Wing repair

A crew chief from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing performs maintenance repairs on the wing of an A-10 Thunderbolt II March 29 at a forward-deployed location. The fighters fly missions into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman JoAnn S. Makinano)

Load crew

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Armament personnel from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing load munitions onto A-10 Thunderbolt II, March 29, 2003. From a forward-deployed location, these fighters will fly missions into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate weapons of mass destruction and to end the regime of Saddam Hussien. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman JoAnn S. Makinano)

Coalition operations center

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Staff Sgt. Selena Matlock tracks aircraft take off and landing times at the Coalition Operations Center, ensuring Air Tasking Orders are updated. In the background, Lt. Col. Joseph Justice (standing) and Maj. David Wright, Coalition Operations Center directors, coordinate the flying schedule. All are assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at a deployed location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry Blevins)

Convoy

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- A convoy team from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing departs a forward-deployed location and heads for Iraq on Mar. 26. The team is resupplying troops fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman JoAnn S. Makinano)

Getting gas

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- A B-52 Stratofortress receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Indian Ocean. The KC-135 crew is from the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., and is deployed to the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby)

Thoughts of home...

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Due to the extremely high temperature inside the aircraft, Maj. Louis Cortes, KC-135 pilot, from the 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., sits on the aircraft wing as he looks at a photo of his wife of 12 years and his four young children which he carries with him at all times. Maj. Cortes is assigned to the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing, forward deployed location, Southwest Asia in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby)