What’s a Marine’s dream job? How about becoming a part of the Marine One detail to the President of the United States?
For 2006 Apollo graduate, Chris Jungels, that dream became an unexpected reality.
As a recent Apollo High School graduate, Jungels remembers setting an appointment with the Air Force to learn about his military options. He’d always had an interest in all things military, especially airplanes.
When Jungels arrived for his interview, however, the assigned Air Force recruiter was not there. Fortunately, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Lindsey (from a rival branch of the military) stepped in and ultimately changed the course of Jungels’ career path.
As a Marine recruit, Jungels was stationed in San Diego for basic training before moving between various locations for the Marine Corps. Along the way, he never forgot how much he loved planes and eventually enrolled in flight school.
On the first day of flight school, Jungels filled out the necessary background check paperwork including HMX-1 paperwork. At the time, he was not even familiar with HMX-1, the Marine Helicopter Squadron responsible for transporting the President of the United States.
After graduation from flight school, and to his surprise, his orders came in for HMX-1, a squadron on the east coast.
Arriving in Virginia, he was asked by his commanding officer if he wanted to see the “white tops.”
That is when his orders finally sunk in. The White Tops on the White House lawn: Air Force One and the President’s fleet of helicopters.
Jungels spent the first 18 months during President Barack Obama’s term on the “green side” of the fleet: the crew assigned to the support flights which carried the press, Secret Service and advanced teams.
The last six and a half years, he was assigned to the “white side:” the crew that carried the president, vice president and heads of state.
“It was so surreal,” remembers Jungels. “The first time, I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh!’ as the helicopter came flying into the South Lawn. You make sure you’re squared away. There is a mob of press on one side and the visitors on the other. You can’t see the president coming out. The press cameras are the cue to let you know to stand at salute.”
When you’re nervous, you fall back on your drills.
“Your training really kicks in,” says Jungels. “No emotion. No movement.”
Jungels also witnessed the peaceful transfer of power from President George W. Bush to President Barrack Obama, an event very few people witness in a lifetime.
His military training opened up opportunity and provided him with responsibility, structure and the knowledge to formulate plans.
After his military service, Jungels looks forward to a new journey as a minister and reflects on all he has learned.
“If you don’t challenge yourself, if you never take risks, then you will never grow as a person.”
“Do the thing that may seem fearful or daunting,” he advises, “because that is where the growth is. In the risk is where the reward is, that is where you find the adventure, the knowledge, and find out who you truly are.”
He also adds, “Leaders are readers. Read books from all different genres, expand your knowledge, but also go and do what you have learned, take action!”
As for his time with the president, “It was everything you could imagine.”
