Long hours the norm for deployed Globemaster crews

It is contrary to what common sense dictates. A series of short C-17 Globemaster III flights demand intense aircrew energy and stamina. But longer sorties remain more physically manageable. “Either way you look at it, our C-17 crews put in long hours that place physical and mental demands on the

Multinational training

Airmen make history in Iraq

Five Airmen have joined aviation pioneers Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle and Brig. Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager in a select group -- all are recipients of the Clarence Mackay Trophy. To the five-person crew, the flight over northern Iraq that put them in the record books

Andrews radio operators assist crewmembers worldwide

As an Air Force aircraft approaches Yokota Air Base, Japan, the pilot sets his radio to a specified frequency and says, “Main Sail, Main Sail” -- the call sign for any global radio station. Within seconds, the pilot hears, “This is the Yokota operator.” That operator is actually with the 789th

Aggressors enhance Red Flag-Alaska 06-2

The presence of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, based out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., enhances Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, the annual Pacific Air Forces exercise formerly known as Cope Thunder.Renaming and restructuring the exercise, which began April 24, is part of the Air Force chief of staff’s vision.

Incirlik controllers vital link in communications process

When the red light flashes, command post controllers react quickly because any delay could impact the mission of this base. The alarm could be a call about inclement weather. Or it could be a call for a first sergeant about a Red Cross notification. It could signal force protection changes or

Trackers watch for dangerous 'space junk'

Roughly 15,000 miles above the Earth’s surface a communications satellite provides vital information to all branches of the U.S. military. It joins more than 9,000 other items in space that are tracked by the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System, known as GEODSS. There are

Mission ready

Collaborative tools assist initiatives during JEFX '06

The Air Force Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center sponsored a new collaborative tool that was part of the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 here. The Integrated Battlespace Collaborative Communications tool, known as IBC2, was tested over the new Tactical

Air Force automates training records process

Airmen in logistics career fields soon will have access to an online tool that takes an Airman's training records out of a desk drawer and makes them available through a desktop computer. The automated training records and management application, called "Training Business Area," or TBA, on the Air

‘Paintbarn’ Airmen improve mission, preserve environment

Airmen at the paintbarn here not only are working more efficiently, they also are doing their part to help preserve the environment. Thanks to a paint gun and equipment-cleaning system, the Airmen have reduced the amount of paint thinner contaminant waste they create by 99.991 percent. The base,

Guard, Reserve leaders testify before appropriations committee

In recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, representatives of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve updated senators on the status of the forces. The panel questioned Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of the Air

Rapid launch at Minot

Army clinic's lone Airman manages pharmacy

Staff Sgt. Guanina Palermo works in what is, to her, another world -- one colored in Army green. The sergeant from Liverpool, N.Y., is a certified pharmacy technician working at the health clinic at this U.S. Army camp just outside Kaiserslautern, Germany. The camp isn’t exactly another world.  It’s

Researchers focused on satellite energy storage

An eight-person team at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here believes their experiment will demonstrate the innovative technology of combined attitude control and energy storage on a satellite by the summer of 2007.The experiment consists of  three flywheels spinning

Air Force selects 28 Airmen for medical training

The Air Force selected 28 enlisted members to take part in the Tri-Service Physician Assistant Training Program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The board met here in March, selecting 28 people from 57 applicants. The average selectee was 28 years old with 7.1 years time in service and had a 3.5 grade

Chief of staff visits Lackland

Aircraft maintenance accident investigation complete

Air Mobility Command today released the results of its investigation into the Dec. 17, 2005, mishap involving an aircraft maintenance technician assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The Accident Investigation Board, convened by AMC, concluded the primary cause of

Load crew competition

Loadmasters use new parachute jettison device

An emergency parachute jettison device was used for the first time during a Joint Forcible Entry Exercise here April 25. Loadmasters from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., and Dyess AFB, Texas, participated in the exercise. Chief Master Sgt. Steven Pyszka and Master Sgt. Lee McDaniel, loadmaster

Wildlife monitors help protect endangered species

As night turns into dawn, a man's shadow rises on a rugged desert butte. His gaze slices through the morning light looking for his target. It is hard to hunt down the fastest land animal in North America, but he is good at stalking this elusive ghost of the Arizona desert. But, Erik Stenehjem is not

Air Force engineers take a jump

Joint operations are not a new concept here. It’s a way of life for many units on base. But for a new breed of Air Force joint operators, this week’s Joint Forced Entry Exercise was a chance to get off the ground -- literally. The Airmen are part of Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair

Battlelab brings force protection to the fight

Running through a dust-filled Baghdad street with bullets flying, a field medic reaches two injured soldiers. One with a chest wound is barely breathing. The other is losing blood fast from a gunshot wound to his leg. There isn’t time to save both. So who dies and who gets to go home? This medic’s

HVAC: Keeping you cool

Most people either love them or hate them. Maybe it isn’t that melodramatic, but when people are sweating at their office or while trying to sleep they don’t have many good things to say about the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, shop. The HVAC shop here is responsible for more

CMSAF Murray enjoys day at work with his children

Not many children can say they have shaken hands with a former astronaut or wandered the halls of the prestigious E-ring at the Pentagon as their parent conducts business with some of the Air Force's top leaders. But not every child has the highest-ranking enlisted Airman for a father, either. That

Air refueling squadron takes flight to fuel the fight

Fighters are in the air 24 hours a day, providing constant support to ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Without midair refueling, that coverage would be lost. The 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron provides fuel to those thirsty fighters as they keep troops on the ground safe, said Lt.

Tyndall receives F-22 maintenance trainer

An F-22A Raptor touched down at Tyndall April 19 on its final flight. The aircraft will now be the new ground instructional trainer, solely dedicated as the airframe for aircraft maintenance technical school students. "Previously, the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit was required to provide an

CROWS gets Airmen out of the turret

A new weapon system in the Air Force arsenal takes Airmen out of the gun turret and into the safety of a fully up-armored Humvee. The 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron operates the only Common Remote Operated Weapon Station, or CROWS, in the Air Force inventory. As one of three security

Delta II launch successful

A Delta II rocket was launched from here today at 3:02 a.m. The rocket took off from Space Launch Complex 2 carrying NASA’s Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations, or CALIPSO, and CloudSat satellites. The rocket carries the CloudSat and CALIPSO satellites into a 438-mile

Air Force test team launches 'overhauled' Iraqi aircraft

Airmen from several Air Force bases spent two months preparing, disassembling, rebuilding and testing an Iraqi Air Force Comp Air 7SLX, which had its first test flight here April 25.The aircraft is considered experimental, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It is designed to be an

Los Angeles AFB dedicates new Schriever Space Complex

The Space and Missile Systems Center here officially dedicated its Schriever Space Complex April 24.“Welcome to our new home,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, SMC commander. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of military space.” Originally called SAMS -- Systems Acquisition

Senior mentors advise JEFX leaders

As Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 tests warfighting capabilities designed to fill capability gaps, three retired officers help senior leaders keep the experiment on track. Retired Lt. Gens. Joe Hurd, Mike Short and Chuck Heflebower are part of the Air Force chief of staff’s Operational

Luke sees big rewards from marketing environment

The environmental flight at any one Air Force base is like any other across the Air Force. They are always looking for new ways to protect the environment while improving the Air Force’s quality of life. That is why education and awareness programs are their bread and butter. “I love to educate,”

Reward of dangerous job is saving lives

One might think explosive ordnance disposal troops are adrenalin junkies. But they are meticulous about their work and don’t take unnecessary risks. However, because they deal with explosives placed by the enemy, the risk is real. “We all know the consequences,” said Tech. Sgt. William Sistler, a

FAST Airmen fly thousands of miles to keep aircraft safe

Gathering equipment and getting weapons from the armory in preparation for the day’s patrol is something security forces Airmen do every day. But for the members of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s fly-away security team, the patrol will take them to five airfields and cover almost

Medical team shares invisible bond

“After what I saw last night, I understand why American Soldiers love their country. America values human life. Last night, no matter what the soldier’s injuries or the soldier’s rank, there were 10 medical specialists working on each Iraqi soldier. We are proud to have American Soldiers as our

Coalition forces integral part of JEFX 2006

As military members continue to test future warfighting capabilities during Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006, they do so in a multiservice, multinational environment. Because United States forces often fight wars with troops from other services and other countries, such is the case for JEFX

Exercise lets Airmen prepare for real thing

Surface-to-air “threats” are frequent at Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, as aircrews try to slip past simulated, enemy ground fire during the exercise that began here April 24. The challenge helps aircrews practice their warfighting skills over the Pacific-Alaska Range. There are Airmen from some 20 Air Force

Office renovation

Airmen improve base for Soldiers in northern Iraq

In the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Airmen from the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing are using their construction expertise to help the U.S. and Iraqi governments and the U.S. Army. The 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron is deployed in support of the Army's 555th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver

Independent duty tech's role a versatile one

Although they have officially existed in the Air Force since the early 1950s, independent duty medical technicians can trace their roots to the days of the Roman Empire, who put the word medic into our vocabulary. Today, these IDMTs are often known as "Doc" to the Airmen they treat. Medical care has

Program aims to eliminate threat to aircraft

The team of four works to save lives, aircraft and money, usually behind the scenes. They are vital to the mission of this forward operating location serving Operation Enduring Freedom by running the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard, or BASH, program. The 40th Air Expeditionary Group safety office

Munitions distribution involves detailed accuracy

Not all of the Airmen assigned to the 23rd Maintenance Squadron’s munitions flight build bombs. “Having munitions issued to any customer, whether it is for the A-10 (Thunderbolt II) or C-130 (Hercules) aircraft, a special tactics troop or a cop, involves a significantly detailed process,” said

Experiment delivers battlespace awareness

The Combined Air and Space Operations Center, or CAOC, houses the systems that provide the U.S. and its allies with critical warfighting information. Air Force Materiel Command's Electronic Systems Center, at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., delivers and manages those systems inside the CAOC, thus

C-130 Hercules support coalition operations

The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here has been supporting Operation Mountain Lion since it began April 12. The squadron’s C-130 Hercules aircraft have delivered supplies such as food, water and ammunition for coalition combat operations. “Our crews helped position personnel and equipment to

Warfare flight works behind the scenes

The hum of computer fans, the tapping of fingers on keyboards and the occasional ring of a telephone are all that are normally heard in this office. But don't let the quiet fool you -- the office staff is working to ensure that technological advances aren’t being used against the Air Force. The 8th

JEFX focuses on battle operations, communications

The Theater Battle Operation Net-centric Environment and the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node -- known as TBONE and BACN -- are two of the initiatives being tested during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006. The combined air operations center, or CAOC, is the experiment’s

Shift change

Tactical recon paying dividends with TARS

A little-known capability here is paying big dividends for warfighters on the ground. Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are using the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, or TARS pod, to provide high-quality still imagery to ground commanders

Missions begin with air tasking order

Though Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 is an enhanced training opportunity for the U.S. military, the game is still the same: war. Air Force active duty, National Guard and Reserve units from across the United States are participating in the two-week joint training exercise that started April 24.Since

Worn aircraft parts safer, more reliable after innovations

Big business 21st century style comes with the obvious mandates of increased production, quality and efficiency. Now, that same mindset is being embraced by institutions that, while not having the typical bottom line for stockholders, have customers who demand top quality for their dollar just the

Herc check-up

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary report.In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with enemy forces near Asadabad during Operation Mountain Lion. The B-52 dropped

PJ selection process

DUIs carry all sorts of consequences

A conviction for driving under the influence can be deadly to an Air Force career.Four Moody Airmen have been arrested in the last six weeks for DUIs; these convictions will likely follow the Airmen for the rest of their careers. Both civilian and military DUI convictions can bring sobering effects

Aggressors vs. friendlies

Histopathology provides rapid diagnosis

Physicians often determine the presence and cause of diseases in patients through histopathology, the study of human tissue under the microscope.“Histopathology has evolved with pathology as a science,” said Capt. (Dr.) Jonathan McClain, chief of the 89th Medical Support Squadron histopathology

Center provides life-like situations for real-time training

A civilian aircraft exploded over the skies of western Virginia, shot down by two F-16 Fighting Falcons flying nearby, while an unmanned aerial vehicle was blasted away as it buzzed up the Potomac River toward the nation’s capitol April 19.But no one was ever in any danger. That’s because the

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary report for April 22 through today.April 24Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions April 23 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

NCO awarded $10,000 for IDEA

A good idea led to a good reward for an Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron here. Tech. Sgt. James Mazurek was awarded $10,000 from the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program April 13. He submitted an idea to insert a warning paragraph to the technical orders for

Hot stuff: Firefighters test gear for Air Force

Being a firefighter is arguably one of the most physically demanding jobs. For that reason, the Air Force is finding ways to make the job easier. Sixteen firefighters here are testing new protective gear that may increase comfort, mobility and mission effectiveness for more than 3,600 active-duty

Rough conditions take their toll on vehicles

Vehicles -- everybody needs one, everybody wants one. But without proper upkeep, they break. That is where the mechanics with the 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle maintenance flight come in. The flight’s 27 technicians and two supply Airmen maintain about 400 vehicles here.

9th Air Force commander visits Moody

The 9th Air Force commander visited here April 18 and 19 to welcome the 347th Rescue Wing back to Air Combat Command, and visit other units. During his visit, Lt. Gen. Gary L. North toured the Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham Airman Leadership School, various wing squadrons and the 820th Security

Atlas V rocket successfully launches satellite

The 45th Space Wing supported the successful launch of the Astra European telecommunications satellite on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 here at 4:27 p.m. April 20. The wing provided Eastern Range and launch base support to Lockheed Martin and International Launch Services, who

F-22 CTF tests missile noise, vibration

The F-22 Combined Test Force here achieved another first when an F-22A Raptor flew with an AIM-120D missile in its weapons bay to test the effect of noise and vibration on the missile.What was unique about the April 14 flight was that the weapon on board, the latest version of the AIM-120 Advanced

CENTCOM’s command chief postures Airmen for long haul

The command chief master sergeant of U.S. Central Command expressed the importance of deployed Airmen postured for a long war. Chief Master Sgt. Curt Brownhill said becoming a joint force, understanding the uniqueness of the enemy we’re fighting and working toward stability in CENTCOM’s area of

A hero returns home

Tears welling in the eyes of family members, a bugler playing Taps and honor guard members rendering a 21-gun salute are all part of the highest honor given to America’s sons and daughters who die on the fields of battle. A fallen serviceman who fought in Vietnam will finally receive those honors,

Weather squadrons complete merger

Moving with the Air Force’s Smart Ops 21 initiative, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, merged into the 17th Operational Weather Squadron at Hickam. To cover its vast, new 95-million square mile area of responsibility, the 17th OWS assembled into one center, improved

Main experiment under way for JEFX ’06

After three spirals spanning five months, the main experiment for the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 is finally under way here. JEFX combines live-fly, live-play ground and naval forces, simulation and technology insertions into a warfighting environment. This year, JEFX is assessing

Air Force Academy wins NSA Cyber Defense Exercise

The National Security Agency announced today that the Air Force Academy is the winner of the agency’s 6th Annual Cyber Defense Exercise. The exercise was conducted April 10 to 14 here, at the NSA’s Maryland headquarters and the nation’s other military service academies. During the exercise,

Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

Close-air support just a phone call away

Imagine being pinned down by enemy forces, with no relief in sight. Now, imagine picking up a phone and calling your friendly local fighter pilot, flying overhead only miles away, for help. With the new Fighter Aircraft Communication Enhancement, or FACE, pod, ground units in combat are now able to

AFSOC initiative featured at JEFX '06

Eight initiatives will be tested for possible use by U.S. forces during Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment, or JEFX, '06.For the special operations community, one initiative is of particular interest. It will provide a greater ability to collaborate with other warfighters and manage their missions

All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

Air Force helicopter crew rescues Korean woman

The crew of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from Detachment 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron here, rescued a 74-year old Korean woman from Yeong Pyeong Do Island in the West Sea April 19.The helicopter, flown by Capts. Chris Spindler and James Humphrey, began its life-saving mission at approximately 3 p.m.

Mask inspection

Posting the colors

Pods help warfighters improve air combat maneuvers

Knowledge is power and power is influence. In the case of fighter pilots, this knowledge enables them to control adversaries in the air and on the ground. At the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the collection of information leading to air superiority begins with maintaining Air Combat Training System

OPSEC expands focus, remains critical

"Do you think you'll deploy this year? How long will you be gone? What do you think you'll be doing? Where? Will you be going with a lot of people?"At this point in the conversation you should be wondering who is asking, why are they asking and who else might get their hands on the answers. Although

Exercise prepares academy students for cyber warfare

In an obscure office park midway between Baltimore and Washington, about 50 men and women use laptop computers to break into networks at the nation's military service academies. When one of them is successful at penetrating a networked computer, they get up and ring a bell."We hit a remote desktop

Americans in Horn of Africa using new weapon in terror war

American forces are using an unconventional approach to fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa, said the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and

Web saves civil engineer directorate time, money

Members of the 88th Air Base Wing civil engineer directorate have developed a way to save money and time by creating a system to submit project designs for technical and functional review through their Web site. This electronic process allows review agencies to make comments and post them on the Web

Red Flag - Alaska

Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

Team tests pod at 'LITENING' speed

Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a LITENING-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing LITENING pod with

Hill begins modifications on F-22A Raptor

A new era is under way for members of the 309th Maintenance Group here as they modify their first F-22A Raptor. This was the first of 12 to 14 aircraft scheduled to visit Hill this year for minor modifications. A total of 18 are contracted to undergo work here. "We're excited," said Guy Phillips,

Atlas V Astra launch planned

The Air Force’s 45th Space Wing will support the launch of an ASTRA European telecommunications satellite on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., April 20. The 45th Space Wing will provide range and launch base support to Lockheed Martin and International Launch Services, the commercial

Compass Call keeps jamming

'Touch and go'

Program slashes maintenance time for the B-2 fleet

A critical material scale-up problem that directly affected the operational maintainability of the Air Force’s B-2 Spirit fleet has been solved, thanks to engineers from the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, working with the B-2 Systems Group and material processing experts.Through this

Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

Officials announce 2006 Hennessy Trophy winners

Air Force Services Agency officials have announced the winners of the 2006 Hennessy Trophy awards. The Hennessy Trophy is an annual award presented to Air Force installations with the best food-service programs. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the single- and multiple-facility category

New radio technology keeps troops in touch

Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

25th Air Support Operations Squadron prepares to deploy

Tactical air controllers from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron are practicing basic close-combat skills to prepare themselves for an upcoming deployment in support of the war on terrorism. “Not only is the training fun and keeps you physically active, but it is very practical for (Tactical

Minotaur launch successful

A Minotaur rocket was successfully launched at 6:40 p.m. April 14 from Space Launch Complex-8 on south Vandenberg.The rocket launched the COSMIC spacecraft, which consists of six low-earth orbiting, micro-satellites. COSMIC stands for Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and

Eielson units initiate total force integration

Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

C-130s keep convoys out of Sunni Triangle

It’s not as fast as the latest-model cargo jets. It can’t carry as much cargo as its sister transports and its ride can be a bit bumpy. But the C-130 Hercules -- a 50-year-old transport -- is dependable. It can carry anything from Airmen to office supplies. “We’re like the (pickup truck) of the Air

Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

No one wishes for an aircraft to break -- especially flying crew chiefs. But, that’s when the mobile C-130 Hercules maintainers receive the most attention -- when something is wrong with the plane and they are far away from home. “Fortunately, C-130s are extremely reliable,” said Senior Master Sgt.