Extending the mission

SOUTHWEST ASIA - A KC-10 Extender from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing flies over Southwest Asia during an aerial refueling mission May 11, 2012. Extenders and their crews are able to refuel joint and coalition aircraft as well as carry cargo. During the month of April, the squadron offloaded 23.5 million pounds of fuel over 285 sorties to 2,137 receivers. The jet and crew are deployed from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Extending the mission

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Capt. Chris Sampson checks his approach as he lines up his KC-10 Extender with another KC-10 for aerial refueling May 11, 2012. Sampson and both aircraft are deployed to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. During the month of April, the squadron offloaded 23.5 million pounds of fuel over 285 sorties to 2,137 receivers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Extending the mission

SOUTHWEST ASIA - A KC-10 Extender from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing approaches another KC-10 for aerial refueling May 11, 2012. Extenders and their crews are able to refuel joint and coalition aircraft as well as carry cargo. During the month of April, the squadron offloaded 23.5 million pounds of fuel over 285 sorties to 2,137 receivers. Both jets and their crews are deployed from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Flying a thousand

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Senior Airman Ronden Aranaydo checks a U-2 April 14, 2012 after the pilot, Lt. Col. Andrew, returned from a sortie in which he recorded his 1,000th flight hour in the U-2. Aranaydo and Andrew are both deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif. For security reasons, U-2 pilots can only be identified by their first names. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Flying a thousand

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Lt. Col. Andrew shakes hands with Col. Jay Bickley on the flightline at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 14, 2012. Andrew had just returned from a sortie in which he recorded his 1,000th flight hour in the U-2. Bickley is the commander of the 380th Expeditionary Operations Group. Andrew, deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., is the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander. For security reasons, U-2 pilots can only be identified by their first names. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)

Flying a thousand

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Lt. Col. Andrew lands back at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing April 14, 2012 after a mission in which he recorded his 1,000th flight hour in the U-2. Andrew, deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., is the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander. The U-2, affectionately referred to as the Dragon Lady, records intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data on missions lasting up to 12 hours at a time. For security reasons, U-2 pilots can only be identified by their first names. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)