KC-10s bring fuel to fight

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Clay Wonders, a boom operator from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, performs pre-flight checks at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Feb. 26, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

KC-10s bring fuel to fight

U.S. Air Force Maj. Neil Poppe, a KC-10 Extender pilot and Tech. Sgt. David Bailey, a KC-10 flight engineer from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, board a KC-10 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Feb. 26, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, and flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

KC-10s bring fuel to fight

U.S. Air Force Maj. Stephen Silva, a KC-10 Extender pilot from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, does a pre-landing check during an air refueling mission in Southwest Asia Feb. 25, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, and flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sara Csurilla)

KC-10s bring fuel to fight

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II receives fuel over Afghanistan from a KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Feb. 24, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, and flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

KC-10s bring fuel to fight

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon receives fuel over Afghanistan from a KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Feb. 24, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

KC-10s bring fuel to fight

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Dan Quasius, a boom operator from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, completes a pre-refueling checklist on a KC-10 Extender at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Feb. 24, 2012. The 908th EARS provides critical air refueling to aircraft in the area of responsibility, delivering more than one million gallons of fuel to the fight every day. In 2011, the 908th EARS offloaded more than 390 million pounds of fuel to more than 28,000 aircraft, flew more than 36,700 hours in almost 4,600 missions. The average sortie length for a KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia is about eight hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)