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Two deployed KC-10 pilots find more in common than flying combat air refueling missions

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  They are both deployed to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and they both fly the KC-10 Extender. But the similarities don't stop there. They are both from the same county -- Rowan County -- in North Carolina.

Both Maj. June Cruse, 908th EARS operations officer, and Capt. Nate St. Louis, 908th EARS assistant operations officer, are also graduates of the Air Force Academy yet neither knew any of this information about each other until they were deployed to Southwest Asia.

Captain St. Louis, who is deployed from the 2nd Air Refueling Squadron at JB MDL, described how the chance meeting took place. "I think I was talking to defending North Carolina barbecue and Major Cruse chimed in," he said.

"I heard 'North Carolina' and I said, 'Who said North Carolina?'" said Major Cruse, who is deployed from JB MDL's 32nd Air Refueling Squadron.

Within a short time, they both figured out they grew up in the same hometown area in towns that are "about four miles apart." Captain St. Louis is from China Grove, N.C., while Major Cruse is from Salisbury, N.C.

"It's just so crazy to think that here are two people from the same hometown area who are here doing the same thing together at a deployed base," Major Cruse said.

What's not crazy is both are supporting an important mission for operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa through air refueling in the KC-10. For example, in 2009, KC-10s from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and the 908th EARS flew 4,760 combat sorties off-loading more than 422 million pounds of fuel to more than 31,000 aircraft. In the same year, the KC-10s and their crews accumulated more than 40,000 hours of flight time.

"There are very few people in the world that can say, without lying, that they love their job," Captain St. Louis said. "I'm fortunate enough to be one of them. Being deployed is one of the more rewarding parts of this job. Off-loading fuel to coalition aircraft that are supporting troops on the ground and knowing that my actions are saving American lives definitely gives me a sense of pride."

As the director of operations, Major Cruse coordinates with the Combined Air Operations Center at another Southwest Asia location as well as with the 380th Expeditionary Mission Support and Maintenance Groups to ensure safe execution and timely response for daily KC-10 operations. She also oversees the well-being and preparedness of 120-plus crewmembers and readiness of the squadron supporting contingency operations.

With Captain St. Louis, as assistant director of operations, he works directly with deployed crewmembers to ensure they have all the information necessary to fly their missions. He ensures squadron is ready for 100 percent of higher headquarter-directed taskings and he coordinates with the Combined Air Operations Center to ensure time critical information is passed to airborne crews.

"The job we do here, for both of us, is without a doubt essential to the success of the mission," Major Cruse said. "Managing crews to ensure smooth, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week ops is a full time job. Once airborne, pilots have very limited resources. We're here on the ground checking everything from weather to diplomatic clearances and funneling that back into the air."

On their deployment, Major Cruse said the word of them being in Southwest Asia together trickled its way back to their North Carolina communities.

"My family called his family just to let each other know that if either of us needed anything to contact one another," Major Cruse said. "It's just one of those small town things - people taking care of people."

Major Cruse added that her success in the military is because of where she comes from. "I want my teachers to know how influential they were in my success in the Air Force," she said. "My sister is a fourth grade teacher in Gaston county schools, and I hope to reiterate to her, too, how important her job is. I can still name all of my teachers, from kindergarten on.

"I mention my teachers because when you live in a small town like we have, you don't really think how far people can go or the things they can do," Major Cruse said. "The fact that both Captain St. Louis and I are over here and we're doing this is kind of a testament of who we grew up with in our families, our friends and our communities."

Captain St. Louis added, "Ditto!"

The 380th AEW is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.