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  • From Law Studies to Foreign Skies

    “I was in college to become a lawyer, but I started college when I was 16, and by the time I was in my early 20s, I was already burnt out. It was all just sitting in an office, pushing paper. I wanted something different.”

  • From High School to High Altitude

    Lt. Col. Christopher Smith awaited a bittersweet connection as he embarked on his last flying mission as the 349th Air Refueling Squadron commander at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, March 11, 2025.

  • A SARC's sweet escape

    The job of a sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) isn’t for the weak. SARCs, even on their worst day, must show deep empathy, emotional intelligence and immense strength while guiding victims through hard times. The weight of such responsibility can take a toll on some. For Vickie Hayden, 22nd

  • Sully's Full Circle: A Sibling Reunion at 25,000 Feet

    "I thought I heard his voice and was like, 'Is that him? I don't know.’”At an altitude of 25,000 feet, Capt. Elizabeth "Sully" Brakefield, 344th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, experienced an unforgettable moment as she refueled a formation of U.S. Navy EA-18 Growlers, including one with her brother,

  • The Untold Stories: 23 McConnell Airmen receive medal upgrade for OAR

    The call came in. Orders were made. Bags were packed. And they were out the door.In a short 17 hours, 70-80 McConnell Airmen scrambled together and took off to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, where they spent several weeks in August of 2021 supporting the 123,000 refugees evacuated from Afghanistan during

  • 18th Air Force visits McConnell

    Major General Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, and Chief Master Sergeant Tom Blount, 18th Air Force command chief, visited Team McConnell on September 26-28, 2023. The 18th Air Force leadership spent three days visiting and conversing with Airmen about the projects they are currently working