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McConnell captain pilots KC-135 for U.S. Central Command combat air refueling missions

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Capt. Adam Kornitzer is a KC-135R Stratotanker pilot assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia.

Captain Kornitzer is deployed from the 384th Air Refueling Squadron, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

According to his official Air Force job description as a tanker pilot, Captain Kornitzer pilots tanker aircraft and commands crews to accomplish air refueling, airlift, training and other missions. He plans and prepares for missions, reviews mission tasking, intelligence and weather information, and supervises mission planning, preparation and filing of flight plans and crew briefings.

The job description also states that tanker pilots like Captain Kornitzer ensure aircraft are pre-flighted, inspected, loaded, equipped and manned for missions. In addition to piloting the aircraft and commanding the crew, he operates aircraft controls and equipment and performs, supervises, or "directs navigation, in-flight refueling and weapons delivery."

Furthermore, Captain Kornitzer conducts and supervises training of crewmembers, ensures the operational readiness of the crew by conducting or supervising mission specific training, and develops plans and policies, monitors operations, and advises commanders. He also assists commanders and performs staff functions related tanker pilot duties.

Every time he flies the KC-135, the job description also shows that he must maintain mandatory job knowledge in the theory of flight, air navigation, meteorology, flying directives, aircraft operating procedures and mission tactics. Supporting the war effort, he said, reminds him of how everything got started for him.

According to statistics from the Combined Air Operation Center in Southwest Asia, coalition tankers have flown greater than 6,000 sorties, offloaded greater than 400 million pounds of fuel and refueled nearly 33,000 aircraft as of June 30, 2010.

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is one of the "largest, most diverse" expeditionary wings in the Air Force, providing combat airpower and support for the Global War on Terrorism in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and through support of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, according to the 379th AEW's Web site. The wing and its associate units operate more than 100 aircraft, making the base a large hub for humanitarian airlift activity while providing mission-essential combat power, aeromedical evacuation and intelligence support for three theaters of operations.

(Staff Sgt. Andy M. Kin, Air Forces Central, contributed to this story)