The pilots of Air Force One need to maintain their minimums to stay qualified. I don't know for sure, but I believe they are required to keep up instrument, landing, VFR, EP and other quals just like all the other military pilots.
When I was flying in the military, we almost always combined hops to get the most out of our training dollars. When I was on the East Coast, we hopped up to New York occasionally on a cross country, combining VFR/IFR missions. Swinging by the Statue of Liberty for a photo op was SOP.
Of, course, this was before 9/11 and I wasn't in a 747.
It's similar with civilian pilots. We are required to do 3 take offs and landings (full stop) every 90 days in type and are required to do a biannual flight review with an instructor every two years in the most complex aircraft we operate. Instrument rated pilots are required to do more.
I have a couple of friends who either were or are Air Force or Navy pilots and I'm aware that they are required to stay current and often combine missions for that purpose. My question was if this was indeed a "training mission" as the White House claimed, what precisely were they training for? Has there ever been another "training mission" that anyone can point to that called for Air Force One to fly around lower Manhattan (unannounced) with an F-16 in trail? Certainly hasn't happened since 9/11 that I'm aware of. If it was indeed a training mission, fine. I suspect this was just another Obamalamadingdong excuse to shift blame to anyone but himself, though.....