While former UCM President Chuck Ambrose was saying his goodbyes to students, faculty and staff, he got a phone call he never expected.

In July, Gen. John Nichols, United States Air Force commander, called Ambrose to invite him for a flight in a B-2 Stealth Bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base on Aug. 28.

Ambrose is the 690th civilian to have received this opportunity.

“It’s one of those calls you get that you don’t deserve,” Ambrose said. “You never expect it. But in terms of a personal honor, it’s probably the greatest one I’ve ever received.”

The B-2 Stealth Bomber getting ready for takeoff.

Ambrose said the 3 1/2 hour flight across Missouri was representative of the evolving relationship between UCM and Whiteman Air Force Base. During the eight years of Ambrose’s presidency, he implemented a military veterans center at UCM, military tuition benefits and saw an increase in military student enrollment.

“I think it would be fair to say that eight years ago when I came to UCM, in terms of active partnerships and relationships…there wasn’t much there,” he said. “Back in history, that relationship actually kind of diminished and kind of evaporated for some reasons and in eight years we worked actively not only to restore it, but basically make it a model for the Air Force.”

Ambrose said the flight was a great way to celebrate his service at UCM and to say goodbye to Whiteman.

“I think it underlines how strong the partnership is and I think it sends an incredible message to the future that it’s strong but can continue to get stronger,” Ambrose said.

Jeffrey Huffman, director of military and veterans affairs, said his role in the B-2 flight was to keep it a secret from Ambrose and work it around his schedule. He said Nichols contacted him initially and wanted to make sure Ambrose would have enough time to do the surprise flight.

“It came down to me telling the general, ‘Listen, except for his wedding day and the birth of his two children, this would be right there. You go forward and he’ll adjust his calendar, I guarantee it,’” Huffman said. “I was pretty certain I knew how important something like this would be to him.”

Ambrose said in his new role as president of KnowledgeWorks it is still important to continue to stay involved with the air force and support service members.

“My personal sense of responsibility was high with them at UCM and it’s
certainly a lot higher after you’ve ridden in a B-2 Stealth Bomber,” he said.

Ambrose said when he was a kid, he dreamed of becoming a pilot but because of his poor eyesight, he wasn’t able to pursue his dream.

“Not only did I want to be a pilot but I wanted to go to the moon,” he said. “I was the generation in first and second grade (who) watched ‘Apollo 11.’ My problem at the same time was I found out that I had really poor vision…In that generation of kids who wanted to fly, if you needed glasses, you just took yourself out of consideration to ever be a pilot.”

Ambrose said because of his childhood dream, he has a personal appreciation for the Air Force.

“Anytime I’m around an airport, anytime I travel for business, more particularly when I’m out on (Whiteman Air Force) Base…I mean, it makes me a kid again,” Ambrose said.

A Major and B-2 pilot in the United States Air Force who prefers to go by his call sign “Igor” was the pilot for Ambrose’s flight. Igor said flying Ambrose in the B-2 was important for him as a UCM alumnus.

“I’m more than just a B-2 pilot; I’m a proud Missourian and part of our community here,” he said. “The university is a staple of the community.”

Igor said Ambrose was a good friend of the 131st and 509th bomb wings at Whiteman.

“Dr. Ambrose seemed to be in awe for most of the flight,” he said. “He made it known that it was an honor that he accepted on behalf of everyone at the college, not just for himself…I’m glad we could give him a deeper understanding of our nation’s B-2 operations at Whiteman.”

Huffman said when he first came to UCM, the relationship between Whiteman and UCM was a more cordial one.

“It was a point of his to re-establish and to strengthen that relationship…and I would say he hit the ball out of the park on that one,” he said.

Huffman said Ambrose is humble about the accomplishments he made with Whiteman Air Force Base.

“I think I know Dr. Ambrose well enough to know that he would not take credit for this relationship all on his own,” Huffman said. “He would say that although it was a gift to have him fly in the B-2, he flew on behalf of everyone.”

Ambrose said he will never forget his flight in the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

“I just made sure that I was trying to take in everything that we did and I think I could simulate that flight in my brain today,” he said. “It’s much more than me having an opportunity to fly in an airplane. At the core, it was representative of the university’s commitment of the community and the community’s commitment to Whiteman. I felt like I was taking people with me (who) made it all happen.”

Editor’s Note: This version of the story clarifies the timeline of events at the start of the story.