Capt. James Kareis, 85th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, poses for a picture in front of a T-6A Texan II aircraft at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, on Dec. 12, 2012. During a routine return flight from Fort Worth Alliance Airport, he heard distress calls from an aircraft experiencing engine malfunctions and acted as a liaison between the aircraft and air traffic controllers in Houston, Texas. Kareis helped to ensure responders had accurate coordinates of his location after landing in a field safely. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Scott Saldukas)