Civil Air Patrol cadets fly on tanker mission

  • Published
  • By Maj. Mary Anne Fleagle
  • NC Civil Air Patrol
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Twenty-four North Carolina Wing cadets and senior members were treated to an orientation flight aboard a KC-135R Stratotanker in late July.

 The flight originated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and was provided by the 916th Air Refueling Wing, Air Force Reserve.

After a briefing by Col. Caroline Evernham, 916th Operation Group commander, and Master Sgt. Mark McElmurry, boom operator instructor,  cadets and seniors were bussed to the flight line where they boarded the KC-135. 

Taxiing to the runway, the KC-135 was preceded by a flight of six F-15E Strike Eagles, which would be the receivers of the fuel. In the cockpit of the tanker were
pilot Capt. Ashley Cowan, and co-pilot 2nd Lt. Quentin Mueller, a member of Goldsboro Civil Air Patrol NC-126. 

The two and a half hour flight, cruising at 23,000 feet, traversed eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks. Cadets and seniors observed the refueling from two pallets flanking the fuel boom operator, Tech. Sgt Steve Stanton.

Sgt. Stanton pointed out that most of the crew are Air Force reservists; their civilian jobs range from urban forestry to process engineering. 

The orientation flight was arranged by Civil Air Patrol Senior Member George Wolfe and Capt. Chris Melcher, with assistance from 916th  ARW Public Affairs Assistant Donna Lea.