HomeNews

News Search

  • A young family member of the 931st Air Refueling Group rides a horse led by Tech. Sgt. Tyrel Askren, 931st Security Forces, at the Group's Family Day Picnic in 2007. Volunteers are needed to support this year's picnic, scheduled for the September Unit Training Assembly. Contact Tech. Sgt. Shannan Hughes at 316-759-6082 for more information. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap)

    Volunteers Needed

  • Senior Airman Neil Parks, 931st Air Maintenance Squadron, inspects the contents of his mobility bag in preparation for his deployment to Turkey. The first rotation of AMXS deployers are currently serving in Turkey in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Connor Burkhard)

    931st maintainers in Turkey

    Airmen from the 931st Aircraft Maintainenance Squadron deployed to Turkey on June 28 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.Tech. Sgt. Ed Cropper, the squadron's unit deployment manager, said more than 35 AMXS Airmen were scheduled to support operations in Turkey this summer.  The first of three personnel rotations left
  • Staff Sgt. Jon Barber (left) asks Tech. Sgt. Ed Cropper about a training-related issue at the 931st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on June 19. Sergeant Cropper is the squadron's unit deployment manager and has been busy preparing for participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection and deployments to Turkey that begin next week. More than 40 AMXS Airmen have volunteered to support an Air Expeditionary Force in Turkey. Sergeant Barber is an AMXS crew chief.

    Turkey Talk

  • Master Sgt. John "Tex" Austin ensures his life support equipment is working before flying a KC-135 mission during an Operational Readiness Exercise. Sergeant Austin is a boom operator for the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, the flying squadron of the 931st Air Refueling Group. Assisting Sergeant Austin is Airman 1st Class Jeff Short from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, the 931st's host unit at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. Airmen from the 931st and 22nd participated in the ORE in April to prepare for an Operational Readiness Inspection scheduled to start June 22.

    Busy UTA planned for ORI prep

    With an Operational Readiness Inspection less than two weeks away, those leading the preparation efforts of the 931st came together for their last official meeting June 12. The Unit Training Assembly just prior to when Group members are expected to leave for the inspection is going to be "long and busy," Senior Master Sgt. Colleen Celeski said to
  • Staff Sgt. Julie Stephenson works on one of her many computer-related duties during the May Unit Training Assembly. Sergeant Stephenson, an information manager for the 931st Military Support Flight, receives tuition assistance from the Air Force while working on a bachelor's degree at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap)

    Higher education help available at education office

    The cost of education can be overwhelming for many students. To help ease the financial obligations students can incur, Air Force Reservists may be eligible for a number of financial assistance programs. The 931st Air Refueling Group's education and training office offers educational counseling and assistance in program eligibility and enrollment
  • Government Travel Cards from Bank of America will soon be replaced by cards issued by Citibank. Members of the 931st Air Refueling Group are expected to receive new cards in October, but cards from Bank of America should not be destroyed until the Air Force gives guidance to do so. The Citibank cards are scheduled to be activated on Nov. 30. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap)

    Travel card transition ready to begin

    The government plastic almost all Airmen are required to carry will soon get a face lift. Citibank, chosen to succeed Bank of America as the Defense Department's travel card provider, is expected to start distributing new credit cards to servicemembers in mid-August. Mary Borst, the budgeting officer for the 931st Air Refueling Group, said the
  • Senior Airman Katrina Geatches, Health Service Manager, 931st Aerospace Medicine Flight

    Spirit Spotlight: Senior Airman Katrina Geatches

    Senior Airman Katrina Geatches is a Salina, Okla., native who has been in the Air Force Reserve for six months after serving more than four years in the active-duty Air Force.Unit: 931st Aerospace Medicine FlightAir Force Job: Health Service ManagerCivilian Job: Medical Support Assistant at the McConnell AFB Mental Health Clinic Favorite way to
  • Four of the Airmen who recently helped fly five college football coaches to Southeast Asia were from the 931st Air Refueling Group. The coaches (back row from left to right) included's Yale's Jack Siedlecki (with white shirt), Georgia's Mark Richt, Miami's Randy Shannon, Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville (with orange hat). With Richt's hand on his shoulder is pilot and Atlanta, Ga., native Capt. Eric Junkins. On the far left is Staff Sgt. Jon Barber (w black t-shirt), 931st Maintenance Squadron crew chief. Kneeling directly in front of Tuberville is Tech. Sgt. Chris Norris, boom operator, and in front of Norris is pilot Capt. Keith "Kip" Anderson (with sunglasses). Captain Junkins, Captain Anderson and Sergeant Norris are members of the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, the flying squadron of the 931st ARG.

    931st Airmen fly 'coach' class to AOR

    Of the many servicemembers five college football coaches recently visited, none spent more time with them than nine Airmen from McConnell AFB. Four of the nine are members of the 931st Air Refueling Group. The five NCAA head coaches--Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, Georgia's Mark Richt, Miami's Randy Shannon, and Yale's Jack
  • Master Sgt. John "Tex" Austin was busy serving up his "special" hamburgers and hot dogs during the May Unit Training Assembly. After assuming chef duty for a fundraiser to benefit the Air Force Assistance Fund, Sergeant Austin again volunteered for the grill the next day during a going-away barbecue for the 931st's outgoing commander, Col. William T. Cahoon. Besides being a boom operator and boom section noncommissioned officer in charge for the 18th Air Refueling Squadron, he is a building custodian, weapons custodian, enlisted performance review monitor and unit public affairs representative. Sergeant Austin is scheduled to begin the seven-week Staff NCO Academy at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., on June 2. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Gary Barbee)

    Chef Austin

  • Tech. Sgt. John E. Sutton Jr. evaluates the gas mask fitting of Senior Master Sgt. Mack Housman during the May Unit Training Assembly. Sergeant Sutton, a bioenvironmental engineering craftsman for the 931st Aerospace Medicine Flight, is scheduled to retire from the Air Force Reserve in June. Sergeant Housman is the superintendent of the 931st's Military Personnel Flight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Connor Burkhard)

    931st mask fitter to retire

    The Operational Readiness Inspection that 931st members have been long preparing for will end at the end of June, and so will the career of the Airman who fit many of their gas masks.Tech. Sgt John E. Sutton Jr., a bioenvironmental engineering craftsman assigned to the 931st Aerospace Medicine Flight, is scheduled to retire on June 29 after 20
RSS