96th ARS Airmen start flying at Hickam

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Cohen A. Young
  • Defense Media Activity
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) --  Airmen from the 96th Air Refueling Squadron here performed their first operational mission Dec. 13 by refueling B-52 Stratofortresses from the 5th Wing at Minot AFB, N.D.

The 96th ARS was activated here in September and has been conducting training sorties since then.

The squadron won't be fully operational until August 2011, according to Lt. Col. Brian Hill, the 96th ARS commander.

"It's very satisfying and gratifying to me to conduct our first mission as a squadron," Colonel Hill said. "To be able show what we are capable of and what we're building here is very exciting. There's a lot of hard work and sweat being put into by great people here."

The active-duty squadron worked with the 174th ARS from the Iowa Air National Guard in refueling the B-52s during consecutive night missions while in Hawaii.

Members of the Iowa ANG were happy to work with their active-duty partners.

"It's always a good experience working with the active duty on missions like this," said Capt. Duane Boyle, a 174th ARS pilot. "We have the same background and have completed the same training, and we're happy to be part of this start with them."

During the two night missions, the 96th and 174th ARS Airmen off-loaded more than 400,000 pounds of fuel to the bombers.