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Military Aircraft Operations

Images show airmen conducting inspections, security assessments, and loading aircraft at military bases, showcasing various military aircraft.

U.S. Air National Guard Senior Master Sgt. Kari Nettle is promoted to Chief Master Sgt. during a ceremony at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio, March 4, 2023. Nettle currently serves as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 121st Force Support Squadron.

030930-M-3843B-005. Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Chelsea Casto, 74th Fighter Generation Squadron weapons load crew member, loads weapons onto an A-10C Thunderbolt II during a third quarter load crew competition at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Oct. 7, 2022. During these quarterly competitions, participants are required to do a uniform inspection, take a written exam and perform loading duties. The 74th FGS team claimed the title for Moodys top third quarter load crew.

Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 312 Airlift Squadron make preparations on board a C-5M Super Galaxy during Exercise Nexus Rising at Travis Air Force Base, California, June 4, 2022. Nexus Rising is a readiness exercise designed to test the ability of the 349th Air Mobility Wing to generate, employ and sustain air operations in a simulated combat environment. Missions include air rescue, aeromedical evacuation, airlift for cargo and personnel, aerial refueling, deployment processing, aerial port operations, and command and control. Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 349th Air Mobility Wing, Soldiers from the California Army Guard's 49th Military Police Brigade, and California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing are participating in the exercise. Nexus Rising is a three-day joint combat readiness exercise that challenges Airmen and Soldiers to effectively deploy and operate in a contested, degraded environment.

Members of the Slovakian air force practice aircraft lift techniques on an Aeritalia G-222 aircraft during a Crash Damaged and Disabled Aircraft Recovery course at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Feb. 28, 2024. Events like these are an opportunity to build task fluency and strengthen relationships with NATO allies and partners. Air Force

070116-F-7564C-038. Base: Charlotte State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob Cleveland, barrier maintenance NCO in charge, left, and Staff Sgt. Dalynn Berry, electrical power production journeyman, both with the 627th Civil Engineer Squadron, walk down the McChord Field flightline during an aircraft barrier arresting system test at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Aug. 17, 2022. With the help of the Portland Air National Guards F-15 Eagle, the 627th CES tested their aircraft arresting system, BAK-12. The F-15 was going 80-100 knots when it landed on the runway and subsequently engaged the cable system to come to a stop.

DF-ST-86-12806. Subject Operation/Series: COPE MAX 85 Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Andrew Crawford, C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, preforms flight checks prior to takeoff at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, April 15, 2022. The 816th EAS, deployed with the Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), to deliver cargo and personnel support for U.S. and partner nation forces within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

An Airman from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing marshals an R-12 refueling truck into position for hot pit refueling operations at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 13, 2022. Hot pit refueling is a technique used to reduce the ground time between flights as well as manpower and equipment requirements.

Personnel from the 62nd Aeiral Port Squadron, McChord AFB, Washington use a forklift to offload equipment for the Army Task Force 51, Mannheim, Germany, from an Air National Guard C-130 at Entebbe International Airport. The C-130 is assigned to the 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, Missouri and is supporting the humanitarian relief effort for the refugees of the Rwandan civil war in Goma, Zaire. Subject Operation/Series: SUPPORT HOPE Base: Entebbe Country: Uganda (UGA)

020807-F-1351C-002. Base: Nellis Air Force Base State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Paratroopers from the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, board a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, in preparation for a joint forcible entry exercise during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 8, 2024. JPMRC 24-02 depends on joint, multi-component and multinational partners to succeed, including U.S. Air Force air and ground crews, U.S. Marines, and international military participants from more than five countries, a testament to the realism and authenticity of its world-class training capability. Air Force

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson boards a helicopter with Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, U.S. Forces Korea commander, at Osan Air Base outside of Seoul, South Korea, en route to the DMZ on March 17, 2017.

The Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing pays tribute to the legacy of the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft during a ceremony held at Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin Oct. 5, 2022. The F-16 first arrived at Truax Field in 1992 as the eighth primary airframe since the unit's inception in 1948 and is scheduled to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II aircraft in the Spring of 2023.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 272 and Airmen with 4th Fighter Readiness Squadron observe an F-15E Strike Eagle at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Aug. 16, 2022. The Marines and Airmen trained in aircraft refueling to enhance interoperability for future joint expeditionary advanced base operations. MWSS-272 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Garrett Zinn, a 673d Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distribution operator, prepares to refuel a C-130H Hercules assigned to the 96th Airlift Squadron, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minnesota, after a sortie during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 14, 2022. RFA provides training for deployed maintenance and support personnel in sustainment of large-force deployed air operations.

Soldiers of the 4-19th Agribusiness Development Team make their way home through the Indianapolis International Airport from a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan, Sunday, June 10, 2012. The unit is named 4-19th ADT as it is the fourth agribusiness rotation from Indiana, the 19th state.

030905-F-2021H-007. Base: Ellsworth Air Force Base State: South Dakota (SD) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Air Cadets from the National Defense Academy of Japan board a C-12 Huron assigned to the 459th Airlift Squadron during an immersion tour at Yokota Air Base, Japan, July 26, 2022. Visitors included students from Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, ground guide vehicles in preparation for Balikatan 23 at Subic Bay, Philippines, March 28, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences.

MYRTLE GROVE, La. -- Members of the Army & Air National Guard and personnel from Hard Rock Construction Company of Plaquemine Parish secure heavy sandbags to National Guard Chinooks Wednesday, Sept. 3. The Chinooks dropped about 175 sandbags into a 300 ft. breach in a Plaquemine Parish levee here. (

U.S. Marines with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW)) 533, and Airmen with the 36th Airlift Squadron, unload equipment from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam May 26, 2022. Marines with VMFA(AW) 533 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam to enhance squadron readiness and conduct joint-level training as part of an Aviation Training Relocation Program.

040414-F-4539R-002. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Tallil Air Base State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Soldier Standing on Tarmac at Miramar Military Base in San Diego

Airman 1st Class Nolan Messina, 822nd Base Defense Squadron Fire Team Member, takes a defensive position around a C-130 at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, July 22, 2022, as part of AGILE FLAG 22-2. The 23rd Wing (Moody Air Force Base, Georgia) as the Lead Wing in Agile Flag 22-2 generated combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment.

Maintainers with the 121st Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Sqaudron prepare to generate KC-135 Stratotanker during a Nurclear Operational Readiness Inspection, March 31, 2023, at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. Tankers are a critical asset to USSTRATCOM: they support the legs of the nuclear triad and they enable survivable command and control capabilities.

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada meets with leadership and Airmen of the Nevada Air National Guard at the Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nevada, August 15, 2022. Cortez Masto was briefed on facility updates and the current missions of the 152nd Airlift Wing including the Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) mission as she pushes to continue to modernize equipment and aircraft for the military.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Bucy-Espinoza, a loadmaster assigned to the 300th Airlift Squadron, inspects the engines of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III during preflight checks, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Aug. 24, 2022. Loadmasters direct and secure cargo while working hand-in-hand with joint and total force partners to ensure rapid global mobility.

Medium shot. A Portugese Aircrew and local laborers load a vechicle and blankets onto a Portugese C-130 at the International Airport at Maputo, Mozambique, Africa, on 17 March 2000. The aircraft and its crew are deployed to Maputo in support of Operation Atlas Response, a Humanitarian Aid Operation to help the people of Mozambique, after severe flooding displaced over a million people from their homes. Medium shot. A Portugese Aircrew and local laborers load a vechicle and blankets onto a Portugese C-130 at the International Airport at Maputo, Mozambique, Africa, on 17 March 2000. The aircraft and its crew are deployed to Maputo in support of Operation Atlas Response, a Humanitarian Aid Operation to help the people of Mozambique, after severe flooding displaced over a million people from their homes.

Attendees listen to guest speakers during a KC-10A Extender retirement ceremony at the Air Mobility Command Museum on Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, April 26, 2022. This particular aircraft was the first of 60 Extenders that entered the U.S. Air Force inventory. The aircraft was retired to Dover AFB from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, to become the 36th addition to the AMC Museum.

The Color Guard assigned to 4-6 Air Cavalry Squadron currently, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, case their colors for their departure back to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, June 1, 2022, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea. This casing of colors ceremony symbolizes the squadrons movement from their current deployed area of operations returning their home station.

First Lt. Moritz Whiskey Wienke, 35th Fighter Squadron pilot (left), gets an over-cloak removed by Senior Airman Brett Haifley, 35th Fighter Generation Squadron dedicated crew chief, during a Next Generation Aircrew Protection step, launch and recovery test at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 13, 2023. Testing and validating were conducted and affected several base agencies to include the 35th and 80th Fighter Squadrons, 8th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management, 8th Maintenance Group and the 8th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering flight.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Louis Rodriguez, a C-5M Galaxy flying crew chief with the 60th Air Mobility Wing, observe the sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Based Infrared System satellite (SBIRS GEO-6) loading into the C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft at Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., May 31, 2022. The satellite was taken to a processing facility to undergo testing and fueling prior to encapsulation. GEO-6 is expected to launch in July 2022 and is the last SBIRS program launch.

U.S. Air Force KC-135's assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing are parked on the flightline at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Alabama, Oct. 21, 2022. Photos of the aircraft were for general public affairs use.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brock Schuld, 131st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri National Guard, speaks with Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, director, Air National Guard, at the Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Weapons Load Trainer, May 13, 2022. The trainer allows Team Whiteman Airmen to learn all aspects of the munitions enterprise for the B-2 Spirit bomber in a safe and controlled environment.

More than 60 members of the Kentucky Air National Guards 123rd Airlift Wing are reunited with friends and family as they return to their home base in Louisville, Ky., July 6, 2018, after completing a four-month deployment to the Persian Gulf region in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Airmen, who arrived aboard Kentucky Air Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft, operated from an undisclosed air base while flying troops and cargo across the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.

An Airman from the 5th Security Forces Squadron stands guard at a B-52H Stratofortress as a de-icer clears snow and ice from the aircraft during a winter storm during Exercise Prarie/Bayou Vigilance 24-2 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota Dec. 6, 2024. Exercises like these develop Airmen and Aircrew, improving capabilities and mission readiness.

030407-F-6809H-014. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: 398th AEG

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Sarah Martin, right, 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade platoon leader, watches Sgt. 1st Class Jordan Hensley, 1st Batallion, 94 FAR, 17 FAB platoon sergeant, return from inspecting two High Mobility Arillery Rocket System during Exercise Golden Bee at Tinian, Marina Islands, Sept. 25, 2022. Exercise Golden Bee is a joint readiness exercise designed to provide training integration and rehearse strategic and operational objectives in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Danny Johnston and Master Sgt. Justin King, C-130 Loadmasters from the 130th Airlift Wing, McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia, perform a precheck on a C-130J 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.

Royal Canadian Air Force Cpl. Nick House, an aviation mechanic, 3rd Squadron, Bagotville, Quebec, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dalton Detwiler, 140th Security Forces Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, stand guard over an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard during Operation Noble Defender, 21 September, 2020, 5 Wing Goose Bay, Newfoundland & Labrador. North American Aerospace Defense Command is conducting a dynamic force employment operation in the Arctic Sept. 20-23 to demonstrate NORADs air capability, readiness and will to defend the United States and Canada from competitors who continue to test our defenses.

U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232 load 20mm target practice rounds into an F/A-18D Hornet aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 22, 2024. Nicknamed the Red Devils, VMFA-232 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to Guam as a part of their Aviation Training Relocation Program deployment to train multilaterally with allies and partners, and enhance the squadrons combat readiness.

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA is helped out of a Russian Search and Rescue helicopter after it carried him from the Soyuz TMA-03M capsule landing site in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan to Karaganda on Sunday, July 1, 2012 in Kazakhstan. Expedition 31 Commander Oleg Kononenko of Russia and Flight Engineers Pettit and Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency landed in their Soyuz TMA-03M capsule in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan after serving more than six months onboard the International Space Station as members of the Expedition 30 and 31 crews.

U.S. Air Force Col. Robert McAllister, 87th Air Base Wing Vice Commander, carries luggage off the plane at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurt, N.J., Oct. 5, 2022. McAllister returned to JB MDL from his six month deployment

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Paige Sullivan, 104th Fighter Wing crew chief prepares an F-15 Eagle for take-off during a readiness exercise June 11, 2022, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The exercise assessed Barnestormers ability to maintain air dominance in a simulated contested, degraded, and operationally limited environment and test their implementation of the Agile Combat Employment deployment concept.

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece (Feb. 12, 2023) Members of the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay Air Cargo team and Naval Air Crewmen assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 55 unload cargo from a C-130 as part of the joint U.S. military support of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, following the Feb. 6, 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Türkiye. U.S. military forces, assigned to U.S. European Command and under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, are providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in support of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), and the international community to the Turkish people during this tragedy. NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore installation which enables and supports U.S., Allied, Coalition, and Partner nation forces to preserve security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken holds a Meet and Greet with National Science Foundation and Air National Guard, in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on May 20, 2021.

U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Turnham, 355th Wing commander, and Col. Peter White, outgoing 563rd Rescue Group commander, congratulate Col. Jose Cabrera, incoming 563rd RQG commander, during a change of command ceremony at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, June 17, 2022. Cabrera took command of the 563rd RQG after White relinquished command.

U.S. Air Force Col. Derek Salmi, 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, delivers remarks during the passenger terminal renaming and flight line monument marker dedication ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, California, March 31, 2023. The event was part of the 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming commemoration to honor and celebrate American prisoners of war returning from Vietnam in 1973.

NASA test pilots Jim Clue” Less and Wayne Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph Crisp, a loadmaster with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, refuels a KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 29, 2022.Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Forces largest and most complex Large Force Employment exercise. Pitch Black 2022 is being conducted at RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley from 19 August to 8 September 2022. This Years exercise will host up to 2500 personnel and around 100 aircraft from 17 participating nations from around the globe.Activities such as Exercise Pitch Black recognize Australias strong relationships and the high value we place on regional security and fostering closer ties throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Exercise Pitch Black features a range of realistic, simulated threats which can be found in a modern battle-space environment and is an opportunity to test and improve our force integration utilizing one of the largest training airspace ar

Over 200 students from surrounding area schools attend a career fair hosted by the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph Missouri, April 20, 2022. The event was organized by the wings recruiting office and it was an opportunity for students to learn about the various careers the Missouri Air National Guard offers.

011091108 Emergency transport.. Photographs Relating to Disasters and Emergency Management Programs, Activities, and Officials

Philippine Armed Forces service members prepare to unload Department of Social Welfare and Development family food packs at Davao International Airport, Davao City, Philippines, Feb. 14, 2024. At the request of the Government of the Philippines, the U.S. Marines of III Marine Expeditionary Force are supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development in providing foreign humanitarian assistance to the ongoing disaster relief mission in Mindanao. The forward presence and ready posture of III MEF assets in the region facilitated rapid and effective response to crisis, demonstrating the U.S.s commitment to Allies and partners during times of need. Marine Corps

050207-F-4132J-082. Complete Scene Caption: Newlyweds TECH. SGT. Charles Bittle (left), a life support technician, and TECH. SGT. Susan Palmer (second from left), a load master, walk to their aircraft during their deployment for Southwest Asia at Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Ga., on Feb. 7, 2005. The couple was married at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum chapel nine days before deploying. They are both members of the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force PHOTO by STAFF SGT. Shaleata Johnson) (Released)The 165th Airlift Wing, Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Georgia, sent out a C-130 and crew of twenty-eight members to continue the forty-five day rotations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom on Monday, February 7, 2005. The unit has been providing airlift support and rotating crews in and out of the arena since March 2003. After going through briefings and the deployment processing line, the members ate lu

Tech. Sgt. Chris Ager, a crew chief with the 157th Maintenance Group, ran the Air Force Half Marathon with the Air National Guard team and finished with a time of one hour and 20 minutes, Sept. 17, 2022 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The National Guard team placed first in the Air and Space Challenge with their fastest time in history, beating the Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Combat Command, and 10 other Air and Space Force Command teams.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Inara Xie, Pacific Angel 22-4 lead medical planner, counts containers of medical supplies on the flight line at Baucau City Airport, Timor-Leste, Sept. 7, 2022. The medical supplies were delivered in support of PAC ANGEL 22-4. The operation is scheduled for Sept. 12-17 and will focus on capacity building through health service outreach, subject matter expert exchanges and civil engineer renovation projects.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 75th Fighter Generation Squadron unload luggage from an HC-130J Combat King II during exercise Agile Flag 22-2 at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, July 23, 2022. Agile Flag 22-2 is Air Combat Commands first lead-wing certification event designed to demonstrate the 23rd Wings 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. Airman 1st Class Rachel Coates)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anabel Del Valle, 325th Fighter Wing public affairs journeyman, documents flight line operations during Weapons System Evaluation Program-East 22.12 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 14, 2022. WSEP-E 22.12 is a formal, two-week evaluation exercise designed to test a squadrons capabilities to conduct live-fire weapons systems during air-to-air combat training missions.

Capt. Sherman Williams, 19th Fighter Squadron pilot hangs a lei made by a festival guest during the Friendship Festival 2022 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, May 22, 2022. The festival was an opportunity for visitors to learn and celebrate the partnership between the U.S. and Japan, while strengthening the bonds between Yokota and the local communities.

Members of theKentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group prepare to unload a Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules at Amedee Army Airfield, Calif., on March 8, 2016. The 123rd CRGis working inconjunction with the U.S. Army’s 688th Rapid Port Opening Element and a team from the Defense Logistics Agency to operateJoint Task Force-Port Opening Sangala duringthe week-long exercise. The objective of the JTF-PO is to establish an aerial port of debarkation, provide initial distribution capability, and establish warehousing capability for distribution beyond a forward node. (Kentucky Air National Guard

Airman Alysa Knott, 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs Apprentice, takes photos of a B-52H park at the Main Parking Apron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 23, 2022. Public affairs professionals plans, organizes, coordinates and conducts internal information, community relations and media relations activities to build informed public support for the Air Force.

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Charlie Mathis, 2nd Maintenance Group weapons standardization loading standardization crew member, and Tech Sgt. Darrell Stewart, 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron loading standardization crew member, prepares a B-52H Stratofortress ejector rack for loading munitions, at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Nov. 2, 2022. Mathis and Stewart were a part of the crew validating the loading procedures for the Air Forces first hypersonic weapon.

Approximately 80 Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the 148th Field Artillery Regiment, along with counterparts from several states to include California, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin are training with the Royal Moroccan Army in the northern Sahara Desert as part of African Lion 22. Idahos battalion, from the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team and headquartered in Pocatello, left the United States June 18 for the two-week exercise overseas with the international partner. Idaho Soldiers spent the first week preparing for the combined arms live-fire multinational mission that is the primary focus of the second week and conducted annual crew certification on the M109A6 Howitzer. During the exercise, the battalion provided ground support with preparatory and destructive fires, as well as obscuration using white smoke fires. At the end of the two-week exercise, the Idaho National Guard and the four counterpart states will conduct the combined arms live-fire mu

Master Sgt. Jeremy McCray, 137th Airlift Squadron C-17 loadmaster guardsmen, speaks to exhibitioners during the Singapore Airshow 2024 at Changi Exhibition Center, Republic of Singapore, Feb. 24, 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense participated in the airshow as an opportunity to sharpen ties with Singapore, demonstrate flexible aircraft capability, enable engagement with foreign partners, and expand power projection capabilities. Air Force

Firefighters from the 117th Civil Engineer Squadron stand by during an exercise Oct. 15, 2022, at Sumpter-Smith Joint National Guard Base, Alabama. The exercise tested the readiness for the members of the 117th Operations Group, the 117th Maintenance Group, and the 117th Security Forces Squadron.

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Micheal Price, the command chief master sergeant of the 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, poses for a portrait in Peoria, Illinois, Aug. 3, 2022. Price served as the senior enlisted leader of the 182nd Security Forces Squadron for six years before his appointment to wing command chief.

Staff Sgt. Amanda Estores, 22nd Security Forces Squadron patrolman, guards the flightline Feb. 2, 2024, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Estores recently returned as McConnells first female Raven. Air Force

U.S. Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard provide military helicopter emergency training to civilian first responders from the counties surrounding Fort Indiantown Gap. The training included orientation to different kinds of helicopters as well as some unique circumstances and considerations for dealing with helicopter emergencies.

A pallet of supplies delivered in support of Pacific Angel 22-4 sit on the flight line at Baucau City Airport, Timor-Leste, Sept. 7, 2022. The operation is scheduled for Sept. 12-17 and will focus on capacity building through health service outreach, subject matter expert exchanges and civil engineer renovation projects. The Indo-Pacific Command sponsors Pacific Angel to promote interoperability and demonstrate Department of Defense support capabilities for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief events by conducting global medical outreach and enhancing regional partnerships.

Members of the 502nd honorary commanders program tour a T-1, Aug. 17, 2022, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The honorary commanders program enhances the knowledge of community leaders regarding the missions, policies, programs and people of the U.S. military, while fostering a supportive relationship between the military and the community.

An Airman assists in rotating a suspended F-16D fighter jet at a Crash Damage or Disabled Aircraft Recovery training exercise, June 11, 2022, at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, Lower Township, New Jersey. Members of the 177th Fighter Wing, the 108th Wing, the 305th Air Mobility Wing, and the 150th Special Operations Squadron were provided the training opportunity to recover a simulated downed aircraft in the event of a forced landing.

U.S. Airmen from the 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron position simulated patients near a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 317th Airlift Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, during a training at Travis AFB, California, April 13, 2022. The AE mission is to provide trusted care in the air for service members, dependents, veterans and allies. These routine trainings enhance Airmens ability to respond to real-world situations in a moments notice.

020930-F-4649H-041. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WATCH Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

Alaska Air National Guard Senior Airman Nick Brensier, an aircraft electrical and environmental technician with the 176th Maintenance Squadron, discusses the capabilities of the HC-130J Combat King II aircraft with a spectator at the 2022 Great Alaska Aviation Gathering at the Palmer Municipal Airport in Palmer, Alaska, May 7. The Great Alaska Aviation Gathering is an annual two-day event that features indoor and outdoor static aircraft, and national and international exhibitions that promote general aviation in Alaska. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda ONeal)

DN-ST-85-04007. Subject Operation/Series: INTENSE LOOK Base: USS Shreveport (LPD 12) Country: Gulf Of Suez

Marine Reuniting with Family at Miramar in San Diego

Airmen from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Innovation Lab, pose for a photo outside their building Sept. 1, 2022, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. The Innovation Lab is for Airmen to use tools to build new parts, 3-D print and learn how to operate various machines. (U.S Air Force photo by Airman William Lunn)

The 104th Fighter Wing hosted local 4-H members for a base tour on July 8, 2022 at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The group received a pilot briefing, handled flight equipment, and received a maintainer briefing. Senior Airman Michael Scuderi brought the group up close to an F-15C during his maintenance briefing. The 104FW public affairs team has an annual base tour program April - October open to community youth groups and local employers to strengthen partnerships. (U.S Air National Guard Photos by Master Sgt. Lindsey S. Watson)

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Doran, an A-10 pilot assigned to the 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, explains how the A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft operates to Norwegian Armed Forces and Andoya Air Base employees, May 12, 2022, at Andoya Air Base, in Andenes, Norway. Doran is participating in the Swift Response exercise, an annual USAREUR-AF led multinational training exercise taking place throughout Eastern Europe, including the Arctic, Baltic Sea, and the Balkan Peninsula regions and is designed to enhance readiness and airborne interoperability with allies and partners.

A U.S. Air Force Airman from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron loads deployment bags onto aircraft at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 25, 2024. More than 1,500 New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers are deploying to support U.S. Central Commands Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. This is the largest deployment of NJARNG Soldiers since 2008.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, the Connecticut Adjutant General, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont greet soldiers of the 142nd Area Support Medical Company, Connecticut Army National Guard, as they deplane at the Connecticut Army National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Sept. 8, 2022. The 142nd ASMC previously spent the past nine months deployed to Poland providing medical care in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Staff Sgt. James Tillman, an aerospace propulsion technician in the 507th Maintenance Squadron, poses with two KC-135 engines while on a break from doing maintenance on Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Aug. 17, 2022. Tillman was put on orders to gain more experience by working on the aircraft.

Senior Airman Iesha Aiken, 909th Air Refueling Squadron squadron aviation records management troop, speaks to a family during the Singapore Airshow 2024 at Changi Exhibition Center, Republic of Singapore, Feb. 24, 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense participated in the airshow as an opportunity to sharpen ties with Singapore, demonstrate flexible aircraft capability, enable engagement with foreign partners, and expand power projection capabilities. Air Force

U.S. Air Force Capt. Nathan Price, an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet pilot assigned to the 157th Fighter Squadron, greets his family on the flight line at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, after a successful Air Expeditionary Force deployment to an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, October 20, 2018. The South Carolina Air National Guards 169th Fighter Wing deployed F-16 fighter jets and Airmen consisting of pilots, maintenance specialists and support staff to the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in July in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

040729-F-4185F-009. Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

NFL cheerleaders, left, take a photo of U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ethan Halbert, 51st Maintenance Group loading standardization crew chief, and Kyleigh Creamer, an NFL cheerleader, during the Pro Blitz 2024 unit visit at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Feb. 10, 2024. The NFL Pro Blitz is a week of events for military communities leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Air Force

U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, Space Operations Command commander, visited the NATO Space Centre at the NATO Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, September 12, 2022.

President George W. Bush Air Park displays a photo booth for service members and their families to take pictures during the 75th Air Force Ball, Sept. 17, 2022, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The Air Force Ball celebrates 75 years of tradition and Airmen answering their nation's call to serve their country.

A sign at the entrance to Peterson Air Force Base, home of the US Air Force Space Command and the North America Air Defense Command (NORAD) Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Base: Fort Campbell State: Kentucky (KY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

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