KC-135 pilots accomplish pre-flight checklist tasks at Moses Lake, Wash., prior to takeoff on a historic Arctic over-flight mission June 21, 2011, from Washington State to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Pictured here are (clockwise from top left) Maj. Jeff Schrum, 1st Lt. Remington Barnes and Lt. Col. Thorne Tibbett. The Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., tanker crew flew over the North Pole for the first time June 21-22, 2011, as part of an “iron swap” mission along a new, more efficient route from Moses Lake, Wash., to Kyrgyzstan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Kathleen Ferrero)