Air Force Week in Photos U.S. Air Force Logo April 26, 2013 AF Week in Photos Senior Airman Casey Kubick sets up a forward area refueling point during Exercise Angel Thunder 2013, April 18, 2013, in White Sands, N.M. Angel Thunder is the largest joint service, multinational, interagency combat search and rescue exercise designed to train personnel recovery assets using a variety of scenarios to simulate deployment conditions and contingencies. Kubick is assigned to the 755th Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon) Details Download Flightline bustle Airmen assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing prepare to launch F-16 Fighting Falcons for missions during a readiness exercise April 11, 2013, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C. Members of the 169th FW are preparing for an upcoming readiness inspection that evaluates the unit’s ability to process personnel and equipment from home station to a deployed location safely and efficiently, then operate and launch missions in a chemical combat environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo/Tech. Sgt. Caycee Watson) Details Download From the ground up Air Force civil engineers and Army combat heavy engineers lay mortar on structural blocks April 19, 2013, at the construction site of Louisiana Primary School at Orange Walk in Belize. Civil engineers from the U.S. and Belize are constructing various structures throughout Belize as part of an exercise called New Horizons. Building these facilities will support further education for the children of the country and provide valuable training for the U.S. and Belizean service members. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Tony Tolley) Details Download Taking to the air An Air Mobility Command C-130 Hercules deployed from the Texas Air National Guard lifts off April 21, 2013, from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. The C-130 Hercules primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. George Thompson) Details Download Ride the lightning Capt. Brad Matherne views the flightline inside an F-35A Lightning II before a training mission April 4, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron will design the tactics for the F-35A and determine how to integrate the F-35A with other aircraft in the Air Force inventory. Matherne is a pilot assigned to the 422nd TES. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brett Clashman) Details Download The last of the legends Former Staff Sgt. David Thatcher (center) cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the Doolittle Raider Exhibit opening April 17, 2013, at Northwest Florida State College, in Fort Walton Beach. Thatcher was a Doolittle Raider Crew 7 engineer-gunner. The opening was a part of the Raiders’ final reunion tour. There are currently four living Raiders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie) Details Download Smooth it out Airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron lay concrete pads April 16, 2013, in Southwest Asia. The Airmen dug trenches, poured 96 concrete pads and set up Bremer walls throughout the installation to aid in the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's transition from expeditionary to enduring operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Christina M. Styer) Details Download Fixing a smile Lt. Col. (Dr.) Trent Payne administers anesthesia to a Belizean girl April 16, 2013, at the Independence Primary School in Belize. Medical professionals from the U.S. and Canada are providing free medical treatment at multiple medical readiness training exercises throughout Belize as part of an exercise known as New Horizons. The medical readiness training exercises provide humanitarian assistance and medical care to people in several communities, while helping improve the skills of U.S. and Canadian military medical forces. Payne is a dentist assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Tony Tolley) Details Download Last sortie Several MC-130E Combat Talon I's roll down the taxiway for their final sorties April 15, 2013, at Duke Field, Fla. The last five Talons in the Air Force belong to the 919th Special Operations Wing and are scheduled to be retired at a ceremony April 25, 2013. Their final flight will be to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.) Details Download A different perspective Senior Airman Adrian Alvarez and Airman 1st Class Steven Adler scan their areas of responsibility during a training exercise April 16, 2013, at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Training exercises ensure security forces members are able to accomplish all aspects of the mission. Alvarez and Adler are response force members assigned to the 509th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nick Wilson) Details Download Here comes the boom An F-15E Strike Eagle deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, pulls into position to accept fuel from a KC-10 Extender, deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., April 1, 2013, over Southwest Asia. Both aircraft are conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Christina M. Styer) Details Download The wait is over Senior Airman Dominick Thompson hugs his wife, Lisa, April 11, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., after returning from his unit's first six-month deployment to Southwest Asia. The group was welcomed by a cheering crowd of family and friends. Thompson is assigned to the 560th Red Horse Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download Fueling the fight Senior Airman Casey Kubick sets up a forward area refueling point during Exercise Angel Thunder 2013, April 18, 2013, in White Sands, N.M. Angel Thunder is the largest joint service, multinational, interagency combat search and rescue exercise designed to train personnel recovery assets using a variety of scenarios to simulate deployment conditions and contingencies. Kubick is assigned to the 755th Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon) Details Download Open arms Airman 1st Class Riostasia Johns holds an Afghan baby while her mother processes through the medical entry control point April 16, 2013, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Airmen and Afghan local guards provide security and collect information to identify and track records for all incoming patients. Johns is an entry controller assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis) Details Download Reaching out Staff Sgt. Sherwin Carino guides a boom into an aerial refueling receptacle of another KC-135 Stratotanker, April 18, 2013, over Arizona. The KC-135 can transfer 5,000 pounds of fuel per minute. Carino is a 349th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator. (U.S Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katrina M. Brisbin) Details Download This week's photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.