiring needs. Additionally, background checks are a crucial part of certain careers, such as flight attendance, which can take a significant amount of time and effort. Lastly, the choices we make now, including our online presence, can impact our future career opportunities. Michelle Norris' story about renting out her home on Airbnb and the importance of having a clean record for her career as a flight attendant emphasizes the significance of making wise decisions early on.
Serving the President on Air Force One goes beyond food service: Flight attendants on Air Force One not only serve food and drinks but also handle tasks like cooking, setting up cabin, doing dishes, and managing unpredictable schedules.
Being a flight attendant for the President of the United States on Air Force One involves more than just serving food and drinks. While having a culinary background can be helpful, it's not a requirement as all crew members undergo training to cook from scratch for first-class service. The menu options are presented to the White House for selection, and the flight attendants are responsible for shopping for and preparing the meals on board. The job is not limited to serving, as they also handle tasks such as setting up the cabin, doing dishes, and putting away groceries. The schedule is unpredictable, with deviations often occurring due to the President's travel plans, leading to quick turnarounds and overnight stays. Despite the challenges, the flight attendants take pride in their role as their workplace is their "home away from home."
Unexpected downtime activities for flight attendants during presidential travel: Flight attendants for presidents must remain adaptable and ready for sudden itinerary changes, ensuring long-lasting odor control with Lume deodorant.
Working as a flight attendant for a president comes with unexpected changes and the need for constant readiness. While the president is engaged in meetings with world leaders, flight attendants use this time for downtime activities like sightseeing or shopping, but must remain close by in case of sudden itinerary changes. The importance of being prepared for all scenarios is crucial, as demonstrated by President Bush's decision to spend Thanksgiving with troops in Iraq, requiring flight attendants to change their plans on short notice. This unpredictability is just one aspect of the job, highlighting the significance of adaptability and quick response. Additionally, the discussion touched on the importance of Mother's Day and expressing gratitude towards caregivers, as well as the effectiveness of Lume deodorant in providing long-lasting odor control.
Effective anti-aging eye cream with OS one peptide: The OneSkin eye cream, featuring the OS one peptide, inhibits aging cells, contributing to younger-looking skin for extended periods.
The OneSkin eye cream, with its proprietary OS one peptide as the first ingredient, is an effective addition to any skincare routine. This peptide is proven to inhibit aging cells, keeping skin looking and acting younger for longer. OneSkin is a pioneer in skin longevity, focusing on cellular aging. Use code Sharon at oneskin.co for a 15% discount. The speaker also shared their unique experience of working in close proximity with several U.S. presidents for nearly 25 years. They mentioned the administrations' differences, with some being more reserved and business-like, while others allowed for more leisure time. Despite the changing administrations, the speaker stayed for 24 years due to the ease of maintaining their background check and the large, dedicated crew required for Air Force One.
Being part of Air Force One crew: Pride, camaraderie, and high-quality service: Air Force One crew members form a close-knit family, providing high-quality service to each administration with pride and camaraderie, maintaining the aircraft to the highest standards, and ensuring it's always ready for the president's travel needs.
Being a part of the Air Force One crew is an honor and a privilege, with perks including invitations to White House events, but the primary focus remains on providing the same high-quality service to each administration. The crew members form a close-knit family, with many staying in the role for extended periods due to the sense of pride and camaraderie. The aircraft is maintained to the highest standards, with only the best pilots and mechanics on board. While some may fear flying, the crew's confidence in the aircraft and its team alleviates concerns. Despite the occasional turbulence or maintenance issues, the crew ensures that Air Force One is always ready for the president's travel needs. The crew's dedication and commitment to their role contribute to the smooth and reliable operation of Air Force One.
Presidential Comfort vs. Air Force 1's Priorities: Air Force 1 prioritizes the president's safety, convenience, and productivity with a presidential suite, medical annex, two galleys, a senior staff compartment, and a conference room.
While commercial flights prioritize passenger comfort with smooth airways and media attention, Air Force 1 focuses on the president's safety and convenience. The plane is equipped with a presidential suite, medical annex, two galleys for onboard meal preparation, a senior staff compartment, and a conference room. The presidential suite includes a private office, two beds, a shower, and a bathroom. The medical annex carries doctors, nurses, and medical equipment for any necessary medical attention. The forward and rear galleys cater to the first half and second half of the aircraft, respectively. The senior staff compartment accommodates top-ranking officials, and the conference room hosts up to 12 people for meetings. This setup ensures the president's safety, comfort, and productivity during air travel.
High-end experiences in different domains: Quince provides affordable luxury goods and Air Force 1 ensures secure compartmentalization for the president, both delivering unique experiences in their respective fields.
Quince offers high-end goods at affordable prices with a commitment to ethical manufacturing. On a different note, Air Force 1 is a large jet with various compartments for guests, press, crew, and security. Each compartment has walls and doors for privacy, and the president is free to interact with different areas, although protocol is strictly enforced. Quince, with its budget-friendly high-end goods, and Air Force 1, with its intricate compartmentalization and security measures, both offer unique experiences in their respective domains. Remember, everyone deserves nice things, just like Quince's customers, and every president deserves the utmost security, as ensured by Air Force 1.
Unexpected delays and meticulous preparations for President's travel: President's travel involves unexpected delays, meticulous preparations, and catering to specific preferences with a team that arrives hours before departure.
Traveling with a high-profile figure like the President comes with unexpected delays and meticulous preparations. The cicadas caused a delay for a White House press plane, and Air Force 1 often lands at commercial airports, leading to potential disruptions. Preparation is key, with flight crews arriving at least 2.5 hours before departure for domestic flights and up to 3.5 hours for international flights. The crew must ensure the plane is ready, set up the cabin, and cater to the President's preferences, which can include specific foods, drinks, and even unique requests like special ice cream. The head flight attendant coordinates these details, and the crew is always prepared for potential surprises. Additionally, the presence of the military aide carrying the nuclear football adds another layer of security and logistics to the President's travel arrangements.
Serving on Air Force 1 as a flight attendant for first ladies: First African American woman hired as a flight attendant on Air Force 1, faced challenges but pursued dream, inspires young girls to follow passions, memorable experiences with presidents and their families.
Serving on Air Force 1 as a flight attendant for various first ladies involved catering to their unique preferences and ensuring a comfortable experience, even on smaller aircraft. A notable experience was being the first African American woman hired for the role on Air Force 1. The job came with its challenges, but the determination to pursue her dream led her to this remarkable achievement. She also enjoys sharing her story to inspire young girls and encourage them to follow their passions. One memorable experience was President Clinton inviting the entire crew to join him and his family at church during an Easter trip.
A 24-year journey on Air Force One: The speaker shared her experiences of working on Air Force One, meeting presidents and famous guests, expressing gratitude, and inviting listeners to support the podcast.
The speaker had an extraordinary experience working on Air Force One for 24 years. She shared stories of being picked up by transportation, meeting presidents Bush 41 and 43, and even interacting with famous guests. The speaker expressed gratitude for the experiences and the opportunity to be a part of history. She also invited listeners to follow or subscribe to the podcast and leave a review or rating to support the show. Overall, the speaker's enthusiasm and appreciation for her time on Air Force One were evident, making for an engaging and fascinating conversation.
