The Boom Signal “Boom Operators Making Contact World Wide” 1979 – 2008 29th Anniversary Edition 1 THE 2008 BOOM SIGNAL IS DEDICATED TO: USAF (Retired) SMSgt Bobby Skaggs Young Tiger, Enlisted Leader, Mentor, Friend You are the epitome of what it is to be a Boom Operator Best Wishes to you and your family. Get Well Soon! The Boom Signal Editor 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ** DENOTES NO UNIT SUBMISSION Base Organization Affiliation Acft Type Page Dedication 2 Prep For Contact 7 Reader Disclaimer 8 Altus AFB 97 OG ACT KC-135R 9 97 OGV AFR KC-135R 10 97 OSS ACT KC-135R 11 97 TRS/TRQ ACT KC-135R 12 54 ARS FTU ACT KC-135R 13 55 ARS FTU ACT KC-135R 17 HQ AMC Det 2 ACT N/A 21 Flight Safety CIV N/A 22 Andrews AFB 756 ARS** AFR KC-135R Arlington, VA ANG Bureau** ANG N/A Bangor ANGB 132 ARS ANG KC-135R 25 Birmingham/PEMCO 106 ARS** ANG KC-135R DCMC PEMCO** ACT N/A Edwards AFB 452 & 370 FLTS** ACT KC-135R/E/T Eielson AFB 168 ARS** ANG KC-135R Fairchild AFB 92 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 28 93 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 31 116 ARS ANG KC-135E 35 509 WS ACT N/A 38 Forbes ANGB 117 ARS** ANG KC-135E Fort Dix, NJ AMWC** ACT N/A 3 Grand Forks AFB 319 OG & OGV ACT KC-135R/T 39 905 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 40 906 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 41 912 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 44 319 OSS ACT KC-135R/T 46 Grissom ARB 74 ARS AFR KC-135R 48 Hickam AFB HQ PACAF** ACT KC-135R Hurlburt Field HQ USAF MOS ACT N/A 51 Kadena AB 909 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 53 Kelly Field 131 FLTF AFR KC-135/KC-10 57 Lackland AFB Center of Excellence ACT N/A 58 Lincoln ANGB 155 ARW/173 ARS ANG KC-135R 59 MacDill AFB 91 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 64 March JARB 336 ARS AFR KC-135R 69 McConnell AFB 22 OG** ACT KC-135R/T, RT 344 ARS** ACT KC-135R/T 349 ARS** ACT KC-135R/T, RT 350 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 73 384 ARS** ACT KC-135R/T, RT 22 OGV** ACT KC-135R/T, RT 18 ARS AFR KC-135R 76 McGhee-Tyson ANGB 151 ARS ANG KC-135E 79 McGuire AFB 2 ARS ACT KC-10 82 32 ARS** ACT KC-10 305 OSS** ACT KC-10 621 CRW** ACT N/A 78 ARS AFR KC-10 87 4 141 ARS ANG KC-135E 91 108 CRG ANG N/A 93 150 ARS ANG KC-135E 94 76 ARS** AFR KC-10 Meridian ANGB 153 ARS** ANG KC-135R USAFE Stan/Eval USAFE A3V** ACT KC-135R RAF Mildenhall 351 ARS ACT KC-135R/T 97 Milwaukee IAP 126 ARS ANG KC-135R 102 Niagra Falls ANGB 136 ARS** ANG KC-135R Pease ANGB 133 ARS ANG KC-135R 105 Phoenix ANGB 197 ARS** ANG KC-135E Pittsburgh ANGB 146 ARS** ANG KC-135E 147 ARS** ANG KC-135E Ramstein AB HQ USAFE** ACT N/A 32 AOC** ACT N/A Randolph AFB HQ AETC / 19 AF ACT N/A 108 Rickenbacker ANGB 145 ARS** AFR KC-135R 166 ARS** AFR KC-135R Robins AFB 99 ARS ACT KC-135R 109 HQ AFRC / 22AF / 4AF AFR N/A 111 Salt Lake ANGB 191 ARS** ANG KC-135E Scott AFB HQ AMC** ACT N/A HQ AMC/A3V ACT N/A 113 HQ AMC/A3N & FMFS ACT/RET N/A 114 618 TACC ACT N/A 115 108 ARS** AFR KC-135E Selfridge ANGB 63 ARS** AFR KC-135E 5 Seymour-Johnson AFB 77 ARS AFR KC-135R 116 911 ARS** ACT KC-135R Sioux-City ANGB 174 ARS ANG KC-135R 119 Tinker AFB 10 FLTF / OC/ALC ACT KC-135R 121 465 ARS AFR KC-135R 123 Travis AFB 6 ARS ACT KC-10 126 9 ARS** ACT KC-10 60 OSS** ACT KC-10 70 ARS ACT KC-10 131 79 ARS** ACT KC-10 615 CRW** ACT N/A Tyndall AFB 601 AOC/ARCT ANG N/A 133 Wichita, KS BOEING N/A KC-767A 134 Washington D.C. Pentagon** ACT N/A Boom Operator Memorial Appendix 1 135 Names Boom Operator’s Prayer / Appendix 2 141 Creed Boom Operator Appendix 3 144 Coin/Card Rules Appendix 4 Heritage Photographs 146 Class Rosters [1957 – Appendix 5 157 May 2008] 6 2008 Preparation for Contact Welcome to the 2008 Edition of the BOOM SIGNAL! The past year has flown by quicker than I imagined, but as always with the pace of the Boom Operator lifestyle, it’s no surprise. Congratulations to all Boom Operators who’ve competed and earned promotion since last year. The Air Force finally announced the bid on the new tanker aircraft, the KC-45A based off the Airbus airframe. Hopefully, when Boeing finally gets done with their protest of the contract, we’ll get our badly needed new tanker. From a purely spectator stand-point, (not an AF stand-point) I hope the crying is over with quickly & they move forward putting aircraft on the ramps and the next generation of Boom Operators trained to fly them. The Center of Excellence (CoE) has been a resounding success at Lackland AFB teaching our new enlisted aircrew members the Air Mobility Culture. Also, it is refreshing to see that we finally have an updated 1A0X1 Career Field Education and Training Plan (CFETP) on the streets; now if we can just start utilizing it like the other enlisted career fields as a master training record, we’d be all set! Like I stated in last year’s SIGNAL, the ultimate goal is to embrace the concept that a Boom Operator is a Boom Operator, regardless of whether they serve on a KC-135, KC-10 or the KC-45A. With the BRAC process building momentum, the make-up of tanker units will remain unique. Following the successful mold of McConnell, McGuire, Travis, etc., Seymour-Johnson has re-activated the 911 ARS as an Associate Active unit, to the Reserve Wing. This only reinforces one thing, it doesn’t matter whether you serve on Active Duty, Guard or Reserve, we are One Team. Plus, the cross flow of experience & information will only enhance the Boom Operator force. Regardless of the unit make-up, our mission remains…getter the fuel-to-the-fight…whether it’s supporting Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM or still supporting Operation NOBLE EAGLE in the NORTHCOM AOR. For those who aren’t familiar with the BOOM SIGNAL tradition, it is a compilation of Unit inputs. It is the only one of its kind although several attempts have been made to copy it, without success. The intent of the BOOM SIGNAL is a communications link between each Boom Operator, past, present and future. It’s a historical document which started in 1979. We, as a community, need to ensure this tradition lives on. We owe it to ourselves. With that, I am profoundly grateful that I have the opportunity to continue this history. I firmly believe that the BOOM SIGNAL goes hand-in-hand with the many traditions we uphold. As I’ve stated on more than one occasion; “Boom Operators are like one big family; no matter where you go; no matter whether you are Active, Retired, Guard or Reserve, you are always welcome and you always have something in common and you are family. I’d like to extend my thanks to the following: CMSgt Dan Repp at HQ AMC and other senior booms for assisting me in getting the word out for this year’s SIGNAL. Without their help, the SIGNAL would never get wheels in the well. Mr. Jim Reese & Mr. Steve Tuttle at Flight Safety, Altus, for supporting the class rosters section. Most importantly I’d like to thank the Units for their submissions despite their hectic pace of operations. And, as always, publishing the BOOM SIGNAL is the very least I can do for the Boom Operator family that I’ve been a part of for the majority of my Air Force career. Legacy and heritage is a large part our family. Please enjoy the 2008 Edition of the BOOM SIGNAL and I look forward towards 2009! “Pilot, I have disconnect…boom’s clear…” MSgt Paul E. Greene BOOM SIGNAL Editor Grand Forks AFB, ND (June 2008) Any comments or questions about the 2008 BOOM SIGNAL can be directed to MSgt Paul E. Greene, e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] . The 2008 BOOM SIGNAL commemorates the 29th Anniversary. Start working your inputs for the 2009 BOOM SIGNAL now! 7 READER DISCLAIMER: Be advised that the individual compiling the BOOM SIGNAL is not responsible for the content of any entry submitted for publication. The Unit’s submissions were edited for format, spelling and hopefully put in a logical order. However, their original content was left wholly intact. The spirit of the BOOM SIGNAL is for Unit’s to express themselves in a manner befitting the family of Boom Operators (aka, any way they see fit). To that end, please remember; “nothing is too cruel if it’s funny enough.” Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas…Nobody!! *All photos downloaded from AF Link website, with the exception of the Heritage Photos and Boom Operator Memorial photos which are property of the Boom Signal Editor. 8 ALTUS AFB, OK “THE KC-135 SCHOOLHOUSE” Hello from the schoolhouse.