Military Aircraft Loading Operations

Images of military personnel loading and maintaining aircraft, including helicopters and refueling planes, showcasing teamwork and preparedness.

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.

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.

Flight crew with the 6th Air Refueling Squadron, completes maintenance on a KC-10 during Exercise Agile Tiger on April 6, 2022, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Exercise Agile Tiger gives us the opportunity to practice operational unpredictability, while assuring our partners and Allies that we are postured to execute nuclear operations and global strike anytime, anywhere.

Members of the Hurricane Response Team, carrying their bags board a C-17 Globemaster III, from the 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. They will fly to Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina to assist with damage caused by Hurricane Bertha. SCREEN RESOLUTION ONLY. Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

57th Maintenance Group Aircraft Armament Systems specialists load weapons on an F-35A Lightning II during the third quarter Load Crew Competition at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 14, 2022. These competitions are an integral part in load crew tradition while also building morale.

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Maurice L. Williams, command chief, Air National Guard, addresses Airmen of the 193rd Special Operations Wing in an enlisted town hall at the Harrisburg International Airport, Middletown, Pennsylvania, May 15, 2022. During the town hall, Williams spoke to members and answered questions on professional development, Airman leadership and mentorship.

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.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jared Ennis, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, Tennessee National Guard, instructs Soldiers from the 1171st Medical Company, Michigan National Guard, and the 477th Medical Company, U.S. Army Reserves, Duluth, Minnesota on cold and hot loading medical patients for air evacuations, at Grayling Army Airfield, Mich., during Northern Strike 22-2 Aug. 8, 2022. Northern Strike is designed to challenge over 7,400 service members with multiple forms of training that advance interoperability across multicomponent, multinational and interagency partners.

Troops climb aboard a C-5 aircraft in preparation for deployment to Mogadishu, Somalia. Subject Operation/Series: Restore Hope Base: Griffiss Air Force Base State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

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

U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Brianda Johnson and Hunter Weeks, 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace maintenance apprentices, prepare to launch a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, June 29, 2022. The 437th AMXS enables Joint Base Charleston to perform global airlift missions ranging from combat support operations and humanitarian relief to aeromedical evacuations.

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. Marine Corps Cpl. Kaitlin Harms, Corporals Course class commander, with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepares to dismiss the Corporals Course graduates after their ceremony aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 17, 2022. Corporals Course provides students with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to become successful small-unit leaders as they enter the career into the non-commissioned officer ranks. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing discuss flight line defense postures during exercise Agile Flag 22-2 at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, July 23, 2022. During the exercise, the 822nd Base Defense Squadron and 23rd Security Forces Squadron provided security for aircraft on the flight line. Agile Flag 22-2 is Air Combat Commands first lead-wing certification event designed to demonstrate the 23rd Wings capability to generate combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the Wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment. (U.S. Airman 1st Class Rachel Coates)

Airmen with the Air Force Reserve Command aircrew for a C-17 Globemaster III work with Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment (1-147) of the Wisconsin National Guard on loading and unloading UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters June 10 at Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport at Fort McCoy. The 1-147th was set up with numerous Black Hawks and support equipment and personnel at the Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport throughout the first two weeks of June for annual training. The 1-147th and its UH-60s regularly support training operations at Fort McCoy as well as supporting distinguished visitor flying operations. Photo by Kevin Clark/Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office

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.

Maj. Nicholas Velazquez Jr., 433rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, renders his first salute to the 433rd AMXS Airmen during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Sept. 10, 2022. The ceremony allowed Velazquez to formally greet the personnel under his command.

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 Airmen attending a Aeromedical Evacuation Initial Qualification course are trained on a 108th Wing KC-135R Stratotanker on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, March 21, 2022. The course, hosted by the Air Force Reserve's 514th Air Mobility Wing, is a formal training course qualifying Flight Nurses and Aeromedical Evacuation Technicians.

The Missouri National Guard MedEvac Team flew in their Black Hawk helicopters to assist in a MedEvac training exercise at Camp Clark, Nevada, Missouri, June 7, 2022. The 139th Medical Group Homeland Response Force and the 735th Search and Extraction Recon Team participated in the combined training exercise.

Gen. Michael X. Garrett talks to soldiers about the importance of safety and recognizing good leadership during FORSCOM Safety Award ceremony Fort Hood, Texas, 11 May, 2022. The FORSCOM Safety Awards are presented by Gen. Michael X. Garrett to individuals and organizations with the most significant contributions to risk mitigation, accident prevention and safety program success.

A Royal Australian Air Force F-35 Lightning II taxis over to a HC-130J Combat King II assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, during a BLACK FLAG 22-1 for a Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) training mission May 12, 2021, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. As part of Agile Combat Employment, Forward Area Refueling Point 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. service members with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an honorable carry at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, April 1, 2023. After being repatriated from the Solomon Islands the potential osseous material of service members is honored on their return home where the lab at DPAA will begin the process of identification.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alicia Breuer, a loadmaster assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron, stationed at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, guides a winch to the ramp of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Nov. 30, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing departed Joint Base Charleston to conduct off-station training in the U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibilities to hone global reach and readiness capabilities.

Chief Master Sgt. Charles Shurchay, Space Base Delta 2 senior enlisted leader, and Col. Marcus Jackson, Space Base Delta 2 commander, salute as Gen. John W. Jay” Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, departs Buckley Space Force Base, Colo., Oct. 12, 2022. Raymond visited Buckley to conduct an all-call where Airmen and Guardians had the opportunity to ask any questions about the new force and the direction it was going.

U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force tour a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III assigned to 204th Airlift Squadron, 154th Operations Group, 154th Wing, on Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 8, 2024. The Marines were given the opportunity to tour a C-17 Globemaster III, talk with the load masters, and watch static loading of Marine Corps rolling stock.

U.S. Army Brig Gen. Stanley Budraitis, United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence deputy commander, prepare to pilot a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter April 7, 2022 at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

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.

Left to right Staff Sgt. Kaleb Julius and Tech Sgt. Chris Zermer , crew chiefs with the 924th Fighter Group, conduct pre-flight inspections of of an A-10 Thunderbolt II as part of pre-flight procedures prior to a flight out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 29, 2022. More than 200 Airmen and 10 A-10s from the 924th FG of the 944th Fighter Wing are working out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii July 21-Aug. 4, during the units participation in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. 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 worlds 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 worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, travel to Sawyer, Marquette air field in support of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training during the Northern Agility 22-1 exercise, June 27, 2022, here. Agile Combat Employment is a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver executed within threat timelines to increase survivability while generating combat power.

The flight crew of a C-17 oversees the boarding of soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Aug. 23. These Dog Face soldiers are among the first to leave under the responsible drawdown of forces.

U.S. Marine Corps service members observe the load of a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System onto a C-5M Super Galaxy at Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 27, 2022. The C-5M transported over 100,000 pounds of Marine Corps equipment and personnel from Kadena AB, to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, as part of a Major Command Service Tail Trainer mission.

Leaders from Air Force Global Strike Command and 2nd Bomb Wing salute the Honorable Gina Ortiz Jones, Under Secretary of the Air Force, during her arrival to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, April 12, 2022. Jones visited Barksdale to attend the Women's Leadership Symposium and to see Barksdales Striker Nation culture and mission firsthand.

Airmen assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing return from a deployment at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Oct. 19, 2022. The 4th FW deployed to provide a defensive posture to military personnel stationed in the Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility.

U.S. Army and International Paratroopers attend a Ch-47 Chinook Helicopter aircraft safety brief during Leapfest 2022 at the Quonset Army Aviation Support Facility in Washington County, Rhode Island, August 6, 2022. Leapfest is the largest, longest standing, international static line parachute training event and competition hosted by the 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island Army National Guard to promote high level technical training and esprit de corps within the International Airborne community.

060325-A-4339E-047. Subject Operation/Series: FOAL EAGLE Base: Daegu Air Base State: Dageu Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR) Scene Major Command Shown: 2ND ACR

Airmen at the 134th Air Refueling Wing stand in formation underneathe the new next generation KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft at the grand opening of the new $31 million aircraft maintenance hangar Jun. 3. The KC-46, from the 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire, was parked in the hangar on display during the event.

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.

Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment "Viper Battalion," 12th Combat Aviation Brigade walk off the airfield shortly after some 20 AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters land at the Katterbach Army Airfield, Germany, May 13, 2022. The Soldiers initially deployed to the Baltic region for a training exercise and remained forward to support Operation Assure, Deter, and Reinforce. 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.

Throughout the days and nights of Oct. 24th through Oct. 26th, 2022, four planes full of National Guard Soldiers arrived at Fort Bliss, Texas, after a yearlong deployment overseas. Leadership from Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Florida, shook the hands of more than 1,000 Soldiers to welcome them home upon their arrival. The majority of the Soldiers are from the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with components in Montana, Nevada and Oregon. Soldiers from the Florida National Guard joined the deployment as an augmentation. The Soldiers returned home from Southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield and were part of Task Force Griz, which deployed last November.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 23rd Wing tour the newly arrived HC-130J Combat King II at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 8, 2022. The additional aircraft gives the 71st Rescue Squadron and 71st Rescue Generation Squadron a new asset to provide rapidly deployable, expeditionary personnel recovery forces to theater commanders for contingency and crisis response operations worldwide.

050223-A-7465F-005. Base: Fort Mccoy State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Deploying Soldiers from the Connecticut National Guards 1-102nd Infantry Regiment board an Airbus A330-200 at Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, Connecticut, March 10, 2021. Nearly 600 members of the 1-102nd will be supporting Operation Enduring Freedoms Horn of Africa Mission

Col. Michael Henderson, Arkansas National Guard Chief of Staff, and State Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Winkle, received a weapons briefing from Chief Warrant Officer 3 Evan Kosloski during Annual Training at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center June 14, 2022. Kosloski explained basic weapons safety regarding the M240G before taking to the air for Aerial Gunnery Familiarization.

The 38th Regional Support Group Command Sgt. Maj. Derek Andrasic and the deputy commanding officer of the 310th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Col. Eric Wilson welcomed approximately 70 soldiers of the 497th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion back home.

010421-F-6701P-017. Subject Operation/Series: PACIFIC NIGHTINGALE III Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

Travis Airmen and community partners participated in Wings Over Solano at Travis Air Force Base, California, May 14, 2022. The Wings Over Solano open house and air show provided an opportunity for the local community to interact directly with the base and its Airmen and see capabilities on full display at Travis AFB.

Airman from the 189th Maitenance Group participated in emergency fules training August 13, 2022. This training provides airman with hands-on experience for emergency situations they may encounter while working on the aircraft.

Gunfighters with the 149th FW, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, load up a bus in preparation for Operation Coronet Cactus, Mar. 28, 2023, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Coronet Cactus is an annual training event that simulates a deployment acting as a capstone project for the current iteration of F-16 student pilots. The unfamiliar environment helps to provide more realistic combat experience for the students as various other members of the wing also support the students by maintaining and expediting mobility for the exercise.

Six New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Detachment 5 of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment salute during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner at a deployment farewell ceremony at Army Aviation Support Facility # 3 in Latham, New York on November 6, 2022. The Soldiers, who fly the C-12 Huron transport aircraft will deploy to Djibouti in East Africa to support United States military forces in the region. ( U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Eric Durr)

Escorts greet delegates to the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT) Seminar held at Langley Air Force, Virginia. The SACLANT Seminar was attended by 100 delegates from 18 countries, the purpose was to bring NATO leaders together to discuss issues from a Maritime and North American perspective and give leaders a hands on opportunity. Base: Langley Air Force Base State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464 march in formation and salute the oncoming, outgoing, and previous commanding officers of HMH-464, during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Feb. 16, 2024. The ceremony represented a transfer of responsibility, authority, and accountability from Lt. Col. Eben Buxton, a native of Virginia, to Lt. Col. Justin Carrel, a native of Alabama. HMH-464 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force. Marine Corps

010809-F-9186F-042. Subject Operation/Series: FOCUS RELIEF Base: Accra Country: Ghana (GHA)

U.S. Col. George Buch Jr., 386 Air Expeditionary Wing commander, U.S. Col. Daniel Santoro, 386 AEW deputy commander, and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Louis Ludwing, 386 AEW command chief, await the departure of U.S. Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, U.S. Central Command commander, from Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, July 19, 2022. During his visit, Kurilla received key mission updates within the 386 AEW to include how the wing is posturing itself to foster an enduring presence within Kuwait.

A team from the 934th Force Support Squadron carries an empty casket off of an aircraft during an exercise at Volk Field Air National Guard Base, Wis., April 7, 2022. The exercise was held to promote general readiness of the wing and its individual units. (Photo by Master Sgt. Trevor Saylor)

U.S. Marines with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW)) 224, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in the change of command ceremony for VMFA(AW)-224 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Jan. 11, 2024. Lt. Col. John Schranz relinquished command of VMFA(AW)-224 to Lt. Col. Jarrod Allen.

AIR BASE 201, Niger - U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA), commander, speaks to Airmen and Soldiers of the 409th Air Expeditionary Group during an all call at Air Base 201, Niger, Oct. 29, 2022. Hecker discussed the growing presence of international air forces in Africa and their ability to support partners beyond counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts.

040410-F-5833N-104. Base: Shaikh Isa Air Base State: Ar Rifa And Southern Country: Bahrain (BHR)

Soldiers assigned to Delta Company, 1-229 Attack Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, prepare to load an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter at Gray Army Airfield, Wash. on Oct 20, 2022. The Soldiers were training with Airmen on AH-64E Apache helicopter C-17 loading and unloading procedures.

Members from the 3rd Airlift Squadron, 436th Security Forces Squadron and 436th Mission Generation Group are greeted by family, fellow squadron and Team Dover members at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Oct. 3, 2022. Team Dover members returned to Dover after a four-month deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The C-17 Globemaster III, operated by 3AS, is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in a deployment area.

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" train in Edwards Air Force Base, California, Jan. 22 - Feb. 5, 2024. This marked the third annual Thunderbirds winter training trip, which allows the team to rehearse the show prior to kickstarting the season in March. Air Force

Staff Sgt. Tatiana Rivera (center-right), noncommissioned-officer-in-charge with the 177th Force Support Squadron, poses for a photo after participating in the Maintainer for a Day program hosted by the 177th Maintenance Squadron on June 24, 2022 at the 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. The program provided non-aircraft maintenance Airmen with hands-on experience in the aircraft maintenance career field, giving them a chance to work on F-16 fighter jets.

Members of the 94th and 103rd Airlift Wingsmeet with Brig. Gen. Roberto Vergori (left, foreground), Commanderof the Italian Airborne Brigade, during Exercise Swift Response 22,May 12, 2022, at Pisa International Airport, Pisa, Italy. The exercisefocused on building airborne interoperability with allies and partners,and the integration of joint service partners in a contestedenvironment. Events such as Swift Response provide vitalopportunities, not only for multiple United States services to worktogether, but also for integrated, total force training with Reserve andNational Guard units and our partner nations militaries to ensureinteroperability.

020604-F-0007M-002. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Mcguire Air Force Base State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Victor Hawkins, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief, salutes Capt. Anthony Demarzo, 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-3 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug. 3, 2022. RF-A, a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise, provides a unique opportunity to integrate various joint and multilateral forces in a realistic threat environment. Primarily taking place in the more than 77,000 square mile airspace of the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the exercises reinforce the United States' continued commitment to the Indo-Pacific region as a Pacific nation, leader and power.

Lt. Col. Ken Burrows, 911th Air Refueling Squadron operations officer, talks to Air Force ROTC cadets from Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and East Carolina University during Strive 4th: A Project Tuskegee and aviation inspiration mentorship initiative at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Nov. 4, 2022. The Strive 4th event is in conjunction with Project Tuskegee, an Air Force Global Strike Command initiative to advance diversity and inclusion efforts, while educating students on opportunities aligned with Air Force objectives.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, Combat Aviation Brigade, conducted an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise on October 8, 2022, at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. EDRE area rapid-deployment exercise tests a unit's ability to alert, marshal, and deploy forces and equipment to an emergency disaster or contingency operations.

021101-F-3329S-002. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron are given a safety brief before they refuel a B-2 Bomber from a C-17 Globemaster III for the first time at Edwards Air Force Base Cal. on Dec. 1, 2022. Mobility Airmen consistently train to execute the agile combat employment concept to strengthen the DoDs global capabilities and lethality.

U.S. Marines with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW)) 224, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in the change of command ceremony for VMFA(AW)-224 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Jan. 11, 2024. Lt. Col. John Schranz relinquished command of VMFA(AW)-224 to Lt. Col. Jarrod Allen.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, arrive at Sawyer International Airport, Michigan, in support of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training during the Northern Agility 22-1 exercise, June 27, 2022, here. Master Sgt. Heather Bell from the 127th Wing, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, helped her team to unload communications equipment in preparation for the exercise.

From left to right, Alaska Air National Guard 1st Lt. Robert Wasser, Lt. Col Michael Curry, Staff Sgt. Ryan Haskins, and Staff Sgt. Annie Kilborn, all assigned to the 144th Airlift Squadron, 176th Wing, pause for a photograph in front of their C-17 Globemaster III after returning from Bethel in support of Operation Santa Claus at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Nov. 16, 2022. Operation Santa Claus is the AKANGs yearly community relations and support program that provides gifts to children in remote communities across the state. In partnership with the Salvation Army and more than a dozen volunteers, the program delivered 1,780 pounds of gifts, backpacks, hygiene supplies, and books to 325 children in Scammon Bay.

A group of Airmen conduct a joint training exercise on board a C-17 Globemaster III at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Nov. 9, 2022. The 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the 88th Medical Group Critical Care Air Transport Team conducted the training, simulating a live-flight environment where Airmen learn to prepare for challenges such as turbulence, changes in temperatures and air pressure, as they care for critically ill patients.

The five critical care air transport teams deployed to the 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, pose for a photo at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, June 8, 2022. They are a highly specialized team who can turn any airframe into a mobile intensive care unit, facilitating rapid movement from the point of injury to higher levels of care while ensuring the delivery of top tier critical care medicine. The 10th EAEF is assigned under the 721st Mobility Support Squadron, an Air Mobility Command unit under the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing.

Airmen from the 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron stand in front of an F-15E Strike Eagle at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 19, 2022. These Airmen recently earned an Air Combat Command safety award for extinguishing an aircraft fire that resulted from a fuel line leak in an F-15E and helped prevent serious injury or loss of life.

Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers with Alpha Company and the associated detachments of the 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion get ready at the Joint Mobility Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to depart for a nine-month long deployment to the Middle East, March 7, 2021. The Soldiers departed late at night on Sunday and will spend approximately a few months mobilizing in Ft. Hood, Texas, before they reach their final destination.

U.S. Marines with 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII, talk through communications operations with Brazilian Marines in São Pedro da Aldeia, Brazil, during exercise UNITAS LXIII, Sept. 4, 2022. U.S. Marines and Brazilian Marines used this time to convey communication procedures and safety actions before flights began. UNITAS trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating naval and marine forces.

Lt. Col. Michael Roy, 6th Special Operations Squadron commander, receives his first salute from the Airmen of the 6 SOS during the squadrons activation ceremony at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Oct. 6, 2022. Previously the 27th Special Operations Group Detachment 1, the 6 SOS is an MC-130J Commando II aircraft flying unit that fulfills the 27th Special Operations Wings commitment to the Air Force Special Operations Commands new deployment model.

From the left, Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Brian Kruzelnick, AMC command chief, walk along the flight line at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, with Col. Matt Husemann, 436th Airlift Wing commander, May 5, 2022. During their visit, AMC leadership highlighted top performing Airmen and toured base facilities such as the C-5 isochronal dock, the air traffic control tower and the Tactics and Leadership Nexus.

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.

U.S. Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard provide military helicopter emergency training to civilian first responders from the counties surrounding Fort Indiantown Gap. The training included orientation to different kinds of helicopters as well as some unique circumstances and considerations for dealing with helicopter emergencies.

From left: U.S. Air Force Col. George Downs, commander, 125th Fighter Wing, Florida National Gurd, Brig. Gen. Michael Valle, assistant adjutant general - Air, Florida National Guard, Staff Sgt. Bryce Paulson, crew chief, 125th Aircraft Maintenance, 125th Fighter Wing, Lt. Col. Jonathan Kassebaum, unit conversion director, F-35A Lightning II, and Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, deputy director, Air National Guard, talk while on the flightline of the Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, Sept. 13, 2022. Pirak was welcomed by 125th Fighter Wing officials for a mission brief, an F-35A Lightning II conversion update and meet-and-greet with Airmen.

U.S. Air Force Airmen, assigned to the 23rd Wing, load baggage onto an aircraft at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Oct. 24, 2022. The 23rd Wing deployed A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft and support personnel to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for a routine Dynamic Force Employment Operation.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jacob Tobolski (left) and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Zeagler, maintainers assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, inspect a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron at Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine, Aug. 25, 2022. The 6th AMXS participated in a capstone exercise as part of the Agile Combat Employment program, the final exercise after a year-long initiative to accelerate readiness within the 6th Air Refueling Wing.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 3rd Wing conduct a foreign object and debris walk at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 3, 2022. The Airmen conducted the FOD walk to remove debris that could potentially damage aircraft and hinder mission readiness.

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., left, speaks with U.S. Air Force Col. Derek Salmi, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, upon arriving at Travis Air Force Base, California, Aug. 4, 2022. Brown stopped by The Gateway to the West on his way to visit bases throughout the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of operations to help reinforce the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Master Sgt. William Judge, III, the 100 LRS fuels operations section chief, briefs the 442d Logistics Readiness Squadron petroleum, oil, and lubricants flight on the principles of forward area refuling points May 20, 2022, on Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. The briefing continued the training given the previous day, in which the 442 POL flight learned to pack a FARP kit and how to lay out the refueling hose.

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.

U.S. Army and Air Force service members to include Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, and Maj. Gen. Barry A. Blanchard, the assistant adjutant general and commander of the Mississippi Air National Guard, host partner nation Uzbekistan leadership during Southern Strike 2022 at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi, April 28, 2022. Southern Strike 2022 is a large-scale, joint multinational combat exercise hosted by the Mississippi National Guard that provides tactical level training for the full spectrum of conflict.

040106-F-7418E-007. Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

060811-F-3188G-128. Base: Fort Huachuca State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Soldiers' spouses from 12th Combat Aviation Brigade visit their consorts' workplace and fly in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter at the Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Germany, Oct. 20, 2022.12 CAB is a team of disciplined warfighting professionals trusted to execute precision aviation operations. Ensuring Soldiers successfully complete dunker training is one of the many ways the Griffin Brigade constantly improves their readiness to support missions across European Command area of operations.

U.S. Marines with the Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF),26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepare to conduct a free fall insertion exercise on Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Dec. 1, 2022.This was one of multiple training events during a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Interoperability Course which provided an evaluation from the Expeditionary Operations Training Group in combining elements of a MAGTF during the intermediate training phase of the 26th MEU pre-deployment training program.

040606-F-7084M-005. Base: Tulsa State: Oklahoma (OK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Mikhail Topal, a fuels distribution operator Airman assigned to the 673d Logistics Readiness Squadron, left, and 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, 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.

Aircrew assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing pose for photo in front of a KC-135 Stratotanker before Operation Centennial Contact, June 27, 2023, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. During the operation, more than 150 aircraft flew above communities around the country and across the world to honor 100 years of air refueling excellence. With 100 years of experience, the U.S. Air Forces air refueling capabilities deliver unrivaled rapid global reach and meaningful maneuver for the Joint Force and our Allies and partners. Aerial refueling serves as a force multiplier, increasing the speed, range, lethality, flexibility and versatility of combat aircraft. Tankers also carry cargo and passengers, perform aeromedical evacuations, and enable strategic deterrence for the United States.

MILITARY RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI AFTER DEVASTING EARTHQUAKE

Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Airmen carry a training transfer July 29, 2022 at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Ground training allows carry teams to practice dignified transfers on multiple types of aircraft.

Participants of Operation Christmas Drop 2022 attend a memorial service for Senior Airman Jeremy Jutba-Hake, a 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster who passed away during Operation Christmas Drop in 2015, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 9, 2022. Jutba-Hake suffered heart complications during post-flight duties that led to his passing following an Operation Christmas Drop flight in 2015.

040524-F-4185F-072. Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - Lt. Gen. Stacey Hawkins, left, Air Force Sustainment Center commander, greets Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, as he arrives at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 2, 2022. Richardson visited the installation to view ongoing mission activities and receive updates on future plans.

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