Crew chiefs keep the mission on track

The windshield was simply refusing to cooperate.As the KC-135 Stratotanker approached San Antonio the aircraft commander's windshield began to fog. The window heater was on as evidenced by the co-pilot's clear view of the city below.While the aircrew ran checklists and checked the circuit breakers,

May 31 is deadline to sign up for TRICARE automatic payments

Beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Reserve Select or TRICARE Retired Reserve who pay monthly premiums by check must switch to an electronic form of payment by May 31 to avoid losing coverage. TRICARE will only accept monthly premium payments using recurring automatic payments by credit or debit card,

Commentary: The military aviation salute

There is a long and proud history between aircraft air crew and ground crew. This strong relationship predates fixed wing flight and military aviation as we know it today. Even on the very first powered flight, Orville and Wilbur Wright had to decide who would be first to fly their craft and who

Kansas Reservists support Texas flight medicine

The 18th Air Refueling Squadron and the 433rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron teamed up to conduct aeromedical evacuation training, May 11-12. The training allowed 433rd AES members to set up litter systems in conjunction with the aircraft's AE configuration, practice caring for patients

Integrity First: McConnell Senior NCO sets example

Master Sgt. James Carter could have simply walked away.It would have been so easy. No one saw his car door, propelled by a violent gust of Kansas wind, swing wide open and slam into the side of the vehicle parked next to him. No one heard the dull thump of the impact. No one saw the dent it left

eTools Lite a 'game changer' for maintainers

An innovative program developed by Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command here is expected to improve productivity, save maintenance man-hours, and the Air Force $12 million.Called eTools Lite, the program improves on the Air Force's original mandate to put aircraft maintenance technical orders into

New McConnell Yellow Ribbon coordinator ready to help Reservists

Sitting in his new office, Capt. Jeremy White had to smile at the irony of it all. "I've been deployed eight times so far in my career," said White, a navigator assigned to the 931st Air Refueling Group here. "I would have absolutely loved to have had a program like this to help me and my family

931st Family Day slated for June 2

The 931st Air Refueling Group Annual Family Day Picnic is scheduled to be held on Sunday, June 2, from 1100 until sign-out during the June unit training assembly weekend.The event will be held at "The Roost" facility on the Kansas Air National Guard 184th Intelligence Wing side of the base.  The

DOD identifies Air Force casualties from KC-135 crash

An aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base crashed near Chon-Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, May 3, 2013. The Airmen aboard the aircraft were assigned to the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash. Those killed were: Capt. Mark T. Voss, 27, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Capt. Victoria A. Pinckney,

May Newcomers