Air Force Personnel and Aircraft Operations

Images depict U.S. Air Force personnel engaging with various aircraft, showcasing teamwork and readiness. Scenes are set at airbases with military aircraft in the background.

U.S. Army Soldiers of the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, are loading a Light Medium Tactical Vechicle (LMTV) inside of the C-5 Galaxy departing from John Glenn Columbus International Airport on July 18, 2022. Operation Viking is an intense joint task force exercise designed to prepare Soldiers with realistic training simulating deployment of civil affairs units in direct support of a contingency operation in Africa.

U.S. Air Force 1st Special Operations Wing Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Florida, pose under an MC-130J Combat Talon II aircraft after they temporarily relocate to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, during Hurricane Ian Sept. 27, 2022. The 88th Air Base Wing Airmen provided strength through support as aircraft and aircrews from installations affected by the hurricane arrived seeking safety.

020330-F-3354H-022. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Middletown State: Pennsylvania (PA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ANG

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Gesford, HC-130J Combat King II loadmaster assigned to the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, directs a forklift carrying cargo for transport towards his aircraft at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Nov. 5, 2022. The HC-130J is a rapidly deployable, multi-capable aircraft, capable of extending the reach of U.S. and partner rescue forces within the CENTCOM AOR, and providing tactical combat airlift capabilities.

U.S. Marines with Battery Q, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and Airmen from the 21st Airlift Squadron board a C-17 Globemaster III during exercise Steel Knight, at Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 2, 2022. The 21st AS transported 15 Marines and approximately 68,000 pounds of equipment during their annual exercise which included live-fire training in controlled environments.

On Sept. 8, 2022 more than 200 service members across four major commands participated in a, first time ever performed, joint force exercise at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. During the exercise, Airmen were challenged to hot-pit refuel a KC-135R Stratotanker from an Air Force R11 fuel truck to practice Agile Combat Employment.

A group of U.S. Army Paratroopers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and Warrior Training Center, walks in formation to board a C-130 aircraft with their T-11 parachute during Exrcise Falcon Leap on Eindhoven Air Base, Eindhoven, Netherlands., Sep. 13, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jason Stewart, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command G-6 operations officer, carries his fathers ashes inside an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 1, 2022. J. Stewarts father, Rector Stewart, was an Air Force C-130 crew chief during the Vietnam War era. On Sept. 1, 2021, J. Stewart held his fathers hand during his final moments and promised to take his ashes on a C-130 for one last flight. One year after his fathers passing, J. Stewart fulfilled his promise by taking his fathers ashes on a C-130 flight that took off from MacDill AFB.

U.S. Army Soldiers of the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, are loading a Light Medium Tactical Vechicle (LMTV) inside of the C-5 Galaxy departing from John Glenn Columbus International Airport on July 18, 2022. Operation Viking is an intense joint task force exercise designed to prepare Soldiers with realistic training simulating deployment of civil affairs units in direct support of a contingency operation in Africa.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Lewis McChord unloads cargo and Airmen participating in the Raging Gunfighter exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah May 17, 2022. Raging Gunfighter is an Air Combat Command exercise designed to simulate operating a Lead Wing from an Austere Environment. The purpose of this exercise is to prepare the 366th Fighter Wing for potential Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations around the world.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command, leadership salutes Gen. Eric Smith, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, upon his arrival at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Aug. 4, 2022. MARCENT is responsible for all Marine Corps forces in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Airmen with Whiteman Air Force Base's 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron prepare a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber for takeoff during Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 on Jan. 26, 2022, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Red Flag is held on the Nevada Test and Training Range, which is the premier military training area for the U.S. Air Force with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael A. Richmond)

Airmen assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing load a HUMVEE onto a C-130J Super Hercules during ROCKI 22-03 at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, May 16, 2022. In this exercise, players were tasked to deploy a Command and Control Force Element to a main operating base in the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility to command and control Mobility Air Forces assets through a scenario that progressed from establishing initial operating capability, to operating in a communication degraded environment, to countering adversary actions.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, depart a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 93rd ARS upon arrival to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska in support of Operation Noble Defender 22-4.2, Sept. 12, 2022. Noble Defender is an air defense operation designed to demonstrate the United States and Canada's ability to defend the approaches of North America from current and future cruise missile threats while integrating across domains with partners and allies.

Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen return to Fairbanks, Alaska, Sept. 30 from assisting Nome community residents affected by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok. The Alaska Joint Task Force members removed more than 180,000 pounds of storm-related debris and logged more than 3,000 work hours across 32 communities. (Alaska National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey)

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron pull a chain to secure a cargo load to a 10K all-terrain forklift as they perform a combat offload, method B, from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug 02, 2022.

U.S. Marines board a C-5A Galaxy aircraft for redeployment to the United States in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm.. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM REDEPLOYMENT Country: Saudi Arabia(SAU)

Guardsmen with the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Main Air National Guard train on installing a Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure System (LAIRCM) on a KC-135 aircraft at the 171st Air Refueling Wing near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sept. 8, 2022. The defensive system uses an infrared laser to protect against missile threats.

U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) wait to board a KC-130J Hercules prior to conducting static line airborne operations during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Sept. 30, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

Airmen from the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, along with Airmen from the New York ANG's 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, position wooden ramps to assist with loading equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the Vermont Air National Guard Base, South Burlington, Vermont, Dec. 4, 2022. The multi-capable Airmen concept entails training Airmen in basic tasks outside of their usual specialty, so by having 158th Fighter Wing Airmen receiving exposure and training from the 105th, allows the Vermonters to be more versatile and contribute to the mission where needed.

U.S. service members tour a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III assigned to 204th Airlift Squadron, 154th Operations Group, 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard on Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 8, 2024. The Marines were given the opportunity to tour a C-17 Globemaster III, talk with the load masters, and watch static loading of Marine Corps rolling stock.

030626-A-XXXXX-7363. Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 49th Wing board a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, June 22, 2022, at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

U.S. Marines with All Domain Reconnaissance Detachment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, board an MV-22B Osprey during Realistic Urban Training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, June 10, 2022. The purpose of RUT is to enhance the integration and collective capability of the MEU's command, air, ground, and logistics elements and prepare the 13th MEU to meet the nation's crisis response needs during its upcoming overseas deployment.

041123-F-5040D-072. Base: Andersen Air Force Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030412-F-2950H-003. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Julian Flores (left), 47th Student Squadron student pilot, and 1st Lt. Gabriel Martinez (right), 87th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, go over plans for a T-38 Talon flight at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, July 25, 2022. Laughlin trains the most pilots of any training base in the Air Force and is dedicated to producing combat-ready Airmen, leaders and pilots.

020426-F-8115W-004. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Moron Air Base State: Sevilla Country: Spain (ESP)

020612-F-2902B-006. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Rhein-Main Air Base Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

Airman 1st Class Romit Raj and Master Sgt. Michael Brown, 301st Airlift Squadron, guide a school bus off of a C-17 Globemaster III on Sept. 24, 2022, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The 349th Air Mobility Wing performed a three-day mission to move humanitarian cargo to Haiti. Through the Denton Program, three school buses donated from San Diego Unified School District were transported from March Air Reserve Base, California, to Haiti. (1st Lt. Daniel Phelps)

18th Air Force and 60th Air Mobility Wing leaders walk to a C-17 Globemaster III at Travis Air Force Base, California, Sept. 8, 2022. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th AF commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, 18th AF command chief, visited units to meet with Airmen contributing to the mobility mission. Martin and Bickley flew from Travis AFB to Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. During the flight, 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Airmen demonstrated their in-flight care capabilities with simulated patients.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Seth McClain, foreground, assigned to the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, competes in a timed F-22 Raptor load crew competition at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 7, 2022. Load crew competitions provide the 3rd Maintenance Groups weapons loaders an opportunity to showcase their speed and efficiency, while honing teamwork as an integral component of the U.S. Air Forces Fly, Fight, Win mantra. McClain is from Newark, Ohio.

Weapons load crew members assigned to the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, maneuver a guided bomb unit in position during a Load Crew of the Quarter competition at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 15, 2022. Munitions Systems Airmen are enlisted Airmen that are tasked with protecting, handling, storing, transporting, arming/disarming, and assembly of non-nuclear munitions.

Members from the 822nd Base Defense Squadron from Moody Air Force Base exit out of a C-130 at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, July 22, 2022, as part of AGILE FLAG 22-2. Participating units for AGILE FLAG 22-2 travelled from Moody AFB, Shaw AFB, Dyess AFB, Hurlburt AFB, MacDill AFB, Travis AFB, and Robbins AFB to the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia, and other regional locations for the duration of the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lionel Castellano)

Members from the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard prepare to salute a C-130 Hercules and its crew as it departs Savannah, Georgia on March 30, 2022 en route for Europe. The Airmen are deploying in support of U.S. Air Forces Europe by providing logistical support and a tactical airlift package supplying military aid.

A U.S. Air Force aircrew with 4th Special Operations Squadron participates in a training sortie on an AC-130J Ghostrider, April 27, 2022 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The AC-130J is a U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft used for close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance.

031202-F-9085B-008. Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

U.S. military personnel form a line of High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) as they prepare to board the C-5 Galaxy aircraft for departure from Port Au Prince International Airport, Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy. U.S. military forces are in Haiti to preserve law and order and restore the democratic government of President Aristide. Subject Operation/Series: UPHOLD DEMOCRACY Base: Port Au Prince Country: Haiti (HTI)

Airmen with the 1st Special Operations Wing disembark from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Sept. 27, 2022. Planes, equipment and Airmen came to Wright-Patt to get out of the way of Hurricane Ian which was bearing on the west coast of Florida.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing board a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing to support NATO Air Shielding efforts at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 5, 2022. Air Shielding is a purely defensive mission designed to shield and protect allied territory and populations and is a key component of NATOs deterrence and defense posture.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cy Snyder III and Senior Airman Naden Lindstrom, C-130 Loadmasters from the 169th Airlift Squadron, Peoria Air National Guard Base, Illinois, work with Crew Chiefs from 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, loading a MHU-141 trailer onto C-130H Hercules aircraft during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 9, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army medical personnel practice loading a simulated patient onto a C-130H Hercules aircraft, assigned to the 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 12, 2024. The training event provided a platform for the different military branches and medical career fields to rehearse together in order to save lives.

U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing disembark a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 252, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, in preparation for Exercise Nordic Response 24 at Andenes, Norway, Feb. 25, 2024. Exercise Nordic Response, formerly known as Cold Response, is a NATO training event conducted every two years to promote military competency in arctic environments and to foster interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and allied nations. Marine Corps

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andre Kitz and Airman 1st Class Benjamin Lenaker, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron weapons load crew members, participate in a weapons load crew of the quarter competition at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, March 31, 2023. Load crew competitions promote a competitive environment where Airmen display their skills and abilities while competing against other teams.

Alaska Air National Guardsmen from the 176th Wing prepare to exit an AKANG HC-130J Combat King II aircraft from the 211th Rescue Squadron at Kinston, N.C., Sept. 16, 2018, to assist in response to hurricane relief operations. Pararescuemen from the 212th RQS are coordinating with local authorities to rescue isolated flood survivors and conducting site surveys for disaster relief centers via a California ANG 129th Rescue Wing HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter crewed by members of the ANGs 210th RSQ.

U.S. Army Capt. Jon Micheal Parrocha, operations plans officer in charge of the 36th Sustainment Brigade, ground guides a High Multipurpose Mobility Wheeled Vehicle at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, May 16, 2022. This tactical command post movement supports the 1st Theatre Sustainment Commands theater optimization strategic plan in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Paratroopers of Bravo Troop, 1-73 Cav, 2nd Brigade Combat team, 82nd Airborne Division board onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft at Pope Air Force Base early Thursday morning Jan 14, to deploy in support of the earthquake that occurred in the capital of Port-au-Prince, Haiti earlier this week. The 2nd BCT is the 82nd Airborne Divisions Global Response Force that has been training for real world emergency response missions. These are the first group of paratroopers going to Haiti to provide Humanitarian Aid.

030511-F-5855M-008. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Camp Snoopy, Doha Country: Qatar (QAT)

Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on January 12, 2010, at 4:53 pm EST. In Response March Air Reserve Base, Calif., becomes the staging area for relief workers search and rescue teams to assemble supplies, personell and equipment for a C-17 Globemaster III flight to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. The aircraft is assigned to the 60th Air Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., The aircraft will arrive on Thursday Jan 14th, 2010.

U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 621st Contingency Response Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey offload equipment from a C-17 Globemaster III upon arriving at the 156th Wing airfield at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, Puerto Rico, July 18, 2022. The 621st CRW arrived at the 156th Wing to build relationships, conduct the exercise Frog Devil and transfer equipment to the 156th Contingency Response Group necessary for their operational capabilities.

A U.S. Air Force petroleum, oil, and lubricants airman and Japan Air Self Defense Force maintainers refuel a Mitsubishi F-2A at Northwest Field, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 8, 2024 during Cope North 24. Continued collaboration and integration of dispersed operations during Cope North 24 enhances the joint forces capabilities to operate in austere environments. Air Force

U.S. military personnel assigned to United States Central Command deliver equipment in support of a USAID-led humanitarian mission at Sukkur Airport, Pakistan, Sep 8, 2022. USAID leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance, helping people emerge from humanitarian crises, such as the catastrophic flooding currently plaguing Pakistan. This USAID-led delivery was the first of many to be distributed at several locations throughout the country.

980219-F-4116M-010. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Kuwait International Airport Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Airmen from the 107th Attack Wing, New York Air National Guard, board a C-17 Globemaster III during the Niagara Warrior exercise on Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Niagara Falls N.Y. April 7, 2022. The purpose of the excercise was to practice the ability of the 107th to deploy rapidly and face unexpected situations in the process. U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Michael Janker.

041202-F-2034C-002. Base: Unknown

Senior Airman John Douglas (center), 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, and SrA Acevedo Candelaria (left), 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron air-transport rigger, work together to guide a forklift laden with air-drop cargo into the rear of a C-130J Super Hercules at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Aug. 25, 2022. Cargo such as food, water, fuel, equipment, and even small vehicles can be delivered via airdrop, but individual cargo pallets must be handled properly to maintain the C-130Js balance, and to secure it to the cargo deck properly until it's ready for delivery.

070417-F-1424R-121. Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040327-F-4338B-007. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Senior Airman Nicholas Hawkins, a crew chief with the 914th Air Refueling Wing, New York, Walks under the wing of a KC-135 Stratotanker prior to takeoff August 25, 2022 on Oahu, Hawaii. The Stratotanker and crew stopped in Oahu to refuel before heading to the United States Indo-Pacific Command Area of Responsibility.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, prepare to board a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, for airborne operations during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 15, 2022. This exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral training from simulated forward operating bases.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Daemont Yates, a 492d Special Operations Training Group Detachment 2 loadmaster, closes the cargo door on a MC-130J Combat Talon II Sept. 29, 2022 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Aircraft were repositioned at several different bases as a precautionary measure in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

Aircraft loadmasters assigned to the 103rd Operations, 103rd Airlift Wing, Connecticut Air National Guard, and members of the Italian armed forces load cargo onto a C-130H Hercules in preparation for an airdrop mission, May 4, 2022 at Pisa International Airport, Pisa, Italy. Swift Response is a U.S. EUCOM scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted, and SETAF-AF led global exercise, focused on Allied Airborne forces' ability to quickly and effectively respond to crisis situations as an interoperable, multi-national team. Swift Response demonstrates U.S. and Allied force projection and high readiness interoperability in support of NATO Connected Force Initiative (CFI). Swift Response consists of Joint Forcible Entries (JFEs) into the Nordic, Baltics, and Balkans, followed by multinational training, and live-fire exercises.

Marines from the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion board a MC-130J Commando II aircraft during Operation Gryphon Jet on Ie Shima Island, Japan, Jan. 27, 2022. Operation Gryphon Jet allows multiple units to combine efforts and share ground support requirements. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Moses Taylor)

U.S. Marines with 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division, take off in a Japan Self-Defense Force CH-47JA helicopter in support of Keen Sword 23, on Okinawa, Japan, Nov 11, 2022. U.S. Marines flew to Yonaguni, Japan to participate in Bilateral Ground Tactical Coordination Center operations in support of Keen Sword 23. Keen Sword is a biennial training event that exercises the combined capabilities and lethality developed between 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and the Japan Self-Defense Force. This bilateral field-training exercise between the U.S. military and JSDF strengthens interoperability and combat readiness of the U.S.-Japan Alliance.

Two airmen monitor an air pressure regulator as a crane prepares to lift the nose of a KC-135 Stratotanker during an exercise at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Aug. 13. The 191st Maintenance Squadron performed an exercise in which they simulated a KC-135 Stratotanker had damaged nose gear and a crane was needed to move the aircraft to a safe location for repair. At the tail of the aircraft a series of inflated air bladders were used to help support the aircraft during the operation.

U. S. Air Force Airmen from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, perform Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training while off-loading a transport cart from a C-130 Hercules from the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria Air National Guard Base, during an Integrated Combat Turn (ICT) during Agile Rage 22, Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Mich., June 9, 2022. ACE is not a specific mission, but a universal application to all combat air force operations. ACE is the ability to project combat power anytime, anywhere, while remaining operationally unpredictable to complicate an adversary's decision making process.

Airmen from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron carry a fuel hose toward a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron at Iwo Jima Airport, Japan, Aug. 4, 2022. The 36th AS and 374th LRS delivered fuel to assist Marines in establishing a forward aerial refueling point directly after landing, showcasing how aircraft can become self-serving in austere environments.

DF-ST-89-06573. Subject Operation/Series: VOLANT SHIELD Base: Camp Robinson State: Arkansas (AR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

041119-M-3668O-015. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

US Air Force AIRMAN First Class Shawn Dennis from 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, rotates the prop of a C-130 Hercules aircraft as Corporal John Chamberlin from the Canadian Air Force, 8th Maintenance Squadron, Trenton, Ontario, watches. Canadian Air Force aircraft and personnel from the 2nd Air Movement Squadron, Trenton, Ontario, and US Air Force aircraft from the 2nd Airlift Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and aerial port personnel from the 821st Air Mobility Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, combined forces to provide airlift support for the US Army's 2nd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, from Fort Drum, New York, during JRTC .... Complete Scene Caption: US Air Force Airman First Class Shawn Dennis from 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, rotates the prop of a C-130 Hercules aircraft as Corporal John Chamberlin from the Canadian Air Force, 8th Maintenance Squadron, Trenton, Ontario, watches. Canadian

011126-F-4406B-012. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

DM-ST-85-10413. Subject Operation/Series: BRIGHT STAR '83 / EASTERN WIND 83 Base: Berbera Country: Somalia (SOM)

Airman from the 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron prepare to unload cargo from a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field, Texas, April 27, 2022. The 97th Air Mobility Wing deployed C-17s, aircrew and support personnel from Altus Air Force Base, Okla. to Kelly Field, as part of Task Force Red Mammoth, which ensures the unit can provide global reach for combat and contingency operations while continuing training in a mobile environment.

Members of the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, exit a West Virginia Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in support of the DEFENDER-Europe 22 exercise, May 16, 2022, at Amari Air Base in Harjumaa, Estonia. DEFENDER-Europe 22 is a multinational training exercise designed to demonstrate USAREUR-AFs ability to aggregate US-based combat power quickly in Eastern Europe across multiple theaters in support of NATO and the National Defense Strategy as well as to leverage host nations capabilities to increase USAREUR-AFs operational reach.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Maintainers from the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron talk with loadmasters and flight engineers from the 36th Airlift Squadron while starting up a C-130 Hercules here March 14. C-130s play a crucial role in disaster relief due to their ability to land on dirt runways and other less-than-ideal landing conditions.

020423-F-0675P-011. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar Country: Afghanistan (AFG)

U.S. Air Force Security police stand guard as Cuban national, captured on Grenada during the multiservice, multinational Operation Urgent Fury, exits from a C-130 Hercules aircraft. He is being escorted to an airliner that will return him to Cuba. Subject Operation/Series: URGENT FURY Base: Seawell International Airport Country: Bangladesh (BGD)

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Joshua M. Olson, 86th Airlift Wing commander, is greeted by members of Team Ramstein at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 8, 2022. A final flight, or fini-flight, is a USAF tradition to celebrate one's last flight with their unit which includes spraying champagne or water on the Airman, making a toast, and dowsing water from a fire truck onto the aircraft and aircrew.

Air Force Lt Col Dan gets covered with water by his unit and family members at Roland Wright Air Base on 08 June. Hale took his fini-flight after having over 4000 hours of flight time. (Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Perez)

011108-F-5795G-002. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTAF

050404-F-4177H-342. Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

British Air Force personnel from Lyneham, Great Britain off load troops and equipment from a Russian AN-124 transport at Kigali International Airport. They are part of the international relief effort for the Rwandan refugees. Subject Operation/Series: SUPPORT HOPE Base: Kigali Country: Rwanda (RWA)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, (JGSDF), members arrive from Okinawa here March 17. JGSDF will prepare and team up with American Military to provide support for Operation Tomodachi.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Levi Valentine, 37th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, directs a pallet as it is loaded onto a C-130J Super Hercules at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Oct. 5, 2022. The 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadrons C-130H Super Hercules has been grounded due to a Time Compliance Technical Order that was issued on Sep. 27, 2022. The 75th EAS mission as the only Airlift Squadron in Africa has not been halted. Other C-130J and H model Super Hercules have arrived to help the mission continue.

Throughout the days and nights of Oct. 24th through Oct. 26th, 2022, four planes full of National Guard Soldiers arrived at Fort Bliss, Texas, after a yearlong deployment overseas. Leadership from Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Florida, shook the hands of more than 1,000 Soldiers to welcome them home upon their arrival. The majority of the Soldiers are from the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with components in Montana, Nevada and Oregon. Soldiers from the Florida National Guard joined the deployment as an augmentation. The Soldiers returned home from Southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield and were part of Task Force Griz, which deployed last November.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 23rd Wing carry gear from the flight line during exercise Agile Flag 22-2 at Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia, July 22, 2022. Agile Flag 22-2 is Air Combat Command's first lead-wing certification event designed to demonstrate the 23rd Wing's capability to generate combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the Wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jaderik Williams, 347th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman, carries an A-3 aircrew bag with V7 Quick-don masks to an HC-130J Combat King II at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 4, 2023. Each mask is prepositioned in seven locations throughout the aircraft. AFE Airmen inspect, deliver and install the equipment prior to mission flights and deployments.

A U.S. Solider with Site Security Team/Joint Combat Search and Rescue, 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, guards a C-130 Hercules aircraft while pararecuesmen with the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron evacuate onto it with a simulated patient in Djibouti, Djibouti, Oct. 20, 2010. The Site Security Team/Joint Combat Search and Rescue and the 82nd ERQS are deployed in support of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa mission.

Members of the 374th Civil Engineering Squadron board a C-130 to return to Yokota Air Base after completing deployment as a part of the CERRI inspection. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: Kunsan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

040606-F-3258Z-004. Base: Little Rock Air Force Base State: Arkansas (AR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

During an unprecedented joint force exercise, members from the 151st Air Refueling Wing unload a Polaris Military Razor from a KC-135R Stratotanker on Sept. 8, 2022 at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah. This exercise will develop new operational concepts, capabilities and plans to bolster deterrence and maintain the U.S. militarys competitive advantage for the future.

Members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy, load cargo onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The cargo is equipment for the upcoming Mass Tactical Exercise (MASSTAC) CRIMSON BAYONET. Subject Operation/Series: CRIMSON BAYONET Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 3d Marine Logistics Group and Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Air Wing conduct a resupply during Jungle Warfare Exercise 23 at Kin Blue, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 16, 2023. JWX 23 is a large-scale field training exercise focused on leveraging the integrated capabilities of joint and allied partners to strengthen all-domain awareness, maneuver, and fires across a distributed maritime environment.

The new 60K Tunner Loader is marshaled off of a C-5 Galaxy marking the arrival of one of six of the 60K loaders delivered to the 436th Aerial Port Squadron. The new loader will support a 60,000 pound maximum load, carry 463L pallets, is 65 feet long, 14 feet wide and has a maximum height of 18 feet. Base: Dover Air Force Base State: Delaware (DE) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115 practice loading an ATM-84K SLAM-ER missile on an F/A-18D Hornet aircraft before a validation event at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 24, 2023. Marines with VMFA-115 conducted the first ever hot load of an AGM-84D Harpoon missile during a validation event. The validation further enables loading of different types of ordnance while the aircraft is running, giving greater capability and increased sortie generation of tactical aircraft in the Indo-Pacific.

DF-ST-85-13154. Subject Operation/Series: GRANADERO I Country: Honduras (HND)

U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, load luggage onto a KC-130J Hercules attached to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 153, Marine AircraftGroup 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Jan. 17,2024. The Marines are preparing to depart for the Big Island of Hawaii to participate inBougainville III, a 3d LCT live-fire exercise focused on decentralized operations to prepare thebattalion to command and control forces from dispersed locations.

New York Army National Guard soldiers assigned to Rochester'sDetachment 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation (Heavy Lift) load CH-47 helicopters onto a C-5 Galaxy as they prepare to return home to the United States following a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan on April 20.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load weapons into a B-1B Lancer during a weapons loading competition at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., July 22, 2022. Competitors loaded three weapons of various sizes while focusing on such aspects as speed, efficiency and safety.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 23rd Wing tour the newly arrived HC-130J Combat King II at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 8, 2022. The additional aircraft gives the 71st Rescue Group and 71st Rescue Generation Squadron a new asset to train on.

of 4