SOCEUR continues to focus on expanding theater-wide SOF capabilities in a manner that "thickens our lines” by training, developing, and enabling European SOF Allies and partners to deploy to Afghanistan as part of Combined Special Operations Task Force 10 (CSOTF-10), which serves under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator Senior Airman Michael Danilowski, assigned to the 351st Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, performs air refueling on a French fighter aircraft, February 15, 2013. The 351st EARS is comprised of members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England, who deployed to a forward operating location in southwest Europe, Jan. 26, 2013. The 351st EARS began flying refueling missions on Jan. 27, 2013, to refuel French fighter aircraft conducting operations in Mali.

From left, Anne Batey and Patricia Levrington watch a demonstration from the 100th Security Force’s Military Working Dogs section as part of a base tour Aug. 21, 2012, at a soccer field on base. The demonstration consisted of different search techniques and situations under which the MWD would attack a perpetrator.

RAF MILDENHALL, England – Anne Batey, school governor at Beck Row Primary School, takes a ride in the KC-135 Stratotanker flight simulator Aug. 21, 2012, in Bldg. 816. The simulator is used as a training tool for pilots to practice flying as well as how to deal with scenarios such as in-flight emergencies and flying in varying weather conditions.

RAF MILDENHALL, England – Terry Hamill, a worker at a local autistic home, takes a look at parts of the landing gear of a KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 21, 2012, on the flightline. Hamill and seven other members of the local community were invited by the British-American Committee for a tour of the base. The tour also consisted of wing mission brief, visits to the air traffic control tower, a ride in the KC-135 Stratotanker flight simulator and a tour of a static aircraft on the flightline.

RAF MILDENHALL, England – Stuart Cook, a local business owner, looks out the boom operator’s pod of a KC-135 Stratotanker as part of a base tour Aug. 21, 2012, on the flightline. Following a ride in the KC-135 flight simulator, the group was given a tour the aircraft where they had the opportunity to climb into the boom pod and sit in the pilot and co-pilot seats in the flight deck.

NORTH SEA – A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon flies off the tail of an RAF L-1011 TriStar aerial refueling tanker from 216 Squadron, RAF Brize Norton, during a formation flight Aug. 16, 2012. The formation included the TriStar and a U.S. Air Force KC-135 from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, and was flown to better familiarize NATO tanker aircrews with their partner nations’ air refueling procedures.

RAF FAIRFORD, United Kingdom - Capt. John Skypeck, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, U.K., discusses the capabilities of the KC-135 Stratotanker with Air Training Cadets at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

The 100th Air Refueling Wing hosted 15 French air force personnel from Base Aérienne 125, Istres, France, here Jan. 4 and 5, to build and strengthen partnerships created during Operation Unified Protector.

RAF MILDENHALL, England – Lt. Col. Robert Ricks, 100th Air Refueling Wing director of staff, shows French air force Maj. Sebastien Pages the cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft flight simulator here Jan. 5, 2012. A group of French airmen visited the base as part of efforts to maintain and strengthen U.S. and French air force working relationships.

ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -Cooperation was paramount Dec. 8 as 30 Royal Danish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons took to the skies over their homeland to rendezvous with a RAF Mildenhall-based KC-135 Stratotanker and perform semi-annual aerial refueling training.