Congressional Flight

Legislative assistant Keith Roachford of New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez’s office observes a aerial refueling between a KC-135R Stratotanker and an E-3 Sentry over the skies of Texas, Jan. 19, 2016. The Congressional staff members toured Air Force Reserve Command facilities at Tinker then flew on a training mission to increase their understanding of the capabilities of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force/Maj. Jon Quinlan)

Congressional Flight

Benjamin Cantrell, a Legislative Assistant with Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack’s office poses for a photo while observing an Air Force Reserve KC-135R Stratotanker crew conduct flight operations over Texas Jan. 19, 2016. Eleven congressional staff members toured Air Force Reserve Command facilities at Tinker Air Force Base then flew on a training mission to increase their understanding of the capabilities of the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force/Maj. Jon Quinlan)

Congressional Flight

Erynn Hook, a legislative assistant with New York Rep. Chris Collin’s office and Caroline Thorman, a legislative assistant with Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s office, observe and take photos Jan. 19, 2016, during an in-flight aerial refueling mission between a 507th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R and a 552nd Air Control Wing E-3 Sentry from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. (U.S. Air Force/Maj. Jon Quinlan)

Congressional Flight

Master Sgt. Steven Stanton, a KC-135R in-flight refueling technician with the 465th Air Refueling Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., operates the boom Jan. 19, 2016, during a aerial refueling of a E-3 Sentry over Texas. Stanton and his crew fly and operate KC-135Rs out of the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. The 507th ARW is the largest Reserve flying unit in the state of Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force/Maj. Jon Quinlan)

On a mission: Congressional staff tour, fly with AFRC

Published Jan. 29, 2016
By Maj. Jon Quinlan
507th Air Refueling Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Eleven Congressional staff members representing various states around the country learned about the Air Reserve Command aerial refueling mission and more during a wing tour and flight on board a KC-135R Stratotanker here Jan. 19, 2016.

In an effort to showcase the Air Force Reserve mission, the Congressional staffers spoke with senior Reserve unit commanders in the 507th Air Refueling Wing, 513th Air Control Group, 35th Combat Communications Squadron and the 10th Flight Test Squadron. Tinker Air Force Base was the first stop for the Air Force Reserve Command tour of bases in Oklahoma and Texas.

After the briefs, the group got the opportunity to speak with the maintenance teams that were responsible for launching and maintaining the KC-135 they would fly on.

"It's great for us to go on these visits because it helps us understand how what we do in Congress affects those on the ground level," said Caroline Thorman, Legislative Assistant with Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk's office.

Over the skies of Texas, the KC-135R crew conducted a training aerial refueling mission with an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft flown by crews in the 552nd Air Control Wing also out of Tinker Air Force Base. During the flight, the congressional staffers observed from the flight deck and refueling pod while interacting directly with the flight crew.

To better inform members of Congress and their defense staffers of the contributions of Citizen Airmen, Office of the Chief of Air Force Reserve partners with Air Force Reserve Command units to provide key members first-hand perspectives, according to Lt. Col. William Vaughn, Air Force Legislative Liaison.

"These visits help our elected leaders and their advisers better understand the operational capability, strategic depth and surge capacity our Reserve component brings to the Air Force and the nation," Vaughn said. "When we receive feedback from staffers during an air refueling mission, such as, 'I had no idea you all [Air Force Reserve] did all of this' we know the additional coordination and effort by many to make these experiences happen has been worth it."

Highlighting the contributions of the Air Force Reserve to Congress is especially important given the heavy reliance on Reserve capabilities in current U.S. defense operations.

"The air refueling mission would not be fully possible without the Reserve component." said Col. Doug Gullion, 507th Operations Group commander. "It seems vital that we showcase that particular reserve mission when we are relied on so heavily in overseas contingency operations,"

After the KC-135 flight, the capitol hill staffers toured other Air Force Reserve units at Joint Base San Antonio, Randolph Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas.