1
00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,710
- [Taricka] With an
overcast sky in the air,

2
00:00:02,710 --> 00:00:06,430
service members of the
916 Air Refueling Wing

3
00:00:06,430 --> 00:00:09,630
said their farewells to
the KC-135 Stratotanker.

4
00:00:09,630 --> 00:00:12,440
- Thank you for coming out.

5
00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:13,970
- [Taricka] Many of
them began and finished

6
00:00:13,970 --> 00:00:16,243
their Air Force career with this airplane.

7
00:00:18,190 --> 00:00:20,614
- The aircraft, really,
is what would miss.

8
00:00:20,614 --> 00:00:22,840
As a maintainer, I crewed it,

9
00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,833
I was Crew Chief for 14 years on it.

10
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,600
It's easy to work on,
everything was 1950 technology.

11
00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,030
Didn't really, the 404 Crew
Chief, just changed tires,

12
00:00:34,030 --> 00:00:35,580
changed brakes, clean the windshield,

13
00:00:35,580 --> 00:00:37,730
she was good to go for the most part.

14
00:00:37,730 --> 00:00:41,490
- Definitely the deployments
have been fantastic.

15
00:00:41,490 --> 00:00:46,490
Going out there, working with
other branches of service.

16
00:00:47,170 --> 00:00:50,850
I remember one time flying with a crew

17
00:00:50,850 --> 00:00:52,320
that was fantastic.

18
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,670
I think that's the key
takeaway is the people.

19
00:00:55,670 --> 00:00:59,450
- I kind of regret not having finished out

20
00:00:59,450 --> 00:01:02,423
my entire Air Force career on the 135.

21
00:01:03,430 --> 00:01:06,213
It would have been nice to open and close.

22
00:01:07,540 --> 00:01:11,200
- [Taricka] Later this year,
the 916th Air Refueling Wing

23
00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,270
will become the first
reserve wing to receive

24
00:01:14,270 --> 00:01:17,890
the KC-46 Pegasus Refueling aircraft.

25
00:01:17,890 --> 00:01:21,940
- My fondest memory is
still, it never gets old,

26
00:01:21,940 --> 00:01:23,593
is watching the refueling.

27
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,423
Watching the airplanes go
from one side to the other.

28
00:01:29,060 --> 00:01:30,240
- It's a good airplane.

29
00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,170
It's rock solid and the
people we're giving it to

30
00:01:35,170 --> 00:01:37,020
are going to enjoy it.

31
00:01:37,020 --> 00:01:38,990
- [Taricka] Reporting for the 916th,

32
00:01:38,990 --> 00:01:41,090
this is Tech Sergeant Taricka White-Jones.

33
00:01:42,455 --> 00:01:45,668
(air whooshing)

34
00:01:45,668 --> 00:01:50,668
(air whooshing)
(metallic screeching)