Small bombs

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Senior Airman Josh Lebrun (left) from the South Dakota Air National Guard and Tech. Sgt. Edward Hart from the South Carolina Air National Guard are at work in the "small bombs" section of the "ammo dump" belonging to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at a desert air base in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward E. Snyder)

Ammo dump

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Tech Sgt. Tony Phinney of the South Carolina Air National Guard moves a weapon April 17 in the "ammo dump" of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. Airmen from the South Dakota Air National Guard are also deployed to the desert air base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward E. Snyder)

Setting up lines of communication

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Tech. Sgt. Rick Seward inspects old communications cable at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq with help from Tech. Sgt. Denny Tankersley (left) and Senior Airman Steven Griffith. They are deployed to Tallil from the 5th Combat Communications Group at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

Improving communications

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Airman 1st Class Josh Mason (foreground) and Staff Sgt. Kelvin Hawkins work in dusty and dirty conditions April 16 to set up improved communications at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq. They are members of the 5th Combat Communications Group at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

We are here

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- 2nd Lieutenant Jamie Velotta and Tech. Sgt. Gary Basham confirm sattellite position coordinates so they can properly position communication equipment on the ground to send and receive information. The 5th Combat Communications Group from Robbins Air Force Base, Ga. is deployed to Tallil Air Base Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

Inprocessing

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Members of 5th Combat Communications Group from Robbins AFB Georgia inprocess PERSCO at Tallil Air Base Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt Terry L. Blevins)

King

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- These GBU-31A bombs will be loaded on F-16CJ fighters of the 157th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. Tech. Sgt Anthony King, a weapons technician from the 157th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, prepares them before they are loaded. The 157th EFS and the 157th AMU are assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. The 379th AEW is a forward deployed unit in Southwest Asia, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Both units are deployed from the South Carolina Air National Guard of the 169th Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder)

Q & A

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Lt. Col. Mike Webb and 1st Lt. Chad Martin, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing fighter pilots, answer questions to stateside reporters during a live satellite feed from Kuwait City. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Stefan Alford)

Strong man

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Chief Master Sgt. Jack L. Adams, Maintenance Chief assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, helps troops out on the flightline on a daily basis. Adams is carrying a guidance unit for a GBU-12 being loaded on F-15E Strike Eagles at this forward deployed location in the Gulf region in support Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

Jammer man

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Airman 1st Class Jonathan Grandberry, a weapons troop assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, drives a jammer loading GBU-10s on F-15E Strike Eagles at this forward deployed location in the Gulf region in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U. S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

Another sortie

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Members of the End of Runway team of the 157th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, make final preparations for this F-16CJ to fly another combat sortie, April 1, 2003. The 157th AMU is assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. The 379th AEW is a forward deployed unit in Southwest Asia, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 157th AMU is a deployed unit from the South Carolina Air National Guard assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward E. Snyder)

Transient alert team

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Staff Sgt. Robert Rawlings, a heavy aircraft crew chief with the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing's transient alert team, shuts down an external power unit for a C-130 Hercules heading to Iraq. The transient alert team ensures transient aircraft are properly parked, provides power to aircraft, assists in moving cargo pallets and troubleshoots and fixes maintenance problems. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)