Refuelers await over Afghanistan Published March 23, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Lara Gale 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) -- On any given night over Afghanistan, a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft may be flying nearby as Soldiers in night-vision goggles move in on an enemy position. If needed, Soldiers call for close-air-support from the Air Force -- an A-10 Thunderbolt II may answer the call for help. No matter how well-trained the ground troops are, or how skillful the pilot is, if the A-10 runs out of fuel, it could spell failure. But the pilot knows a tanker will be there. Introduced to the fleet in 1954, there are more than 400 KC-135 tankers in operation that have supported warfighters in battles during Vietnam, Korea, both Gulf Wars and smaller contingencies in between. Each war had differences what hasn't changed is the need to fuel the fight. If aircraft are involved in a war, fuel will be too, said Maj. Dan Arch, aircraft commander. Deployed here from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., he and his crew are assigned to the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, whose mission is to air refuel close-air support and intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft for Operation Enduring Freedom, unloading hundreds of pounds of fuel every day from the KC-135s at Manas AB. With hundreds of sorties flown weekly in support of operations, training exercises and missions at home, the entire KC-135 fleet is a precious and well-used Air Force asset. Aircraft, providing combat and ISR support, or simply an intimidating presence over Afghanistan, are an integral part of the ground battles in the war on terrorism, said Maj. Trudy Cassen, director of operations for the 22nd EARS here, during a recent mission to refuel OEF coalition aircraft. "The KC-135 is called a 'force-multiplier'," she said. "And it's very true." It's important people understand the big picture of what the Air Force is supporting out of Manas AB, she said. "Besides moving all those people and cargo to the fight, we're keeping jets in the air to protect ground troops," She said. As in all critical missions, comfort is not a factor in go/no go decisions for refueling. Missions can be very physically wearing on the aircrew, she said. Old jets are like old cars; they're not very comfortable, they can be unpredictable, and they require more maintenance than younger machines. During this particular mission, the jet was having problems with oscillation -- a sickening sensation of bobbing up and down like a ship on the sea. It's been on the books as a problem for weeks, keeping maintenance teams busy problem solving. At the end of the day, if the jet can perform its mission safely, crews just have to work around such inconveniences, said 1st Lt. Juan Amaya, a pilot who was providing passenger support on this mission. A high operations tempo is another uncomfortable aspect of the life of a KC-135 crewmember, but the importance of the mission is what keeps her motivated, said Airman 1st Class Michele Wordekemper, 22nd EARS boom operator. "I really love being so involved in the flying mission of the Air Force," she said. Though they span a wide range of experience levels and come from diverse backgrounds, all crews share a determination to accomplish their missions successfully and safely, Major Arch said. "If it gets down to the wire, the aircraft commander has the final say,” He said. “But in most situations we work together. We're a fairly democratic crew." It's important crew members learn to work well with others and pull their weight, Major Cassen said, because they all spend a lot of time together in the air. The ops tempo has dropped some, especially since the initial phase of OEF following the Sept. 11 attacks. However, some aircrews are still deployed close to 200 days a year. "I think everyone realizes the war doesn't stop because we're tired," Major Cassen said. The KC-135 has a long history of being where they're needed when they're needed, she said. The crews and maintainers today know how important it is to continue that legacy and that's the ultimate focus of each mission. The jets in the air, the troops on the ground and the people of Afghanistan working to build a better future can count on it.