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  • WWII veteran remembers time as B-29 pilot

    With all four engines at full power, a B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed ‘Goin’ Jessie,’ quickly approached the end of a Tinian Island runway during World War II; the aircraft, however, still wasn’t in the air.At the last moment, the bomber lifted off the ground just enough to stay airborne, taking out

  • POL behind the scenes: Fueling the refuelers

    When it comes to air refueling, tankers and aircrews receive all the attention.A small shop belonging to the 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron here is in charge of refueling all the KC-135s that call McConnell’s flightline home. They’re the petroleum, oils and lubricants flight.“The guys I have here

  • Maintenance commander outruns cancer

    Two McConnell Airmen ran side-by-side through the chilly morning of their 5km race. As they approached mile two, one of the Airmen began to tire.  “Let’s push this a little bit harder this last mile, because you should feel something,” said Lt. Col. Duane Richardson, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance

  • Crew chief continues grandfather’s legacy

    For more than 50 years, generations of Airmen have put their blood, sweat, and tears in the KC-135 Stratotanker. For Senior Airman Tomorian Montgomery, the legacy and tradition of working on this aircraft is in his blood. In October of 1963, John Gilbert, Montgomery's grandfather, enlisted into the

  • JTAC Airmen train for real world at Ft. Riley

    It was 110 degrees mid-day with no wind. Three special operations airmen sat side by side in the seats of the UH-60 Blackhawk awaiting their mission. Beads of sweat accumulated on their foreheads from wearing their combat gear.The pilots swung around the field in position and hovered a few feet

  • 60 YEARS IN THE AIR: Generations of KC-135 Maintainers

    (Editor's note: This article is part of a series looking back on the history of the KC-135 Stratotanker throughout the decades, leading up to the 60th anniversary of the KC-135's first flight on August 31, 2016.)Families often carry a profession through their generations. For Staff Sgt. Austin

  • 22nd AMDS Airman earns spotlight performer

    As a spotlight performer, individuals are chosen by leadership for demonstrating the Air Force's Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.Tech. Sgt. Aimee Delos Santos, 22nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry NCO in-charge received the spotlight performer for

  • Maintenance Repair Teams keep aircraft flying

    Maintenance Repair Teams allow specialized teams of Airmen to respond to KC-135 Stratotankers that are off-station and aren’t fit to fly.“As the aircraft get older, things break more often,” said Tech. Sgt. Timothy Thompson, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron flying crew chief manager. “If a

  • Therapy dog: a legacy of service

    A 22nd Operations Support Squadron officer here is training her dog, Valco, to help boost the morale of military members, veterans and families.Capt. Carmella Burruss, 22nd OSS deputy chief of wing intelligence, has been training Valco, a 19-month-old Labrador-Poodle mix, for six months to become a

  • 60 YEARS IN THE AIR: KC-135 supports war on terrorism

    (Editor's note: This article is part of a series looking back on the history of the KC-135 Stratotanker throughout the decades, leading up to the 60th anniversary of the KC-135's first flight on August 31, 2016.)The day began as a normal day of post-mission crew rest. The pilot sat down to watch TV,