AF Week in Photos

New York National Guard UH-60 Black Hawks prepare to conduct aerial refueling operations with a HC-130J Combat King II during exercise Angel Thunder 2013, April 8, 2013, at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. Angel Thunder is the largest joint service, multinational, interagency combat search and rescue exercise designed to train personnel recovery assets using a variety of scenarios to simulate deployment conditions and contingencies. The HC-130J is assigned to the 79th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon)

Globemaster glow

Senior Airman Joseph Farrell checks the inside of the C-17 Globemaster III before beginning a preflight inspection March 27, 2013, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Farrell is an electronic warfare systems journeyman assigned to the 445th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet and 90 feet wide. (U.S. Air Force/photo Staff Sgt. Mikhail Berlin)

For the children

Capt. Steven Hyer plants a pinwheel near the main gate in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month April 1, 2013, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Stressful or traumatic childhood experiences have been linked to social, emotional or cognitive impairments in adults. Hyer is assigned to the 366th Medical Operations Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse)

Rock on!

The Lt. Dan Band performs for more than 2,500 people in the 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron’s hangar March 29, 2013, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The band held the free performance to show their support for veterans, military volunteers and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Josh Slavin)

Rescue me

Pararescuemen assigned to the 102nd Rescue Squadron simulate recovering a downed F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot during training March 25, 2013, at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton, New York. Pararescuemen are the only Defense Department elite combat forces specifically organized, trained, equipped and postured to conduct full spectrum personnel recovery to include conventional and unconventional combat rescue operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher S. Muncy)

Snow day

Airmen remove snow and ice from a C-17 Globemaster III March 25, 2013, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. Three to five inches of snow fell at Andrews, marking the first major snowstorm of the year in the area. The C-17 is assigned to assigned to Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Perry Aston)

Battling the elements

Air Force and Coast Guard members construct a fire for producing smoke signals Feb. 21, 2013, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Signaling is one of the many skills taught during “Cool School” as part of the Survival Evasion Resistance Escape training required for flight crew members. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Peter Reft)

Mentoring moment

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody meets with Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing March 26, 2013, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Cody visited with service members to share the Air Force strategic vision. Cody is the 17th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Caitlin O'Neil-McKeown)

From the belly of the beast

Senior Airman Kalipb Wiggins moves a piece of equipment away from a C-5 Galaxy March 14, 2013, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Airmen unloaded approximately 103,165 pounds of maintenance equipment for an F-16 Fighting Falcon unit participating in a weapons system evaluation program the following week. Wiggins is assigned to the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Mission ready

An HH-60 Pave Hawk taxis down a runway after arriving for the terminal employment phase March 8, 2013, at Gowen Field, Idaho. The training mission objective is to demonstrate and instruct HH-60 weapons employment and landing zone options to maximize weapons effectiveness and quickly recover survivors. The phase is one out of a series of advanced training programs administered at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The aircraft is assigned to the 34th Weapons Squadron of U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)

One more hug

Airman 1st Class Alex Newport hugs his son, Jett, March 26, 2013, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Newport and approximately 350 Airmen left Moody AFB for a six-month deployment to Southwest Asia. Newport is assigned to the 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jamal D. Sutter)

Lifeline

A pararescueman hoists a survivor into an HH-60 Pave Hawk during a terminal employment phase March 13, 2013, at the Orchard Combat Training Center, Idaho. The hoist is a quick, effective method of recovering survivors. The phase is one out of a series of advanced training programs administered at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman)