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Guard Airmen Prepare for 1st KC-46 Deployment

Airman 1st Class Ashlyn Levine, a supply specialist with the 157th Logistics Readiness Squadron, adds a canteen belt to an airman’s mobility bag, Sept. 7, 2024, at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. Supply specialists facilitate and equip outgoing Airmen as they prepare for deployment. The 157th Air Refueling Wing is set to deploy multiple KC-46 aircraft and more than 180 Airmen to Southeast Asia later this fall in what will be the first operational deployment of the Air Force’s next-generation tanker. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Elliot Boutin)

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 – Airmen, families and members of Congress gathered inside Hangar 254 Sept. 8 to honor more than 180 Airmen who will deploy to support U.S. Central Command this fall.

It will be the U.S. Air Force’s first operational deployment of the KC-46A Pegasus refueler to a combatant command. It will be led by the New Hampshire National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing, with support from the active duty’s 64th Air Refueling Squadron.

While overseas, the aircrew, maintainers and other support elements will leverage the Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueler to support CENTCOM’s mission to deter Iran, counter violent extremist organizations, and compete strategically with global powers.

Among those attending the ceremony to recognize and address the deploying Airmen were New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, Sens. Jeane Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and Maj. Gen. David Mikolaities, the adjutant general of the New Hampshire National Guard.

Mikolaities recounted a recent trip to Washington to discuss the nation’s threats. He said military leaders agree there is a need to bring the future faster.

“There’s no wing in the nation that has brought the future faster than the 157th Air Refueling Wing,” he said to the more than 600 attendees.

Some of the accomplishments he noted were the wing’s concurrent fielding of the KC-46 alongside the active-duty Air Force; being the first to reach initial operational capability and bring the airframe online; the first to conduct a 36-hour super-sortie to Guam and back; and now, the first to serve a fully operational deployment in support of a combatant command.

Aerial refueling — enabling global reach, mobility and power, anytime, anywhere — is the core mission at the 157th ARW. Over the past decade, the wing transitioned from legacy KC-135 jets to the Air Force’s next-generation tanker, KC-46. Of the 87 KC-46As at wings across the force, 12 are at Pease.

“This would not be possible without the exceptional Airmen we have here today,” he said.

Sununu thanked the deployers for taking on the responsibility and sacrifice of military service.

“Embrace the adventure and come home safe. We’ll be here waiting for you,” said Sununu.

Col. Nelson Perron, the 157th Air Refueling Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Reiter, the wing command chief, celebrated the years of preparation that brought the wing to the forefront of the KC-46 community.

“This is why you wear this uniform,” said Perron. “You will provide global reach and mobility to what has been called the most volatile security situation of the past half-century. Fly high, stay safe, and always remember you are the finest of our nation’s Airmen.”

Senior Airman Abby Stroup, a 157th Air Refueling Wing KC-46 boom operator, said the deployment will be her first since joining the Air National Guard three years ago. Her sister is a 157th ARW Defender, her father is serving at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, and her mother recently retired from the Maine Air National Guard. All have deployed at various times over her life.

“It’s the first time I’ll be away for the major holidays,” said Stroup. “My parents have, but now I’ll see the opposite side and learn how to stay in touch while I’m over there.”

Despite knowing she’ll miss the upcoming season with friends and family, she looks forward to practicing her craft in an operational role and keeping the crews flying.

“I’m ready to go and I’m super excited,” she said.

157th ARW KC-46 pilot Lt. Col. James Lux will serve as the deployed commander. He said the deployment is a testament to the hard work the team at Pease has put in over the past five years.

“Everything we’ve done was to prepare for this,” he said.

By Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Huffman
157th Air Refueling Wing

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Filed Under: National Guard, News

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Raven Focus Increases Warfighting for Total Army

JULY 28, 2025 — “We are here in support of Raven Focus which is a brigade annual training exercise for the 81st Stryker Brigade, based in Seattle, Washington,” said Lt. Col. Nathan Davis, commander, 1-357th Brigade Support Battalion, Joint Base Lewis-McChord. “For the National Guard and the Army Reserve, their biggest challenge is access to […]

Air National Guard Unveils New Bonus Program

MARCH 11, 2023 – On March 1st, the Air National Guard (ANG) launched a new bonus program to attract and retain personnel in critical specialties. The initiative offers significant financial rewards, with bonuses of up to $90,000 for eligible members, depending on their Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs). This strategic move aims to strengthen the […]

Education Benefits Make Stronger Service Members

APRIL 3, 2025 – Within the armed forces, a variety of educational benefits are available that allow service members to both improve themselves and make themselves more valuable to their service branch. One example is the Military Tuition Assistance Program. The program is available to enlisted personnel, officers and warrant officers in the Army, Navy, […]

Former Soldier Navigates Job Hunt

NOVEMBER 19, 2024 — In early 2017, Michael Quinn endured what he called the worst day in the worst year of his life. Quinn, then a sergeant major and 24-year Army Soldier, had weathered deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. As an Army counter-intelligence agent, he said he learned to operate under grave circumstances […]

Financial Planning for Military Families

JUNE 25, 2025 – Have you ever wondered how military families manage their finances while dealing with deployments, relocations, and changing pay structures? Financial planning is a vital part of life for families who serve. With unique benefits, challenges, and lifestyle changes, military families must make smart financial decisions that protect their future and help […]

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