I suspect that it was an image from the New Delhi to Vietnam trip, but of course the meme had the information wrong and I didn’t check. I should have, although the meme wasn’t the subject of the thread. I really only wanted to know what the protocol is regarding the President traveling from one foreign country to another. In hindsight, I should have left the meme part completely out of the OP. Mea Culpa
Not sure where Biden was (the URL suggests New Mexico) in this photo but it shows the short stairs and two people there saluting. Not a lot, but not no one either.
The president doesn’t travel with an honor guard. That would be silly. There are honor guards present when there is a visiting dignitary not ever time the president gets on a plane.
Makes sense but, in that photo, there are still a couple guys at the stairs saluting. Is there ever no people at the stairs saluting? (I really do not know)
“Flight Attendant” is a career in the Air Force. I imagine there’s always going to be someone wearing blues to salute the president, whether it’s flight attendants, aerial port (gate attendants), airborne crypto analysts, etc. Lots of people work on Air Force One.
But they’re going to salute the president and then go back to work, they’re not there in a purely ceremonial capacity like the honor guard would be.
Eta: the two airmen in that particular photo are security forces. Whether they’re assigned to the aircraft or the base, I don’t know. But they’re senior NCOs, the one on the left being a chief, so it has the vibe of this being a special occasion for the base in question.
Of course, there are going to be plenty of servicemembers present at any American air force base, so it wouldn’t be too hard to rustle up a few for an honor guard when the President is taking off from or landing at the base. They can spend a half-hour looking professional and saluting, and then go back to whatever their regular duties are. Much easier than sending an honor guard on the plane with him.
Though there aren’t American air force bases everywhere. For example, I don’t think there is one in New Delhi.
And BTW, I found video of the POTUS departing New Delhi for Vietnam. The only uniform I see is on this Indian Air Force servicemember (officer?).
Right, what I’m saying is that it’s no surprise seeing an honor guard at the takeoffs and landings at US bases, because why not, even if you don’t usually see one elsewhere.