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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller and Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilots, pose for a photo with Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a 77 ARS boom operator, on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. This marks the final flight they will complete on a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-0035

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, a 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, completes pre-flight checks on a KC-135 Stratotanker on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. Smarsh has been working with the KC-135 for 32 years. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-0042

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller a pilot with the 77th Air Refueling Squadron, helps load a KC-135 Stratotanker on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. Miller has been working with the KC-135 for 20 years. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-0122

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller and Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilots, complete pre-flight checks in the cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. This marks the final flight Smarsh and Miller will complete on a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-0165

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a 77 ARS boom operator, secures loose cargo on a KC-135 Stratotanker before takeoff from the flightline on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. This marks the final flight Greer will complete on a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-0186

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a 77 ARS boom operator, opens the boom window on a KC-135 Stratotanker before takeoff from the flightline on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. Opening the boom window is part of a boom operator’s pre-flight checks on a KC-135. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-2048

A KC-135 Stratotanker taxis on the flightline on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. Three out of the five aircrew members onboard have just completed their final flight on a KC-135 prior to leaving for training on the KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-2105

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, a 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, jumps back from water and champagne being thrown on him on the flightline on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. Tech. Sgt. Cody Beverly, a 77 ARS boom operator, captures the moment on his camera phone. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-2134

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller is sprayed with champagne by his wife of 31 years, Connie Miller on the flightline on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. This marks the final flight Miller will complete on a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-2229

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller and Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilots, along with Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a 77 ARS boom operator, greet friends, family, and peers on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. All were there to congratulate Smarsh, Miller, and Greer on their final flight in a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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191205-F-AU266-2251

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Doug Miller and Lt. Col. Joe Smarsh, 77th Air Refueling Squadron pilots, along with Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a 77 ARS boom operator, pose with Col. Stephen “Steve” Lanier, the incoming 916th Air Refueling Wing Commander on the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Dec. 5, 2019. This marks the final flight they will complete on a KC-135 Stratotanker before being trained on a KC-46 Pegasus. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight)

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Bye-Bye KC-135 Stratotanker, Hello KC-46 Pegasus

Published Dec. 10, 2019
By Staff Sgt. Mary McKnight
916th Air Refueling Wing

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --

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