Air Force Equipment Loading

Airmen loading weapons and inspecting cargo on military aircraft, showcasing teamwork and precision in a hangar and training environments.

Airman 1st Class Shawn Fuller, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron combat mobility technician, guides a forklift at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in support of Airborne 22, Jan. 25, 2022. During the interoperability training event with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, the 36th AS used C-130J Super Hercules to support a cargo drop that contained 120 bundles for ground troops, after they performed a large-scale airborne insertion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Edwards)

Airmen from the 311th Aircraft Maintenance Unit load an inert bomb during the 2021 4th quarter load competition, Jan. 28, 2022, on Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Teams are graded on speed and accuracy by weapons standardization Airmen who remain proficient through monthly loading certifications. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrian Salazar)Editors note: Hangar 294 is a Wing Commander-directed no mask zone.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicanor Grant, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron Combat Mobility Flight non-commissioned officer in charge, flips a C-130J Super Hercules cargo roller over during Exercise Beverly Sunrise 22-04 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, May 9, 2022. Agile Combat Employment operations and exercises are designed to teach and validate new ways to deploy and maneuver assets during a crisis or conflict to operate in contested environments.

Airmen from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, prepare equipment to conduct Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) training during Black Flag 22-1 at Nellis AFB, May 10, 2022. As part of Agile Combat Employment, FARP training prepares Airmen to effectively refuel aircraft in austere locations when air-to-air refueling is not possible or when fueling stations are not accessible.

U.S. Airmen with the 104th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, load an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range, Air-to-Air missile onto an F-15C Eagle during Checkered Flag 22-2 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 12, 2022. Checkered Flag is a large-force aerial exercise held at Tyndall which fosters readiness and interoperability through the incorporation of 4th- and 5th-generation aircraft during air-to-air combat training. The 22-2 iteration of the exercise was held May 9-20, 2022.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alexander Kiddish, 37th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, inspects pallets of ammunition aboard a C-130J Super Hercules on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7, 2022. The security assistance the U.S. is providing to Ukraine is enabling critical success on the battlefield against the Russian invading force.

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief assigned to the 909th Aerial Refueling Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, inspects the aircraft for a preflight inspection during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-3 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 1, 2022. RF-A is designed to provide realistic training essential to the continued development and improvement of combined and joint interoperability in a simulated combat environment.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Cole Barkley, 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion apprentice, inspects the engine oil level of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft after an idle engine run procedure on the flightline, Jan. 9, 2023, at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. Aircraft maintenance Airmen are essential to keeping RAF Mildenhalls fleet of KC-135 aircraft mission ready to support operations in the European area of responsibility.

U.S. Airmen Master Sgt. Joel Miller, a crew chief assigned to the 139th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Missouri Air National Guard, installs a training magazine for the ALE-47 Chaff and Flare System, on a C-130H Hercules aircraft, while attending the Weapon Task Qualification Manager/Munitions Training Course, at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, in St. Joseph, Missouri, February 22, 2024. The WTQM course, taught by the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, includes training in the uploading of expendables in the ALE-47 Chaff and Flare Systems, as well as explosive safety, expendables operations, and practical flare loading operations, utilizing training munitions items on mobility aircraft. Air National Guard

Airman 1st Class Shawn Fuller, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron combat mobility technician, guides a forklift at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in support of Airborne 22, Jan. 25, 2022. During the interoperability training event with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, the 36th AS used C-130J Super Hercules to support a cargo drop that contained 120 bundles for ground troops, after they performed a large-scale airborne insertion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Edwards)

U.S. Army Cpl. Thriska Smith, a CH-47 Chinook crew chief, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division, conducts the aerial gunnery live-fire exercise in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, Oct. 19, 2022. The 2-501st conducted a combined aerial gunnery live-fire exercise to increase lethality across the brigade.

Maintainers from the 151st Air Refueling Wing participate in an unprecedented joint force exercise on Sept. 8, 2022 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The exercise provided an opportunity for cross-platform familiarization training for fuels and crew chiefs who were able to get first-hand experience with multiple platforms they usually would not obtain at their home station, adding to the war fighting efforts.

Soldiers of the Alaska Army National Guard transfer their luggage prior to boarding a HC-130 Combat King II for transport to Bethel, Alaska, Sept. 21, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which is comprised of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by Victoria Granado)

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Battalion), 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, prepare to load two AH-64D Longbow helicopters onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft after unloading two AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters, at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Clay Kaserne, Germany, Sept. 1, 2023. The AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopter upgrade is part of the 12th CAB modernization efforts, ongoing training, and new equipment fielding.12th CAB is among other units assigned to V Corps, America's Forward Deployed Corps in Europe. They work alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces, execute joint and multinational training exercises, and retain command and control for all rotational and assigned units in the European Theater.

Master Sgt Whitny Vallor and Tech Sgt Miles Morrissette, 418th Test and Evaluation Squadron Loadmasters, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, check the fuel hose connection during Forward Area Refueling Point training during Black Flag 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, May 12, 2022. FARP capabilities allow U.S. military forces to deliver airpower lethality by providing mobile refueling points anywhere aircraft can land.

Master Sgt. Nicholas Ruhland, a crew chief with the 914th Air Refueling Wing, New York, inspects the wing of a KC-135 Stratotanker August 24, 2022 on a flightline on Oahu, Hawaii. A crew chief is responsible for the safe repair and generation of the aircraft while at home station or in a deployed environment.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 476th Maintenance Squadron load munitions onto an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft during the fourth quarter weapons load competition at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 7, 2022. Load competition participants are judged on speed, accuracy, safety and reliability when loading aircraft munitions.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joshua Ignacio, 492nd Fighter Generation Squadron weapons load crew member, secures a munition during a load crew competition at RAF Lakenheath, England, Jan. 10, 2024. Load crew competitions strengthen skills in aircraft maintenance and loading operations, maintaining a proficient and capable force ready to fulfill mission requirements.

Staff Sgt.Kareem Spearman from the 102nd Rescue Squadron, New York Air National Guard, prepares for an aerial refueling mission over Kinston, N.C. Sept. 16, 2018.

KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (Aug. 1, 2022) U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Brian Kringle, from Sacramento, California, assigned to Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5, near left, Royal Australian Navy Lt. Edward Finnis, from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, far left, U.S. Navy Lt. Cory Rogge, from Wilmington, North Carolina, assigned to FST 5, far right, and U.S. Army Capt. Zane Amrein, from Winnemucca, Nevada, assigned to 8th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD), near right, transport a simulated patient on to a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, onboard Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, in support of a joint-service medical training exercise and amphibious raid during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, Aug. 1. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's la

355th Logistics Readiness Squadron aerial port personnel prepare Mi-17 helicopters to be transported on the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, April 21, 2022. The Department of Defense is delivering Mi-17 helicopters to help more Ukrainian troops around the battlefield and augment the five Mi-17 helicopters sent to Ukraine earlier this year.

From left, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Sims and Senior Airman Phillip Hohner, 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament systems airman, lock down an Aim-120 Missile to a F-15 Eagle during a load crew competition Oct. 7, 2011, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Weapons load competitions are conducted quarterly to keep Airmen sharp and recognize superior performers. Weapons load teams are evaluated for use of the checklist, safety, and overall speed.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Caden Soper, 492nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics technician and one of the 2022 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year, poses for a photo at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, July 28, 2022. This award recognises 12 outstanding enlisted personnel for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 909th Aircraft Maintenance Unit review KC-135 Stratotanker maintenance records at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Feb. 1, 2024. Kadena conducts operations in support of the defense of Japan, as well as U.S. efforts to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. Air Force

Sgt. Adam D. Max a flight medic with Forward Support Medical Team, Company C, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard, conducts a daily pre-flight inspection, getting ready for another day on the job at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Oct. 22.

Senior Airman Xavier Carter, 334th Fighter Generation Squadron weapons load crew member, secures a bomb during a weapons load competition at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Oct. 7, 2022. Crews of three Airmen, from each of the aircraft maintenance squadrons on base, competed against each other for the best time while ensuring accuracy, serviceability and efficiency.

Soldiers from the Idaho Army National Guards, 2-116th Combined Arms Battalion prepare their vehicles and equipment for annual training exercises on the Orchard Combat Training Center in preparation for deployment in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

Staff Sgt. Donoven Wright measures as Airman 1st Class Thomas Snell opens a weapons panel during the 43rd Fighter Generation Squadrons weapons load crew competition Oct. 28 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Two teams competed to see who could load an AIM-120 and an AIM-9 onto their F-22 Raptor the fastest and with the fewest errors. The team pictured won the quarterly competition.

Tech. Sgt. Monica Sealey, a loadmaster with the North Carolina Air National Guards 156th Airlift Squadron, directs the loading of a vehicle onto a C-17 Globemaster III at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Feb. 10, 2023. The vehicle is being transported to the Northern Mariana Islands for Cope North, a multinational exercise designed to enhance combat readiness in the South Pacific. Fourteen Kentucky Air Guardsmen from the 123rd Contingency Response Group are providing air base-opening and cargo-handling capabilities for Cope North.

SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- United States Air Force Airmen and Space Force Gaurdians load a Mobile Constellation Control Station aboard a C-17 at Peterson Space Force Base on Wednesday, Sept 14 2022. The unit is being transported to an operating location as part of the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base's multi-day operation to provide proof of concept for missions outside of the United States returning the MCCS to Schriever Space Force Base. The 4th SOPS mission is to operate the U.S. Space Force's protected and wideband Military Satellite Communications systems. They provide warfighters global, secure, survivable, strategic and tactical communication during peacetime and throughout the full spectrum of conflict. ( U.S. Space Force Photo By: Tiana Williams)

A pack of aerial porters with the 46th Aerial Port Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, unload a Humvee from the cargo bay of a C-130H Hercules aircraft stationed at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, on Jan. 6, 2024. Members of the 46th and 32nd Aerial Port Squadron from Dover AFB and Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, respectively, traveled to Youngstown ARS to practice with the 76th Aerial Port Squadron for the upcoming 2024 Port Dawg Challenge.

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade conduct an emergency deployment readiness exercise (EDRE) on Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, Oct. 8, 2022.

Maintainers from the 151st Air Refueling Wing train Sailors assigned the Naval Air Station about essential procedures about the KC-135R Stratotanker during an unprecedented joint exercise on Aug. 30, 2022 at Fallon, Navada. This joint force exercise incorporates more than seven military entities across three branches creating innovative operational concepts to allow quick response to an ever changing wartime horizon

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 109th, 934th, and 156th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons prepare a KC-46 Pegasus, 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire Air National Guard, for training in St. Paul., Minn., Sept. 12, 2022. The Airmen are familiarizing themselves with the aircraft and its capabilities regarding aeromedical evacuation missions.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Zackary Merritt, 43d Fighter Generation Squadron assistant dedicated crew chief, rests against a tire of an F-22 Raptor at Savannah Hilton Head International Airport, Georgia, May 3, 2022. The 325th Fighter Wing sent more than 200 personnel and 22 aircraft to participate in Sentry Savannah, a near-peer training exercise hosted by the Air National Guards Air Dominance Center.

Senior Airman Korey Sarantopoulos, 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance journeyman, checks the electrical, brake, fuel, cooling and other systems for serviceability as part of a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle limited technical inspection at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, Oct 25, 2022. The 90 LRS is tasked with preparing the next generation of security forces vehicles sent to protect the 90th Missile Wing's ICBM system as part of Air Force Global Strike Commands priority to modernize.

Students participating in a multi-capable Airman training class place cargo netting on a pallet at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, March 31, 2022. Students received basic pallet building instructions and were assisted by 436th Aerial Port Squadron personnel.

18th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters test their ability to open a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker cargo door while training at Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 12, 2022. 18th CES firefighters searched for unaccounted personnel during a simulated cockpit or engine fire to test their rescue and recovery capabilities.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jonathan Grald, 137th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, directs a K-loader operator during cargo offloading in preparation for Checkered Flag 22-2 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 5, 2022. Checkered Flag is a large-force aerial exercise held at Tyndall which fosters readiness and interoperability through the incorporation of 4th- and 5th-generation aircraft during air-to-air combat training. The 22-2 iteration of the exercise was held May 9-20, 2022.

Airmen assigned to the 139th Maintenance Group, Missouri Air National Guard, prepare to attach an external power source to a C-130 Hercules aircraft June 28, 2022 at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The 139th Airlift Wing was the lead unit for Task Force Iron Herk II providing airlift support for European Commands area of responsibility.

Armament specialists with the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, Utah Army National Guard load an AH-64D Apache helicopter with 30mm flechette rockets during exercise African Lion 2022 in Guelmim, Morocco, June 27, 2022. AL22 is U.S. Africa Command's largest, premier, joint, annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, June 6 - 30. More than 7,500 participants from 28 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing readiness for U.S. and partner nation forces. AL22 is a joint all-domain, multi-component, and multinational exercise, employing a full array of mission capabilities with the goal to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access.

A petroleum supply specialist with the 135th Quartermaster Company, Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade observes the transfer of fuel from the Fuel System Supply Point at Camp Blanding, Florida June 20, 2022. The 135th Soldiers are supporting the Quartermaster Liquid Logistic Exercise, a three-week long operation that establishes a real-world water and petroleum distribution support site that aims to show readiness at the company level for liquid logistic sustainment operations and involves more than 1,000 Soldiers from eight reserve component Battalions and 14 Companies, dispersed across six locations in the United Sates with the 135th as the only active component unit participating. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Joel Salgado, 3rd DSB PAO)

(220526-N-OI810-0653) KEY WEST, Florida (May 26, 2022) Builder 2nd Class Jose Segurazuniga, left, from Bloomington, Minnesota, assigned to Naval Air Station Key West (NASKW) Public Works Department, and Builder Equipment Operator 1st Class Juan Vargas, from Miami, Florida, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 14, use finishing trowels to smooth concrete as Seabees repair a damaged section of runway at Boca Chica Field, NASKW, May 26, 2022. NMCB-14 teamed up with NASKW Public Works and NASKW Air Operations Department to complete the needed airfield damage repair. Seabees assigned to NMCB-14 travelled to NASKW to perform on-site training and assist with facility and compound maintenance. NMCB-14 provides advance base construction, battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery support to our fleet and unified commanders.

A Croaitan Soldier stands at parade rest before a ceremony commemorating the U.S. donation of two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to the Republic of Croatia, held at the 91st Air Base near Pleso, Croatia on May 25, 2022. Croatia and Minnesota have collaborated for over 25 years as part of the National Guards State Partnership Program and continue to partner for increased interoperability between NATO allies. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Sydney Mariette.)

Airman 1st Class Jacob Webber, 555th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief from the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy, places an angle-of-attack cover on an F-16C Fighting Falcon at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, Aug. 30, 2022. Covering the AOA helps to ensure the jet is safe for maintenance and protects it from damage. The 31st FW is in the UK to participate in Cobra Warrior 2022, along with other NATO Allied and Partner air forces. These missions enhance the readiness necessary to respond to any potential challenge in the region.

U.S. Army Sgt. Alex Jarvis, 126th Aviation Regiment Vermont Army National Guard flight medic inserts an IV into a patient during a simulated aeromedical evacuation with the 104th Fighter Wing June 11, 2022, at Army Aviation Support Facility #2, Westfield, Massachusetts. Vermont Army National Guardsmen conduct aeromedical evacuation training to practice providing critical en route care to patients to and from medical treatment facilities.

Senior Airman Cameron Pierce, a weapons loader with the 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, prepares to load a training missile to an F-15 Eagle during a weapons load competition held at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., June 12, 2022.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Nathan Arnold, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162, opens the engine panel of an MV-22B Osprey at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Sept. 19, 2022. VMM-162 prepared personnel and aircraft in support of a Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. VMM-162 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, speaks with members of the New York Air National Guard at the African Aerospace and Defense Expo on September 22, 2022, outside Pretoria, South Africa. The New York National Guard sent 60 Airmen and five aircraft to Africa's largest air show from the 21-25 of September.

Soldiers assigned to the 371st Field Hospital load a simulated patient onto a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during medical evacuation training with members of the 3rd Medical Command Forward, Feb. 2, 2024, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Emergency medical training ensures all emergency responders are prepared to care for U.S. service members across the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY - Aircraft from the 106th Rescue Wing depart F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in preparation of Hurricane Sandy. The aircraft are repositioned out of the storm track and are prepare to return for recovery response operations. The 106th Rescue Wings mission is to provide worldwide Personnel Recovery, Combat Search and Rescue Capability, Expeditionary Combat Support, and Civil Search and Rescue support to Federal and State authorities. The unit provides Personnel Recovery to the state of New York and deployed operations that we are tasked to support.

A U.S. Air Force Airman from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron removes truck parking blocks at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 27, 2024. More than 1,500 New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers are deploying to support U.S. Central Commands Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. This is the largest deployment of NJARNG Soldiers since 2008.

Col. Leah Fry, 4th Maintenance Group commander, talks to base leadership after her fini flight at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, May 4, 2022. Fry has spent the last four years as the 4th MXG commander.

Senior Airmen Miles Scott and August Gusman, 555th Fighter Generation Squadron ammo crew chiefs, from the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy, loosen the straps on missiles before it is loaded onto aircraft at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, Sep. 9, 2022. The U.S. Air Force is engaged, postured, and ready with credible force to assure, deter and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 167 attach a GAU-21 .50-caliber machine gun to a UH-1Y Venom at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan, Aug. 7, 2022. HMLA-167 trained with U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Air National Guard units during joint exercise Northern Strike 22-2. HMLA-167 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Aeromedical evacuation technicianswith the 137th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, treats a simulated patientduring a casualty transportation scenario on a 507th Air Refueling WingKC-135 Stratotanker from the 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker Air ForceBase, Okla., June 9, 2022.

U.S. Marines with 1st Landing Support Battalion, Combat Logistic Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group and Combat Logistics Battalion 451, Combat Logistic Regiment 45, practice rigging an M777 howitzer for a Helicopter Support Team training during Integrated Training Exercise 3-22 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, April 7, 2022. ITX is a live-fire event that increases unit readiness. It teaches the tactical application of combined-arms maneuver as well as offensive and defensive operations during combat.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron tether a cargo load to a 10K all-terrain forklift as they conduct a combat offload, method B, from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug 02, 2022.

Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, commander, Naval Air Forces, meets with MarineAircraft Group (MAG) 39 leadership on Marine Corps Air Station CampPendleton, California, May 6, 2022. During Whitesell's tour, he viewed theorganized combat aviation support, aviation ground support, and aviationlogistics capability that MAG-39 utilizes to operate the AH-1Z Viper, UH-1YVenom, and MV-22B Osprey.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joshua Hemsinger, 1st Combat Communications Squadron electromagnetic spectrum operations technician and Exercise Light Rain instructor, uses a signal generator and spectrum analyzer to simulate jamming scenarios for his students during Exercise Light Rain at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 22, 2022. Simulating interferences teaches students what to look for when analyzing transmissions.

Senior Airman Matthew Persson, 80th Fighter Generation Squadron dedicated crew chief, shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Scott Rolls Pleus, 7th Air Force commander, before a flight at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 5, 2022. Gen. Pleus is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours. (U.S. Air Force photos by Tech. Sgt. Timothy Dischinat)

220505-N-NX635-1040 NAVAL BASE KITSAP-BREMERTON, Wash., (May 5, 2022) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Jarrett Stencil, from Bel Air, Md., participates in a crash and salvage drill on the flight deck. Nimitz is currently in port preparing for future operations.

Airmen from the 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, arrive at a forward operating location at Wendover Air Force Base, Utah, May 20, 2022 while participating in the Raging Gunfighter exercise. Raging Gunfighter is an Air Combat Command exercise designed to simulate operating a Lead Wing from an Austere Environment. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare the 366th Fighter Wing and its Airmen for potential future operations in accordance with the National Defense Strategy

Col. Michael Henderson, Arkansas National Guard Chief of Staff, and Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Winkle, State Command Sgt. Maj. receive a weapons briefing during Annual Training at Fort Chaffee Joint Manuever Training Center June 14, 2022.

Staff Sgt. John Wood, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, drains excess fuel from an A-10C Thunderbolt II during a training sortie at Gwangju Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 18, 2022. Deployed to Gwangju for the week, the Airmen trained and performed different jobs to become multi-capable Airmen as part of the U.S Air Forces Agile Combat Employment concept.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jeremy Walter, 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distribution operator records fuel levels during a hot-pit refueling of an A-10 Thunderbolt II at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 30 2022. Fuels Airmen are required to keep record of all fuel transactions in order to track fuel usage at Osan AB.

011122-F-4406B-006. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Staff Sgt. Kevin Johnson, an aerospace propulsion technician with the 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, installs a propeller onto a 910th Airlift Wing C-130H Hercules aircraft, Jan. 17, 2023, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The C-130 was grounded by an Air Mobility Command time compliance technical order on Sept. 27, 2022, while conducting an aerial spray mission at MHAFB. Johnson was part of a maintenance recovery team dispatched by the 910th Airlift Wing to inspect and repair the C-130 for its return to service and trip home.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Johnathan Ferguson, 305th Air Mobility Wing quality assurance inspector (Right), and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chase Staron, 305th Air Mobility Wing crew chief, perform a quality assurance inspection at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. on Nov. 22, 2022. Ferguson is one of over one million registered bone marrow donors through the Department of Defenses Salute to Life program. This year he met with the recipient of a donation he made in 2012 that allowed the patient to achieve remission of leukemia.

Airmen with the 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron participate in an exercise at Amedee Army Airfield in Herlong, Calif. October 15, 2022. Airmen from the 152nd Airlift Wing participated in the exercise, Ready Roller, to test capabilities in a simulated contested environment, utilizing the Agile Combat Employment concept

Col. Matt Husemann, 436th Airlift Wing commander, left, showcases the Dover Air Force Base flightline to Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, during his visit to Dover AFB, Delaware, Sept. 13, 2022. Martin experienced Dovers unique mission by touring the C-5 Isochronal Inspection Dock, 436th Aerial Port Squadron and 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

A U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakunis harbor operations division guides a U.S. Navy CMV-22B Osprey aboard a cargo ship during a logistical onload and offload at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 12, 2022. MCAS Iwakuni is uniquely positioned to support the dynamic transportation of various military assets between sea and shore through use of its co-located harbor and airfield.

A U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakunis harbor operations division guides a U.S. Navy CMV-22B Osprey aboard a cargo ship during a logistical onload and offload at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 12, 2022. MCAS Iwakuni is uniquely positioned to support the dynamic transportation of various military assets between sea and shore through use of its co-located harbor and airfield.

U.S. Army Col. Travis McIntosh, 10th CAB Commander, finishes his final flight in his Army career on Fort Drum, Ny. July 15, 2022. CW5 Rolando Sanchez, 10th CAB Command Chief Warrant Officer, also conducted his last flight with the brigade.

060921-N-4856C-007. Base: USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)

Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Green checks the engine fuel overflow of an A-10 Thunderbolt II Oct. 13, 2010, at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The Hawgsmoke competition this year involved 40 jets and 72 pilots from 18 different units. Sergeant Green is an A-10 aircraft mechanic with the Air Force Reserve Commands 717th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

British Royal Air Force Air Specialist (Class 1) Technician Alex Parker, an avionics technician assigned to the No. 47th squadron, RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England, left, and U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Mikhail Topal, a fuels distribution operator Airman assigned to the 673d Logistics Readiness Squadron, prepare to fuel a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the No. 47th squadron, RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England, during RED FLAG-Alaska 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Oct. 18, 2022. Exercises like RF-A broaden opportunities for multilateral cooperation with regional allies and partners, focusing on improving the combat readiness of U.S. and international forces and providing training for units preparing for air and space expeditionary force tasking.

U.S. Army Sgt. Kolton Trombly, crew chief from Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment, Assault Helicopter Battalion, attached to the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, removes access panels on a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during a blade folding exercise held at Ali al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, Nov. 27, 2022. Blade folding operations allow 3-142nd AHB the ability to easily transport Army helicopters. The 3-142nd AHB, attached to the 36th CAB, provides Army aviation operations and support to the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission, which is to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of ISIS.

Soldiers assigned to 1-229 Attack Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade refuel, rearm, and repair AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and other vehicles at the Forward Arming and Refueling Point on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Oct. 20, 2022.

A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, ground guides a HEMTT M978 A4 Fuel Servicing truck after refueling during exercise Falcon Autumn 22 at Vredepeel, Netherlands, Nov. 5, 2022. 12 CAB is among other units assigned to V Corps, America's Forward Deployed Corps in Europe. They work alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces, execute joint and multinational training exercises, and retain command and control for all rotational and assigned units in the European Theater.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Micheal Ortolani, an F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief, and Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Bollock, a logistics readiness squadron Airman, perform preflight checks during Exercise Ballast Cannon 24.3 at an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Jan. 7, 2024. Ballast Cannon occurs nearly quarterly with the Royal Bahraini Air Force to support the U.S. Air Forces rapid expeditionary capabilities by integrating Agile Combat Employment objectives for F-16 Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotanker, and operational support personnel.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Christian Stinar, a crew chief assigned to the 175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, performs post-flight procedures for an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft after arrival at Lielvārde Air Base, located in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, May 14, 2022, for support and training while participating in DEFENDER-Europe 22. DEFENDER-Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises within U.S. European Command's Large Global Scale Exercise construct taking place in Eastern Europe. DEFENDER-Europe 22 demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africa's ability to conduct large scale ground combat operations across multiple theatres in support of NATO and the National Defense Strategy.

A U.S. Marine assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 checks the alignment of an F-15 Eagle with an All-Terrain Crane, known as a MAC-50, at Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 4, 2022. This joint training was performed to test crash recovery capabilities for the MWSS-172 and 18th EMS. The MAC-50 would be used to lift an immobile aircraft so that a truck would be able to drive under and prepare the aircraft for transportation.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nicholas Hawkins, a crew chief with the 914th Air Refueling Wing, New York, carries chaulks over his shoulder August 24, 2022 on a flightline on Oahu, Hawaii. Chaulks are placed in front of and behind the wheels of an aircraft to prevent it from rolling.

Soldiers assigned to Delta Troop, 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, fold the main rotor blades of an AH-64 Apache during a blade folding training on Hunter Army Airfield, Dec. 6, 2022. Soldiers conducted the training to develop their speed and proficiency to maintain unit readiness.

Members of 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment retrograde nine UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, Jan. 29, 2024, Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. The Soldiers were deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian, a NATO peacekeeping mission under the Kosovo Force (KFOR). KFORs mission is to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo, in accordance with United Nations Resolution (UNSC) 1244.

U.S. Marines with VMM-265 (Reinforced) prepare to load a Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC) 3 Training Can into a CH-53E Super Stallion during a training exercise in Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 18, 2024. The loading system was designed by GySgt. Rodrigo HernandezPolindara, VMM-265, to offer a more efficient method of transporting HIMARS.

U.S. Air Force MSgt. Kyle Anthony, a Pennsylvania Air National Guard, 193rd Special Operations wing, maintenance flight technician, organizes airmen from the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron and the Pennsylvania Air National Guards 193rd Special Operations wing, during a joint training event, May 17, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Florida. This training event demonstrated the ability to perform an aircraft lift under circumstances where traditional equipment may not be available.

JINHAE, Republic of Korea (March 14, 2017) Builder Constructionman Apprentice Travis Durr, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, guides an I-beam during Exercise Foal Eagle 2017 at the Republic of Korea (ROK) Naval Education and Training Command in Jinhae, ROK. The annual bilateral training exercise is designed to enhance the readiness of U.S. and ROK forces and their ability to work together during a crisis.

Georgia Air National Guard firefighters from the 165th Civil Engineering Squadron prepare equipment for a 96-hour contingency training at the 165th Airlift Wing, Sept. 14, 2022 in Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of this training exercise was designed to incorporate agile combat employment capabilities as well as challenge the firefighters to think and respond as a multi-capable Airmen force.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark Hedge, left, 60th Maintenance Operations Squadron KC-10 aerospace propulsion instructor, reviews technical orders with his students during a Maintenance Qualification Training Program class at Travis AFB, California, Oct. 14, 2022. The MQTP at Travis AFB trains and qualifies incoming maintainers on their jobs.

The Medical Evacuation Crew from G Company 3-238th General Support Aviation Battalion conducts standard preflight checks before assuming medical evacuation coverage. The crew supports the units participating in annual training by flying over Fort Chaffee checking units' locations, training areas, firing ranges, and potentially hazardous areas; the information gathered is then cross-referenced with their area maps. By conducting these daily flights, the crew can stay prepared to aid during natural disasters or instances where individuals are injured in rural, hard-to-reach areas.

An Alaska Army National Guard Soldier prepares cargo to be offloaded from a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 176th Airlift Wing at Nome Airport, Alaska, Sept. 21, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the AKOM, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline.

Maj. Romualdas Gecionis, military assistant to the Lithuanian Air Force Commander, takes a picture on his cell phone of an aerial refueling mission on a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, March 22, 2023, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania National Guard and Lithuania have partnered through the National Guards State Partnership Program since 1993.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gary Button reads the pre-flight checklist as his son, Army Warrant Officer 1 Daniel Button, checks the gauges of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

U.S. Airmen with the Indiana Air National Guard load 2.75 inch rockets onto an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft during an Integrated Combat Turn (ICT) maneuver at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan, July 12, 2022. The ICT maneuver involves reloading and refueling the A-10C Thunderbolt II with the engines still running in preparation for another takeoff while the pilot waits in the cockpit.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Heims, assigned to the 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, handles an AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile while competing in a timed F-22 Raptor load crew competition at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 7, 2022. Load crew competitions provide the 3rd Maintenance Groups weapons loaders an opportunity to showcase their speed and efficiency, while honing teamwork as an integral component of the U.S. Air Forces Fly, Fight, Win mantra. Heims is from Clarksville, Tenn.

Guardsmen with the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Main Air National Guard train on installing a Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure System (LAIRCM) on a KC-135 aircraft at the 171st Air Refueling Wing near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept. 8, 2022. The defensive system uses an infrared laser to protect against missile threats.

U.S. Army Spc. Ali Nasser, Apache helicopter repairer, assigned to Alpha Company, 1-3rd Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade takes a fuel sample from an AH-64D Apache helicopter during a pre-flight check at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, April 3, 2022. 12 CAB is among other units assigned to V Corps, America's Forward Deployed Corps in Europe that works alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces, execute joint and multinational training exercises, and retains command and control for all rotational and assigned units in the European Theater.

Members from the 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard, travel aboard a C-17 Globemaster III from the 105th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard, in route to Alpena, Michigan June 4, 2022. This effort is in support of Agile Rage 22 which provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

Airmen from the 127th Air Refueling Group, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, push in place auxiliary power units to perform a gear swing while testing new landing gear centering cylinders on a KC-135 Stratotanker on Dec. 6, 2022. A team from the Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluation Squadron, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, picked Selfridge to test and observe the maintenance personnel install the new cylinders and test the landing gear while having the aircraft rest on jacks.

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