Ground Crew in Aviation Maintenance

Photos feature military personnel conducting preflight checks and maintenance on aircraft, emphasizing the technical aspects of military aviation readiness.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. David Jara, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), rides in a UH-1Y Venom while on a flight during exercise Steel Knight 23 onMarine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 6, 2022. Exercise Steel Knight provides 3rd MAW an opportunity to refine Wing-level warfighting in support of I Marine Expeditionary Forceand fleet maneuver. Jara is a Flower Mound, Texas, native.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. David Jara, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), rides in a UH-1Y Venom while on a flight during exercise Steel Knight 23 onMarine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 6, 2022. Exercise Steel Knight provides 3rd MAW an opportunity to refine Wing-level warfighting in support of I Marine Expeditionary Forceand fleet maneuver. Jara is a Flower Mound, Texas, native.

Lt. Mark Thomsen, from Tucson, Arizona, assigned to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, performs a preflight check on an MH-60S Nighthawk in USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) hangar bay, August 2, 2022. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting workups in preparation for a scheduled deployment this fall.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 1, 2022) U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Brian Kringle, from Sacramento, California, assigned to Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5, treats a simulated patient while flying in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, 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 largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

DN-SC-90-04271. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Denver Ball, a crew chief assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465, loads .50 caliber machine gun ammunition during an integrated training exercise at Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 26, 2023. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267 and HMH 465 conducted integrated training as a proof of concept for future distributed operations.

Airmen from the 151st Air Refueling Maintenance Group and 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) load a Polaris Military RZR onto a KC-135R at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base, Utah, in preparation for a joint force exercise being held at Dugway Proving Ground on Sept. 8, 2022. The exercise is designed to challenge the status quo and allow the U.S. military to improve strategies against their greatest competitors.

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General Maj. Gen. Bradford J. Gering pilots a flight in the CH-53E Super Stallion flight simulator at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Oct. 24, 2022. Gering conducted the simulation flight before visiting Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 to interact with Marines and discuss the squadron's upcoming three simultaneous deployments across the Indo-Pacific region. Maj. Gen Gering is a native of Smithtown, New York.

041024-F-0758D-001. Base: Terre Haute State: Indiana (IN) Country: United States Of America (USA)

070129-N-9712C-002. Base: USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)

020508-F-7232C-001. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

Tech. Sgt. Kevin Foley, a boom operator with the 328th Air Refueling Squadron, New York, refuels a A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon, with the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, August 29, 2022 in the Indo-Pacific Command Area of Responsibility. The Poseidon is multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, specializing in anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search and rescue.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Milliner (center) and Airman 1st Class Kyle Kersey (top left), heating ventilation and air conditioning airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, explore the inner workings of a cooling unit looking for a pipe leak, July 29, 2022 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The Airmen used special gas and gauges to help them determine that a leak was the problem with the unit.

240205-N-PV534-1002 SAN DIEGO (Feb. 5, 2024) Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Ryan Hardrath, from Sacramento, Calif., performs maintenance on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14, on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln is currently moored pierside at Naval Air Station North Island. Navy

Airmen from the 151st Air Refueling Maintenance Group and 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) load a Polaris Military RZR onto a KC-135R at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base, Utah, in preparation for a joint force exercise being held at Dugway Proving Ground on Sept. 8, 2022. The exercise is designed to challenge the status quo and allow the U.S. military to improve strategies against their greatest competitors.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Josiah Baychu, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief, services the emergency blowdown bottle during exercise COPE Tiger 19 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, March 11, 2019. Approximately 150 personnel from Misawa Air Base forward deployed in support of COPE Tiger, an annual multilateral aerial exercise aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability between the Republic of Singapore Air Force, Royal Thai Air Force and U.S. Air Force.

A U.S. Airman prepares to drop from a U.S. Air Force HC-130 King aircraft assigned to the 211th Rescue Squadron during a search and rescue mission at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona Oct. 16, 2011, during Angel Thunder 2011. Angel Thunder is an Air Combat Command-sponsored personnel recovery/combat search and rescue exercise that combines Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD assets.

TECH. Sergeant Martin K. Simmons, 110th Air Control Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, performs a daily operations check of equipment. Personnel and aircraft from the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, along with members of the 110th Air Control Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, participate with Danish forces in this three week exercise testing the effectiveness of both Danish and American air defenses. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Subject Operation/Series: TACTICAL WEAPONRY '95 Base: Flyvestation State: Karup Country: Denmark (DNK)

030507-F-6701P-034. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

The 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, Utah National Guard, load four AH-64D Apache helicopters onboard a C-5 Galaxy, to be transported to Morocco in support of African Lion 22, a U.S. Africa Command annual exercise on Saturday, June 18, 2022.The 1-211th ARB aircraft maintaniners prepped the aircraft for loading onto the C-5 by folding the blades and then members of the 151st Air Refueling Wing, Utah Air National Guard, assisted in loading and securing the helicopters on the C-5 from Travis Air Force Base, California, for transportation to Morocco.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alonso Carrillo, a loadmaster with the 4th Airlift Squadron, prepares to offload an R-11 fuel truck from a C-17 Globemaster III during Exercise Rainier War 22B at Pocatello Regional Airport, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. Rainier War is designed to evaluate and exercise Team McChords ability to generate, employ and sustain Rapid Global Mobility into and in support of U.S. Indo-Pacific areas of responsibility.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Corey J. Martin, 18th Air Force commander, boards a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Sept. 14, 2022. Martin visited Joint Base Charleston to discuss challenges, successes, and joint efforts with base personnel.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Charles Arnold, 3rd Airlift Squadron loadmaster, attaches night vision goggles to his helmet before a local evening training sortie at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Feb. 26, 2024. The 3rd AS conducted local training in preparation to support worldwide airlift capabilities to include clandestine delivery, extraction and airdrop of special operations forces and equipment. Air Force

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Wyatt Farnsworth, a motor vehicle operator with Headquarters Company, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division provides security during the Light Tactical Family Crew Maneuver Course on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, April 5, 2023. The five-day course focused on training and educating crew members on effective LTF employment in rough terrain.

The Interior Alaska Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps visits 168th Wing as part of summer camp and learns about the 168th Wing, pilot, boom operator, aircraft maintenance, security forces, and civil engineering missions. The Interior JROTC cadets are students at West Valley High School Marine Corps JROTC, Lathrop High School Army JROTC, Eielson Air Force Base High School Air Force JROTC, and North Pole High School Air Force JROTC.

US Air Force AIRMAN First Class Julio Santiago, a radar maintenance specialist from the 48th Communications Squadron (CS), 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, checks the power supplies on a receiver unit cabinet to ensure they're within tolerances. Base: Raf Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

U.S. and Polish military members prepare for a static line airdrop, over the Bledowska drop zone, Poland, during Aviation Detachment Rotation 22-4 (ADR 22-4), Sept. 13, 2022. Continual exercises and interactions like ADR 22-4 allows the U.S. to work with partner nations to address security threats and enable all participants to contribute to international coalitions.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gregory Johnson, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group expeditionary depot maintenance tactical team member, replaces the wing on an A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 357th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Oct. 11, 2022. Depot teams are composed of more experienced individuals in specific job classifications for completing extensive maintenance such as a wing change.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Pitts, a student in the Basic Loadmaster Course, directs cargo into the static C-130 in an exercise at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on April 13, 2022. The Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence is the beginning of Undergraduate Flying Training for all enlisted aviators. The COE teaches a base level of aviation knowledge in Aircrew Fundamentals on aerodynamics, aircraft systems, safety procedures, publications, physiological responses to altitude and more to Air Force and international students in aviation career fields. Upon completion of Aircrew Fundamentals, Airmen progress to their higher level, specialized aircrew training. Specialized courses include Boom Operator, Flight Engineer, Aircraft Loadmaster, Airborne Mission Systems Operator, Flight Attendant and Special Missions Aviators courses.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Shane White, a fixed-wing aircraft mechanic, left, welcomes back Capt. Evan Staton, a fighter pilot, both with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, May 17, 2022. Following successful completion of Exercise RED FLAG 22-1, VMFA-242 achieved full operational capability, allowing them to execute a full set of missions as an F-35B Lightning II squadron.

Three loadmasters with the 167th Airlift Wing, assist with securing a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter onto the floor of a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the Wheeling Ohio County Airport, Wheeling, West Virginia, June 8, 2021. As part of a joint training exercise, 167th Airlift Wing loadmasters trained with maintainers from C and D Company, 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Ramos, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter repairer instructor in 2d Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, briefs Maj. Gen. Michael McCurry, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence commander, shows how the training is conducted in a UH-60 trainer at Fort Eustis, Virginia, September 6, 2022.

U.S. Air Force Matthew Brown, a weapons load crew member assigned to the 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, cuts an arming wire on an Mk-82 bomb during exercise Poseidons Rage 22 at Souda Air Base, Greece, July 19, 2022. The live munitions contributed an additional 4,500 pounds to each aircraft.

Ground Crew Member Loads 20mm Rounds (Bullets) into the Gun of an F-16

US Air Force TSgt Joe Robles (kneeling) and TSgt Sean Kirsch spot the parachute landing zone while on a mission on an HC-130P combat search and rescue aircraft at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Jan 10, 2009. Camp Lemonier is the hub of the Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa, providing humanitarian relief, security and anti terrorism activities to the nations in the Horn of Africa.

Polish land forces perform a static line airdrop from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as part of Aviation Detachment Rotation 22-4 (ADR 22-4) training, above the Bledowska drop zone, Poland, Sept. 13, 2022. Participation in training events like ADR 22-4 enhances professional relationships and improves overall coordination with allies and partner militaries.

030911-F-7392S-011. Base: Minot Air Force Base State: North Dakota (ND) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

U.S Air Force Senior Airman Andrew Girard, 535th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, sits on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III during a bilateral training exercise with Japan Air Self-Defense Force 403rd Tactical Airlift Squadron members around the Hawaiian Islands, Sept. 27, 2022. The 3-day bilateral exercise familiarized aircrew from both forces on the capabilities of the Kawasaki C-2 and the C-17.

U.S Air Force Senior Airman Andrew Girard, 535th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, sits on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III during a bilateral training exercise with Japan Air Self-Defense Force 403rd Tactical Airlift Squadron members around the Hawaiian Islands, Sept. 27, 2022. The 3-day bilateral exercise familiarized aircrew from both forces on the capabilities of the Kawasaki C-2 and the C-17.

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant Don Meyers and US Air Force SENIOR AIRMAN Johnny Thomas work together to load an AIM-9 missile onto their F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft during the 51st Operations Group weapons-load-crew-of-the-quarter contest at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

Staff Sgt. Andrew Hedin, an HH-60G Pave Hawk flight engineer, from the 129th Rescue Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, California Air National Guard, observes a sling loaded cargo for safety and security on an HH-60G Pave Hawk. The unit is supporting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by helping transport new photovoltaic batteries to power a lighthouse and workshop at the FWS research facility on the Farallon Island sixty miles of the coast of San Francisco, California, Feb 17, 2009.

011127-F-0007M-001. Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

U.S. Marines assigned to the maritime raid force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, climb a ladder well on the USAV Calaboza (LCU 2009) during a visit, board, search and seizure training off the coast of Kin, Okinawa, Dec. 7, 2022. VBSS training consists of boarding a vessel, systematically checking all compartments for enemy personnel, weapons or contraband. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a ready and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific.

U.S. Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Vida Marie Melegrito, aerial porter, assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, unloads an equipment pallet off of a C-17A Globemaster III aircraft within the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility, April 24, 2022. Aerial porters are responsible for all management and movement of cargo and passengers transported in the military airlift system.

220818-N-UI066-1051 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 18, 2022) Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter Tactical) 3rd Class Chase Out, from Slidell, Lousiana, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46, hangs up an aircrew helmet aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Aug. 18, 2022. George H.W. Bush provides the national command authority flexible, tailorable warfighting capability as the flagship of a carrier strike group that maintains maritime stability and security to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat Americas adversaries in support of national security. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 is the offensive air and strike component of CSG-10 and George H.W.Bush CSG. The squadrons of CVW-7 are Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143, VFA-103, VFA-86, VFA-136, VAW-121, Hel

Maintainers from the 151st Air Refueling Wing learn essential functions of an F-18 Super Hornet from the Sailors assigned the Naval Air Station during an unprecedented joint exercise on Aug. 30, 2022 at Fallon, Navada. This joint force exercise will develop new operational concepts, capabilities and plans to bolster deterrence and maintain the U.S. militarys competitive advantage for the future.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 1, 2022) Royal Australian Navy Lt. Edward Finnis, from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, treats a simulated patient while flying in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, 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 largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

From left, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Milo Carter, 36th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, and Airman 1st Class Losaia Lavatai, 36th AS loadmaster, look out the troop door of a USAF C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th AS at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Feb. 22, 2024. The loadmasters simulated personnel drops and completed an in-flight checklist to ensure simulated paratroopers were properly released from the aircraft. Air Force

040808-f-1389c-002. Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

During EXERCISE DESERT RESCUE IX, two U.S. Air Force Pararescue jumpmasters check the drop zone prior to conducting static and high altitude low opening (HALO) jumps from a 71st Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia based HC-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Desert Rescue IX is the premiere search and rescue (SAR) training exercise involving Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine personnel. It is conducted at the ranges of Fallon Naval Air Station, Nevada. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE IX Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: U.S. Special Operations Command

Lance Corporal Drue N. McIver, from HMH-463 Kaneohe Bay Hawaii, puts a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter that was disassembled so it could be transported to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, back together as part of Exercise KOA THUNDER 2001 at Anderson Air Force Base. Marines from Aviation Support Element, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, 1ST Marine Air Wing, Okinawa, Japan, and 3rd Marines 7th Battalion, 29 Palms, California, participated in KOA THUNDER on the island of Guam from July 9 to July 14. The purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate the Marine Corps' ability to deploy in the South Pacific from places other than Okinawa, Japan. Subject Operation/Series: KOA THUNDER 2001 Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 1ST Marine Air Wing

Airman 1st Class Matthew Brown, 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance journeyman, finalizes the decal on an A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 357th Fighter Generation Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Oct. 20, 2022. The 355th EMS provides nondestructive inspection, fabrication of aircraft components and corrosion control support, and stores, maintains, inspects and transports munitions stockpile.

970408-F-4116M-111. Subject Operation/Series: ROVING SANDS Base: Logan Heights State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ALABAMA AIR NATIONAL GUARD

030319-F-5040D-002. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTAF

040908-F-9926N-022. Base: Kwang-Ju Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

1st Lt. Nathan Williams, 1-230th Attack Helicopter Battalion, Tennessee Army National Guard performs a preflight check on a UH-60 blackhawk helicopter in Grayling, Mich., on Aug. 12, 2022. Northern Strike 22 brings approximately 7,400 participants from 19 states and four coalition countries to Northern Michigan to validate the readiness and interoperability of multicomponent, multinational and interagency partners from Aug. 6 to 20, 2022, at the National All Domain Warfighting Center.

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant Barry Mueller and US Air Force SENIOR AIRMAN Paul Kaehler, weapons loaders from the weapons standardization section, 48th Operations Group, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, load a laser guided GBU-24 on an F-15E Strike Eagle. (Duplicate image, see also DF-SD-01-08484 or search 010119-F-4177H-004). Base: Raf Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guards 154th Wing and the active-duty 15th Wing secure equipment on a C-17 Globemaster III March 14, 2021 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Support personnel were airlifted to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, to rendezvous with Hawaii-based F-22 Raptors and conduct training operations with U.S. Marine Corps units. This training event is designed to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by providing global reach and agility throughout the area.

020410-A-1526R-032. Base: Crabbs Training Area Country: Antigua And Barbuda (ATG) Scene Major Command Shown: USSOUTHCOM

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Hansen, a Clifton Park, NY, native, UH-60M Black Hawk Pilot and Aviation Mission Survivability Officer for Alpha Company, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB), based out of Latham, New York, performs start-up procedures of a UH-60M Black Hawk at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2022. Hansen and his crew surveyed landing zones in the vicinity of Camp Buehring during their flight. 3-142nd AHB, attached to 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently supports the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of Da'esh, the common Arabic term for IS or ISIS, within designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

Staff Sgt. Courtney Helm performs preflight inspections on a B-1 Lancer during the U.S. Air Force Weapons School mission employment exercise Dec. 7, 2011, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Helms is a 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion craftsman.

US Navy (USN) Hospital Corpsman Second Class (HM2) Johnathan Bradford (foreground) and USN HM2 Thomas Miller, (background) both assigned to the 2nd Force Services Support Group (FSSG), respond to the Mission-Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) Mast Only command, as they remove USN Hospital Corpsman Third Class (HM3) Sarah Cade, from the Tunnel Air-Lock Litter Patient (TALP) door of a Chemical Biological Protective Shelter (CBPS), during a training exercise conducted at Camp Coyote, Kuwait, during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The CBPS is a highly mobile chemically protected shelter system designed for emergency medical use in forward battle areas. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Camp Coyote Country: Kuwait (KWT)

Paratroopers from the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, stand under the static line of a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, prior to conducting an airborne assault as part of a joint forcible entry exercise during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 in Alaska, Feb. 8, 2024. The Large Scale Combat Operations scenario used in JPMRC 24-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome both environmental and military challenges. Air Force

NIGERIEN AIR BASE 201, Niger - A member of the Italian Air Force currently stationed at Niamey, Nigerien Air Base 101, and a U.S. Air Force 724th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron member discuss the logistics of the cargo at Nigerien Air Base 201, Niger, August 18, 2022.

011114-F-0718S-047. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Douglas Hicks chains a U.S. Army Light Medium Tactical Vehicle onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft headed to Haiti for earthquake relief efforts Jan. 20, 2010, at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. Pope AFB is a component of Air Mobility Command, which is participating in a swift and coordinated relief effort to save lives and alleviate human suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake.

US Air Force MASTER Sergeant Freddie Sanchez, Crew CHIEF, 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard, New Orleans, Louisiana, counts the number of safety pins to secure the munitions of a USAF F-15 Eagle at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. MSGT Sanchez is a part of the coalition forces of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan AB, SAU, that enforces the no-fly and no-drive zone in Southern Iraq to protect and defend against Iraqi aggression. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Alex Hickman (left), 114th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, U.S. Air National Guard Senior Airman Abby Bauer (right front), 114th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Weapons maintainer, and U.S. Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Lounsbery (right back), 114th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, removes aircraft panels from an F-16 during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-22 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., April 5, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

030322-F-9629J-009. Subject Operation/Series: FOAL EAGLE Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

021017-F-4728F-008. Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

US Marine Corps Sergeant Hobbs from 1ST battalion, 3rd Marines, Weapons Company, adjusts an MK-19 during a training exercise at Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii. Base: Pohakuloa Training Area State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020425-F-0848C-006. Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

030316-F-8156G-001. Base: RAF Fairford State: Gloucestershire Country: United Kingdom (GBR)

060227-F-4462M-014. Base: Chatter Plain Country: Pakistan (PAK)

U.S. Marines Staff Sgt. Benjamin Hebert, a weapons and tactics instructor, and Gunnery Sgt. Joshua John Navarro, an aerial observer, both with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, load an M134 GAU-17/A minigun in preparation for a close air support exercise on Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, May 12, 2022. HMLA-775, along with the other squadrons on the air station, provide aviation support that enables I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton tenant commands and visiting units to maintain and enhance their mission capabilities and combat readiness.

220619-N-NR343-1002 GULF OF ADEN (June 19, 2022) Aviation Mechanic (structural) Airman Apprentice Makiha Walker, assigned to the Sea Knights of Helicopter Sea Combat squadron (HSC 22), conducts torque shaft maintenance on a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter aboard littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11), in the Gulf of Aden June 19. Sioux City is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region.

Engine and propeller of a military plane. Disassemble and repair engine of plane. Engine design of a military aircraft.

USAF MASTER Sergeant Steven Meyer a Loadmaster with the 821st Mobility Squadron, McGuire AFB, New Jersey checks the tie down chains inside the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy aircraft before the aircraft deploys to Southwest Asia, in support of operation DESERT FOX. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT FOX Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrew Kimball, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron pilot, performs a preflight check on a Boeing KC-46A Pegasus Tanker on Jan. 4, 2023 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The sortie marked the Squadrons first opportunity to fly a KC-46 local mission from start to finish and execute it exclusively with 32d ARS aircrew.

Members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force demonstrate emergency rescue procedures on a JASDF Mitsubishi F-2 as part of a trilateral firefighter training during Cope North 24 on Pacific Regional Training Center-Andersen, Feb. 14, 2024. During the training the JASDF discussed hazards, aircraft entry, engine shut-down procedures and emergency rescue procedures on an F-2 and F-15MJ, all of which are vital to secure agile combat employment operations. Air Force

220524-N-DW158-1302 PACIFIC OCEAN (May 24, 2022) A Sailor assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, attached to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, fast ropes out of an MH-60S Seahawk attached to the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 during fast rope training on the flight deck of the U.S. Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

040127-F-3208M-052. Base: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Tech. Sgt. Noah Polcar, a 154th Training Squadron loadmaster instructor, inspects the safety harness on a C-130J Aug. 11, 2022, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Polcar is one of three loadmasters selected to begin training on the J-model aircraft in preparation for the wing's gradual conversion to the C-130J aircraft.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Javier Hall, avionics technician, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, troubleshoots the blade fold system on a CH-53K King Stallion on Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina June 22, 2022. HMH-461 aviation maintenance Marines go through vigorous training and testing to ensure that aircraft aboard MCAS New River are ready to fly and support all missions safely.

220502-N-VH871-1089 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (May 2, 2022) Lt. Vince Gardella, left, and Lt. Alan Osbourne, assigned to the "Grey Knights" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 46, deployed with Commander, Task Force (CTF) 57, conduct training on a Rextorp training torpedo, May 2nd. CTF 57 aircraft conduct missions in support of maritime operations to ensure security and stability in the Middle East region.

030412-F-3715H-019. Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

220601-N-UL352-1053 ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 1, 2022) Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Rongfei Wong, removes sealants from bi-fouler weights on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), June 1, 2022. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) is underway completing a certification exercise to increase U.S. and allied interoperability and warfighting capability before a future deployment. The GHWBCSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America's adversaries in support of national security.

AIRMAN Hemsley assists SENIOR AIRMAN Johnson of the 375th Maintenance Squadron in checking the voltage on the C-9 Nightingale aircraft. Base: Scott Air Force Base State: Illinois (IL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Spc. Rex Ward, assigned to Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, cleans the barrel of an M109A6 Paladin howitzer at Forward Operating Site Adazi, Latvia, June 10, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT is among other units assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, proudly working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, Americas forward-deployed corps in Europe.

010924-F-3961R-009. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

DF-ST-87-13509. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '85 Base: Kimhae Air Base Country: Korea

020930-F-4649H-016. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WATCH Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

During a troubleshooting procedure for a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter main rotor flight control problem, Spc. Kevin Parrot (right) of Riverdale, Ga., Spc. Dale Snedacor (middle) of Odessa, Texas, and Sgt. Jordan Downey (left) of Valders, Wis., all from 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, perform a main rotor flight controls rigging check, Hood Army Airfield, Fort Hood, Texas, Jan. 14.

DF-ST-86-11303. Base: Tinker Air Force Base State: Oklahoma (OK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Straight on rear view medium close-up shot as USAF STAFF Sergeant Tim Hanks, a member of the 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, looks at the drop zone out of a HC-130 troop door during a high altitude low opening exercise during Exercise Desert Rescue VII, near Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nevada. Members of the 41st Rescue Squadron, are participating in a multi-service rescue exercise to prepare for themselves for when a real situation may occur. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT RESCUE Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

US Air Force SENIOR Airmen Michael Bylica and US Air Force AIRMAN First Class Steve Webster from the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, upload an AIM-120 Air to Air missile onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Personnel at Kunsan Air Base are participating in an Beverly Bearcat Operational Readiness Inspection. Base: Kunsan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

Staff Sgt. Jason Ramirez with Sustainment Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division participate in the 2022 Jumpmaster Competition on May 17th, 2022, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The competition consists of an intense physical fitness session, a board - testing their knowledge, aircraft inspection, jumpmaster personnel inspection (JMPI), and drop zone safety officer duties.

Lt. Steven "Shaft" Nicklaus, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103, demonstrates proper wear and testing of F/A-18F night vision goggles during a training detachment at Naval Air Station Fallon, April 19, 2022. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 is the offensive air and strike component of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 and the George H.W. Bush CSG. The squadrons of CVW-7 are Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143, VFA-103, VFA-86, VFA-136, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, HSC-5, and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46.

of 3