2013 Air Force Year in Photos U.S. Air Force Logo Dec. 27, 2013 131103-F-BW897-999 Members of the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Milwaukee, Wisc., refuel a B-52 Stratofortress during a training exercise Nov. 3, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jenna Hildebrand) Details Download Emerald Warrior 2013 Canadian special operation regiment members call in close-air support from their U.S. Air Force allies during Emerald Warrior 2013 April 26, 2013, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The primary purpose of Emerald Warrior is to exercise special operations components in urban and irregular warfare settings to support combatant commanders. Emerald Warrior leverages lessons from Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and other historical lessons to provide better trained and ready forces to combatant commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Matthew Bruch) Details Download 131208-F-KB808-999 Airmen conduct a foreign-object and debris walk Dec. 8, 2013, on the flightline at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Debris can cause damage to the engines and other systems within an aircraft if not kept off the flightline. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kayla Newman) Details Download 131121-F-LL959-999 Twelve KC-10 Extenders and six C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the 305th Air Mobility Wing perform an “elephant walk," as part of a training exercise Nov. 21, 2013, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The exercise enabled aircrew, maintenance, command post and operational support personnel to test their ability to launch a mass amount of aircraft in support of real-world operations. An elephant walk is a nose-to-tail taxi formation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Russ Meseroll) Details Download 376th Air Expeditionary Wing performs joint vehicle training with Transit Center Manas Airport firefighters Airman 1st Class Kevin Brittan uses cutters to gain access to a vehicle during a joint vehicle extrication training exercise with Kyrgyz firefighters from Manas International Airport, Nov. 15, 2013, at Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. The fire departments train together regularly so that they can efficiently perform rescue operations together in the event of an emergency. Brittan is a 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and he is a native of Lindenhurst, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman George Goslin) Details Download 188th Warthogs conduct close-air support training An A-10C Thunderbolt II with the 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard conducts close-air support training Nov. 21, 2013, near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Haseltine) Details Download LOX servicing Airman 1st Class Christopher Garrison performs liquid oxygen servicing Nov. 6, 2013, at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J. LOX is primarily used as aviator breathing oxygen. Garrison is an F-16C Fighting Falcon crew chief assigned to the 177th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht) Details Download Fall colors at Dover Heat waves shimmer behind a C-5M Super Galaxy from the 436th Airlift Wing as a crew from the 9th Airlift Squadron conducts aircrew proficiency training Nov. 4, 2013, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The C-5M is the upgraded version of the long-serving C-5 Galaxy. (U.S. Air Force photo/Greg L. Davis) Details Download Joint team brings ammo to Max Thunder Airman 1st Class Gerald Rascoe helps Marine Corps ordnance technicians load a missile Nov. 4, 2013, at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. The 8th Maintenance Squadron munitions systems section builds and maintains missiles and bombs in support of the Marine Corps ordnance technicians during Max Thunder. The Airmen partook in the Marine mission and are just one of several teams working side-by-side during the exercise. Rascoe is a 8th MXS munitions systems apprentice. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Armando A. Schwier-Morales) Details Download Blue Flag A group of F-15E Strike Eagles taxi following a training combat mission Nov. 26, 2013, during Blue Flag exercise on Uvda Air Force Base, Israel. Aircraft from the 492nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, deployed to participate in the exercise, where they engaged multiple heavy air defense assets, ground base targets and simulated opposition forces to meet combined operations requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Osberry) Details Download Americans, Belgians honor the fallen Master Sgt. Shaneeka Jones stands at parade rest during a Veterans Day memorial ceremony Nov. 11, 2013, at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium. More than 40 American service members participated in the ceremony before nearly 100 attendees to honor the service and sacrifice of American veterans. Jones is the superintendent of flight records from the 470th Air Base Squadron at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joe W. McFadden) Details Download 131122-F-KB808-999 Air Force pilots assigned to the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron prepare for a training mission Nov. 22, 2013, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The 83rd ERQS performs their training missions to ensure they maintain proficiency of their mission capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kayla Newman) Details Download First wave of 480th FS returns home Maj. Greg Boland hugs his children Rylie and Carter after returning from a deployment Sept. 15, 2013, at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Airmen assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron train to provide decisive combat power to combatant commanders for contingency operations down range. Boland is a 480th Fighter Squadron pilot from Reading, Pa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo) Details Download 130926-F-TK782-999 An operational test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is seen from nearby Lompoc, Calif., Sept. 26, 2013. The ICBM safely launched and traveled the approximately 4,200 nautical miles to its target in the Marshall Islands. (Courtesy photo/Lt. Col. Andy Wulfestieg) Details Download Retrograde; Remnants from Iraq Maj. Erin Kelley preflights a C-130H Hercules cargo plane Oct. 28, 2013, before embarking on a retrograde mission to Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. The 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing and is a tactical airlift hub responsible for transporting passengers and cargo across U.S. Central Command. Kelley is a 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron pilot and a Kalamazoo, Mich. native. She is deployed from the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Ben Bloker) Details Download Pink Kisses; cancer MY way Capt. Candice Adams Ismirle waits to receive a radiation treatment Oct. 22, 2013, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. After approximately two years in remission, Ismirle recently learned her cancer had returned. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Russ Scalf) Details Download Eglin Airmen receive ATV training Staff Sgt. Robert Molina practices sharp turning during an ATV training class Oct. 25, 2013, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Approximately 20 Airmen from the 96th Security Forces Squadron and the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron received the training over two days. The new riders learned riding fundamentals and even some complicated techniques during the four-hour course. Molina is assigned to the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.) Details Download U.S. Air Force Academy Football Junior running back Jon Lee leaps into the end zone for a touchdown as the U.S. Air Force Academy met the Colgate Raiders Aug. 31, 2013, at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Falcons defeated Colgate in their home opener, 38-13. Lee, from Bethlehem, Ga., rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan) Details Download RED FLAG-Alaska never leaves and Airmanbehind An A-10 Thunderbolt II does a show of force maneuver after locating a simulated downed pilot during Red Flag-Alaska 13-3, Aug. 22, 2013, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Two A-10s defended the pilot’s position until members of the 210th Rescue Squadron could rescue him. The A-10 is assigned to the 163rd Fighter Squadron, Indiana Air National Guard, Fort Wayne, Ind. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Shawn Nickel) Details Download CT scan provides quick, easy health assessment Senior Airman James Lord starts a CT scan Aug. 27, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. With this monitor, technologists can start and control a scan without being in the same room as the patient or machine. Lord is a 35th Surgical Operations Squadron diagnostic imaging technologist. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee) Details Download 130821-F-NA975-999 Staff Sgt. Daniel Guy makes his way to the ground Aug. 21, 2013, after jumping from a C-130 Hercules over Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Air Force static line capability falls under the personnel parachute program. Jumpers are first qualified during a three-week long basic airborne course at Ft. Benning, Ga., and then continue to work on their jumping proficiency and qualifications after they return here. Guy is the 736th Security Forces Squadron fire team leader. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Marianique Santos) Details Download Give me a sign Senior Airman Benjamin Amirault uses a bandsaw to remove extra poly-metal from a crosswalk sign Aug. 15, 2013, at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The 28th Civil Engineer Squadron sign shop creates a wide variety of signs including traffic, building, street, safety and special event signs. Amirault is a 28th CES structures technician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alystria Maurer) Details Download Certified Readiness Evaluation - Regeneration Day Staff Sgt. Zachary Maser cleans and inspects an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet for regeneration, Sept. 8, 2013. Members of the 169th Fighter Wing are beginning a Certified Readiness Evaluation with aircraft regeneration and acceptance. The CRE assesses a unit's ability to operate safely and efficiently in a deployed chemical combat environment. Maser is a crew chief with the 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina Air National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo/Tech. Sgt. Caycee Watson) Details Download Patriot Day honors 9/11 fallen Airman 1st Class Jade Derksen helps fold the U.S. flag during the Patriot Day Retreat Ceremony Sept. 11, 2013, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The ceremony was held to remember the nearly 3,000 who perished in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 12 years ago. Derksen is a Misawa Honor Guard member. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb) Details Download 130808-F-LR006-992 Senior Airman Nicholas Macdonald performs a night vision goggle inspection Aug. 8, 2013, at the 437th Maintenance Group Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The Airmen from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. conducted the training here because their night vision inspection equipment was undergoing maintenance. The Airmen confirmed that the optics in the night vision equipment work properly. Macdonald is a 20th Component Maintenance Squadron PMEL calibration technician from Shaw AFB, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download 130808-F-TF218-999 Members of the 51st Security Forces Squadron respond to a ground attack during Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Midnight 13-03 Aug. 8, 2013, at Osan Air Base, South Korea. This is Osan AB’s fourth simulated wartime contingency exercise in 2013 that will test the base’s ability to defend and execute the mission in a heightened state of readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Emerson Nuñez) Details Download Infrastructure and RF Transmissions - The most important building you didnÕt know about Staff Sgt. Spenser Amos finds a new number location on a line equipment number block Aug. 8, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The infrastructure flight maintains all communications cabling which includes copper wiring, inside building cabling, outside building cabling and all telephone switches. Amos is a 628th Communications Squadron cyber transport systems technician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman George Goslin) Details Download C-130 aircraft tactical airdrop Delaware Air National Guard five-ship formation C-130 Hercules aircraft tactical airdrop Aug. 3, 2013, covering four states. This is the first such five-ship formation mission since June 7, 2008. The mission covered Del., Pa., Md. and N.J., with two airdrops over the Coyle Field drop zone in the Pine Barrens of southern N.J. (U.S. Air National Guard photo/Tech. Sgt. Robin Meredith) Details Download Nondestructive inspection: Finding the cracks Staff Sgt. David Bayle inspects an aircraft pin for cracks under a black light after dipping the part into chemicals mixed to show cracks not normally visible to the naked eye Aug. 6, 2013, at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia. Bayle is a 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection craftsman deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton) Details Download 2013 Phase II ORE Firefighters from the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department extinguish a simulated aircraft fire as part of the Phase II portion of an operational readiness exercise July 10, 2013, at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The firefighters utilize exercises like this to hone their skills for real world operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alystria Maurer) Details Download 130713-F-KC610-999 Staff Sgt. Alyssa Dutkiewicz checks vital signs during a training exercise July 13, 2013, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Members of the 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron trained with the Canadian air force to improve their aeromedical evacuation training. The Canadian air force demonstrates the way they perform an evacuation response to other NATO countries. Dutkiewicz is assigned to the 375th AES. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jaeda Waffer) Details Download Fighting Falcon gets post-flight inspection Senior Airman Nate Hall conducts a post-flight inspection on an F-16 Fighting Falcon July 5, 2013, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Maintainers inspect everything on the aircraft for leaks or cracks or anything that may jeopardize the integrity of the aircraft. Hall is deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and is a Bellevue, Neb., native. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Scott Saldukas) Details Download Cutting edge Airmen perform maintenance Airman 1st Class William Williams grinds a piece of steel tube Aug. 7, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The sheet metal is used to simulate steel work on a C-17 Globemaster III wing. Williams is a 437th Maintenance Squadron aircraft metals technology journeyman. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download F-35 Lightning II Instructor Pilots Conduct Aerial Refueling Tech. Sgt. Joe Parker refuels an F-35A Lightning II May 16, 2013, from the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing that trains Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and maintainers of the F-35. Parker is a KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron at March Air Reserve Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John R. Nimmo Sr.) Details Download Cutting edge Airmen perform maintenance Master Sgt. Tim Thornton walks toward arc welding protection drapes with a sledge hammer Aug. 7, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The red drapes protect individuals not wearing a welding shield from the intense light emitted during welding. Thornton is a 437th Maintenance Squadron aircraft metals shop NCO in charge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download 130719-F-AB123-999 The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the second Mobile User Objective System (MUOS-2) satellite for the U.S. Navy July 9, 2013, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. MUOS is the next generation narrowband military satellite communication system that supports a worldwide, multiservice population of users in the ultra-high frequency band. (Courtesy photo/Pat Corkery) Details Download Global Medic A C-17 Globemaster III taxis July 19, 2013, after landing at Pittsburg International Airport Air Reserve Station, Coraopolis, Pa. The C-17, from 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., is carrying Airmen participating in Global Medic. This is an annual joint-reserve field training exercise designed to replicate all facets of combat theater aeromedical evacuation support (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez) Details Download 1 SOW/ SNCO Induction Ceremony POW/MIA presentation Airmen from the 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron pay tribute to Prisoner of War/Missing in Action display during the Senior NCO induction ceremony July 25, 2013, at the Soundside Club on Hurlburt Field, Fla. The display is set up to recognize POWs/MIAs who are no longer here to celebrate such special occasions. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jeffrey Parkinson) Details Download 130725-F-LK329-999 Capt. Antonio Massara deploys flares from an A-10 Thunderbolt II July 25, 2013, during a mission over Southwest Asia. Massara is assigned to the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett) Details Download Operation Enduring Freedom Airman 1st Class Everardo Torres scans an airfield for potential threats June 11, 2013, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, while a C-130 Hercules from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron transfers equipment and personnel. Fly-away security team members are required to fly on specific missions when a location requires an extra measure of security to ensure the aircraft and crew are protected from hostile fire or security breaches on board. Torres is deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Ben Bloker) Details Download Operation Enduring Freedom Staff Sgt. Michael Sweeney greets a local Afghan youth June 13, 2013, during a security detail in the town of Saka near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Security forces Airmen teamed up with 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron pavement and heavy equipment “Dirt Boys” to rebuild a road connecting Saka with Payan Janqadam. Sweeney hails from Clovis, Calif., and is deployed from the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Ben Bloker) Details Download Senior Airman Tristan Franklin and Airman 1st Class Cameron Padgett use an ammunition loading adaptor to feed 30-millimeter rounds into an A-10 Thunderbolt II ammo drum prior June 11, 2013, at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. The Thunderbolt II can employ a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general-purpose bombs, cluster-bomb units, laser-guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions or JDAM, wind-corrected munitions dispenser or WCMD, AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, rockets, illumination flares, and the GAU-8/A 30mm cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute. Franklin and Padgett are 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons loaders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade) Details Download Hawaii F-22 Raptors participate in Red Flag An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, takes off Jan. 23, 2013, during Red Flag 13-2 from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Each Red Flag exercise is an advanced aerial combat training opportunity that spans two weeks, and is held at Nellis or Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The exercises host air crews from various U.S. and allied military units and air frames. (Courtesy photo/Glenn Bloore) Details Download Bagram pararescueman train with Army, to save military canines Senior Airman Jason Fischman hoists Army tactical explosive detection dogs into a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter during a joint rescue training scenario June 21, 2013, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. This training was a first for both branches and prepared them for future rescue missions. Fischman is deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Wade) Details Download Ospreys migrate to England A CV-22B Osprey receives fuel June 21, 2013, off the coast of Greenland from a 7th Special Operations Squadron MC-130H Combat Talon II. The aircraft landed in Iceland during its journey to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, to allow for crew rest and refueling. The CV-22, assigned to the 7th SOS, is the first of 10 slated to arrive as part of the 352nd Special Operations Group expansion, which will last through the end of 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Laura Yahemiak) Details Download An F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter completed the first in-flight missile launch of an AIM-120 June 5, 2013, over the Point Mugu Sea test range in California. The JSF is a multiservice/international cooperation warplane. (Courtesy photo) Details Download Tornado ravaged Moore, Oklahoma Capt. Van Blaylock (left) and Senior Airman Joshua Jacobs help resident Alyson Tinney and Elise Hopkins search through the debris looking for salvageable items May 22, 2013, in Moore, Okla. On May 20, 2013, an EF-5 tornado, with winds reaching at least 200 mph, traveled for 20 miles, leaving a two-mile-wide path of destruction, leveling homes, crushing vehicles and killing more than 20 people. More than 115 Oklahoma National Guard members were activated to assist in the rescue and relief efforts. Blaylock and Jacobs are Joint Terminal Attack Controller assigned to the 146th Air Support Operations Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder) Details Download Aerial Gunner Airman 1st Class Natasha Libby examines the barrels of a Gau-2 mini gun mounted on an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter June 20, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Libby must inspect each part of the weapons systems on the HH-60 Pave Hawk to ensure safety and proper function. Libby is a 66th Rescue Squadron aerial gunner. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Daniel Hughes) Details Download Airmen place flags at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery Master Sgt. Robert Lilly pays his respects to a fallen veteran May 28, 2013, at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nev. Lilly and other Airmen from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., volunteered their time to place flags over veterans’ cemetery plots for Memorial Day weekend. Lilly is a 57th Operations Group joint tactical air controller. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Daniel Hughes) Details Download Ready to roll Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division ready their gear prior to jumping from Air Force C-130J Hercules during a Joint Operation Access exercise June 24, 2013, at Pope Field, N.C. A total of 2,426 paratroopers jumped out of C-130Js assigned to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, during the 12-day exercise. JOAX is a combined military training exercise designed to prepare Airmen and Soldiers to respond to worldwide crises and contingencies. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Damon Kasberg) Details Download The U.S. Air Force Band plays the national anthem during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater May 27, 2013, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. President Barack Obama delivered remarks during the event. (U.S. Army photo/Staff Sgt. Sean K. Harp) Details Download Well prepared A C-17 Globemaster III is towed into position on the flightline to be chained in place due to approaching tropical storm Andrea May 6, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The storm’s projected intensity was not strong enough to warrant evacuation, but the aircraft were chained as a precaution. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download USAFA Class of 2013 Graduation The U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2013 marches into the Academy's Falcon Stadium for graduation May 29, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. 1,024 graduates will be commissioned. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Kaplan) Details Download 376th AEW commander completes his "fini flight" Fire trucks spray water over a KC-135 Stratotanker during the "fini flight" for Col. Corey Martin June 4, 2013, at Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. The "fini-flight" is a time-honored military aviation tradition marking the last flight of a pilot's or commander's time with a unit. Martin is the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett) Details Download F-35 Integrated Test Force The F-35 Integrated Test Force is completing a series of night flights, testing the ability to fly the jet safely in instrument meteorological conditions where the pilot has no external visibility references. The ITF, which has the lead on all F-35 mission systems testing, is responsible for five of the six night flights. (Courtesy photo/Tom Reynolds) Details Download JB Charlestton Police Week 2013 Staff Sgt. Eric Lawrence tallies up the number of hits during the Security Forces Shooting Competition May 15, 2013, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. Service members, civilians, dependents and retirees from the base and local community competed in teams of four against one another in honor of National Police Week. Lawrence is a 628th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan) Details Download 191st ARW Air refueling Airmen with the 151st Air Refueling Wing conduct air refueling operations May 9, 2013, over southern Idaho with a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Wash. The 151st ARW supported air operations across the western U.S. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon) Details Download N/A Academy Cadet 1st Class Morgan Mosby (center) rallies towards the finish line during the women's 800 meter run event May 10, 2013, at the Sheila Tarr Field, Myron Partridge Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev. The Air Force Academy's Track & Field team was one of nine collegiate teams competing in this year's Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Larry E. Reid Jr.) Details Download AFSOC/23STS Personal Recovery Airmen from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron jump out the back of a MH-47 Chinook Helicopter April 9, 2013, at Wynnehaven Beach, Fla. The helicopter conducts overt and covert infiltration, exfiltration, air assault, resupply and sling-load operations in a wide range of environmental conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Callaway) Details Download Air Force bids farewell to Combat Talon I The Eglin Honor Guard waits to bring in the colors at the retirement ceremony for the MC-130E Combat Talon I April 25, 2013, at Duke Field, Fla. Aircrew, maintainers and many others turned out to remember and bid farewell to the Talon I on its official retirement from the Air Force. The last five Talons, located at Duke Field, will be delivered to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, N.M., by mid-May 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.) Details Download New Horizons 2013 Capt. Daniel Dahl administers anesthesia to a Belizean boy while talking to his mother during a dental readiness training exercise April 26, 2013, at the Punta Gorda Hospital annex in Punta Gorda, Belize. Dental professionals from the U.S. and Canada are providing free dental treatment at multiple readiness training exercises throughout Belize as part of an exercise known as New Horizons. Dahl is a dental resident from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Tony Tolley) Details Download After taxiing in an MQ-9 Reaper, Airman 1st Class Jon Mann walks under a Reaper's wing to place wheel chocks to prevent accidental movement April 24, 2013 at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The crew chiefs are responsible for taxiing incoming aircrafts and performing post-flight checks that include fluid checks, looking over the aircraft for damage and cleaning the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Andrew Lee) Details Download From the leash down Ruth takes a break from her obstacle course training April 28, 2013, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The course provides obstacles at different heights to provide realistic scenarios MWDs can expect while on patrol. Ruth is a 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Group Military Working Dog. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis) Details Download Aerial refueling of F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters at Eglin AFB, Fla. F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. perform an aerial refueling mission May 14, 2013, off the coast of Northwest Florida with a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 336th Air Refueling Squadron from March Air Reserve Base, Calif. The 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing that trains Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen) Details Download Senior Airman Danielle Galich spots Senior Airman Carnell Robinson as he lifts weights April 30, 2013, at the Fitness Center on Dover Air Force Base, Del. She is ensuring that he is using the equipment correctly. Galich is the 436th Force Support Squadron sports program manager and Robinson is a 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Ashlin Federick) Details Download An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopter from the 210th Rescue Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson prepares to land April 30, 2013, at Cook Inlet on the USS Anchorage, an amphibious landing craft. Pilots from the 210th RQS practiced landing on the USS Anchorage to receive training not readily available in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf) Details Download X-51 Hypersonic final flight The X-51A Waverider flew its fourth and final mission May 1, 2013 over the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range, during which the test team achieved a record-setting 210 seconds of air-breathing hypersonic flight. Flight testers from Edwards Air Force Base, Cali., played a vital role in the program's success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Bobbi Zapka) Details Download Maintainers disassemble downed aircraft Tech. Sgt. Zachary Stewart cuts into an F-15 Strike Eagle engine with a K-12 saw May 1, 2013, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The aircraft went down June 11, 2007, after a mid-air collision with an F-16C Fighting Falcon. The F-15 pilot ejected and was rescued and the F-16C landed safely at Eielson AFB. Stewart is a 354th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance craftsman. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Peter Reft) Details Download AF bids farewell to Combat Talon I The Eglin Honor Guard brings in the colors in the shadow of an MC-130E Combat Talon I April 25, 2013, during its retirement ceremony at Duke Field, Fla. Aircrew, maintainers and many others turned out to remember and bid farewell to the Talon I on its official retirement from the Air Force. The last five Talons, located at Duke Field, will be delivered to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, N.M., by mid-May 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.) Details Download N/A The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly the six-ship Delta formation March 10, 2013, over the Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the Kobalt Tools 400. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez) Details Download Aircraft washing: not your average bubble bath Airman 1st Class Courtney Swain pulls water-proof tape off of an F-16 Fighting Falcon after a routine cleaning Oct. 28, 2013, at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. The tape ensures that water does not get into places that could be damaged during the jets cleaning. Swain is a 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons apprentice. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jensen Stidham) Details Download Razor Talon A KC-10 Extender assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, refuels an F-22 Raptor assigned to Langley Air Force Base, Va., on Feb. 7, 2013, during Razor Talon at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Razor Talon is an Atlantic Coast monthly large force exercise and joint-unit training opportunity to employ cutting edge operational concepts such as AirSea Battle and Maritime Air Support. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andy M. Kin) Details Download Blinding light Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Germain welds machine rollers Jan. 9, 2013, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The 2nd Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight is able to produce aircraft parts and tools from raw metal in order to support Barksdale’s mission of delivering precision munitions to the battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Moua) Details Download Marines from the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company evacuate from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during an urban environment warfare exercise April 18, 2013, at the Playas Training and Research Center at Playas, N.M. The training was part of the world's largest international personnel recovery exercise, Angel Thunder, which included 19 countries from around the world. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Andrew Lee) Details Download Staff Sgt. Matthew Boyd, left and Airman 1st Class Sheridyn Webb review an airfield map during a simulated security incident Aug. 28, 2013, on the flightline at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Boyd and Webb are assigned to the 98th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kenneth W. Norman) Details Download Members of the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron work together as they apply firefighting suppression techniques during a house fire Sept. 7, 2013, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The members of the 19th CES respond to approximately 800 calls a year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Cliffton Dolezal) Details Download This 2013 Year in Photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This yearly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.