Airmen work to keep pilots safe
Senior Airman Nicholas Sanders inspects for tears and holes in an anti-G suit June 23 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The suit is worn by F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots to combat the gravitational forces experienced during high-speed maneuvers. The suit prevents blood from rushing rapidly out of the brain, helping the pilot to maintain consciousness during flight. The technicians are responsible for the maintenance and operability of all the F-16 pilot gear, including their helmets and survival equipment. Airman Sanders is a 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron aircraft equipment technician deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)