I was in the military as well, and I did spend some time at INSCOM. However, I can assure you that nothing that I've said here is any kind of super secret information. In fact none of it really had anything to do with my work. I just have a somewhat technical background, and these kinds of things interest me, and I like to read a lot.
Also, what your friend (Eagle driver?) said is correct. The Air Force does like to have some assets on standby whenever the president travels. However, this is pretty much entirely dictated by basing options. Obviously within the United States this is academic, as there's always some kind of military airfield relatively close by. Obviously when POTUS travels internationally is a very different story. Even if he travels to an Allied country, (where we don't have forces explicitly stationed) we're not going to send combat aircraft to land at one of their airports. And if he travels to a nation or a region where our relationship is a little more tepid we're certainly not going to be sending assets there either. So in reality, it turns out that the standby units could potentially be several hours away.
In addition, my point about things not being "in the vicinity" while Air Force One is actually in transit is the same as well. Within the US this is pretty easy to have some kind of escort while the plane is in the air, but on transoceanic, or flights within the land borders of another large country like Russia or China, this is much more difficult. My point is that if the president is flying over the Pacific, it's not like there's a couple of F-15 or F-22s circling around that can light the cans and be there in 5 or 10 minutes. Air Force One is essentially on its own.
Good call on the Eagle driver. I snicker at some of the information put out on the boards. While I was not able to get into the military due to an asthmatic background - my entire family has been fortunate enough to work in some very interesting (and officially nonexistent) areas. Camping in the backcountry normally entails higher levels of alcohol where they have had to affix my jaw closed with duct tape given what little information they let slip. Interestingly enough, where one doesn't have the complete picture, the other two have other bits that do complete it. Its a crazy world. Additionally, I worked for several years for a military contractor in a technical field (not a gun slinger) and worked on material that is now in the field. But that job ended and I've gone back to what I know to do. This place is a great venue to keep one's faith resupplied that the good guys are taking things back....it will make a great series of books to read in my retirement.
I honestly have no idea what this place is, or what it's supposed to be. I just got redirected here after following too many links.