Steady as she goes

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Airmen work on an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter during the kick-off of the 347th Rescue Wing's operational readiness inspection. The Air Force's only combat search and rescue wing is undergoing its first ORI since transitioning to Air Force Special Operations Command in 2003. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua Jasper)

Joint STARS duo reaches troops on the ground

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- E-8C Joint STARS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. John P. Snow)

Christmas refuel

OVER IRAQ -- An E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft receives fuel from a KC-10A Extender Dec. 25. The tanker assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Mark Moss)

Crew chief for a day

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- Staff Sgt. Franklin Newbery (left) teaches Col. Derrick Hoxie III how to take oil and fluid samples from an A-10 Thunderbolt II here Dec. 25. The colonel was participating in the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's Crew Chief for a Day program. The program offers deployed Airmen of all Air Force specialties a chance to experience what it is like to work on fighter jets. "What better way is there to spend Christmas Day while on deployment than with the maintainers out on the flightline?" said Colonel Hoxie, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing deputy commander. "I learned that we have a very professional team of maintainers out there, and the experience only reaffirmed what I have thought all along." Sergeant Newbery is a crew chief deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Colonel Hoxie is deployed from the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. (U.S Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey)

Pre-flight inspections

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Tech. Sgt. Bryan Quinn conducts a pre-flight inspection on a C-130 Hercules prior to taking off from here Dec. 4. The C-130s are supporting both operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Sergeant Quinn is a loadmaster with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Need a lift?

SOUTHWEST ASIA - A maintenance specialist from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing waits to tow a C-130 Hercules at a forward deployed location here Dec. 4. The C-130s are supporting both operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)