Deployed Airman keeps aircraft aloft

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mike Dorsey
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Looking out a window high in the sky, he calls the shots. As aircraft approach, he talks to them, setting the stage for a smooth connection. The lineup has to be near-perfect -- too much to the left or right and the mission could fail. As the communication link to aircraft needing fuel, he knows his commands must be clear, concise and accurate. Airman 1st Class Tyler Parsons is on a mission -- his mission, the mission.

As a KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator with the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Airman Parsons is in high demand. From fighters to the largest cargo planes, pumping gas around the globe is nothing short of mission-essential.

“I do find this job incredibly interesting,” Airman Parsons said.

Lying on his stomach in the rear of the Stratotanker, the Bradford, Vt., native looks through a window and operates the “sticks” of the boom, extending it anywhere from 28 to 47 feet to deliver gas. What sounds like a simple task is a tall order when considering all the challenges associated with a refueling mission.

“When you’re in the boom pod and air refueling is going on, the air traffic controllers pass on the responsibility to boom operators,” Airman Parsons said. “Here we stay busy.”

At Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., where refueling is the main mission, Airman Parsons said he knows his job is the centerpiece.

“Being part of an air refueling wing back home is amazing,” he said. “When you first realize the base is supporting the boom operator, it is a humbling experience. If you are a young (operator) and this is all you are exposed to, it can be very easy to become big-headed.”

In Southwest Asia, where refueling is a vital part of the overall support of the war on terrorism, there is no time for egos. Airman Parsons and other boom operators share the spotlight with other units in flying missions around the clock. The high operations tempo keeps boom operators and tanker aircraft in constant demand.

“Aircraft we are refueling in the air can make it to the target, but can they make it back home?” Airman Parsons said. “The job of the boom operator is invaluable -- but so is the job of everyone else here. There is a ton of pride that comes along with being a boom operator. I’ve tried to keep myself down to earth and respect the responsibility I am given.”

When national media arrived recently to cover what the 379th AEW Airmen bring to the fight, it was business as usual while on one of 20 missions he has flown in a two-month period. It is a trait Capt. Albert Hibpshman, a 340th EARS pilot, said he appreciates.

“A boom operator is mission-essential. Without (his help) to fly the boom into position, we can’t (unload) fuel,” he said. “Airman Parsons is focused and well disciplined and is a great example to his peers, especially in the area of professionalism.”

As aircraft commander and part of the three-person KC-135 crew, Captain Hibpshman said he has seen Airman Parsons in action. He said loading cargo, briefing passengers and backing up pilots in the cockpit are parts of Airman Parson’s job that go unrecognized and occur long before the boom operator connects two aircraft traveling hundreds of miles an hour, thousands of feet in the air.

“He contributes to the cohesiveness of our crew and promotes effective crew interaction in the cockpit,” Captain Hibpshman said.

Airman Parsons, in turn, said he knows that, whether at home or abroad, all the technology, skill, training and attention that comes with the job does not cloud his view in knowing the real reason behind all successful missions.

“The key to refueling is having a good crew,” Airman Parsons said. “If you have the right crew, people who you get along with and (who) are open minded, things will just flow. The aircraft commander will know (he or she) can trust you to do a good job, and you can trust (the pilots) to do theirs.”