Maint
enance airmen deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., work hard to keep their B-1B bombers ready to deal with adversaries in the war on terror, according to journalist TSgt. Steven Wilson. Spurring the airmen on is CMSgt. Jim Sanders of Ellsworth’s 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who regularly regales his maintainers with true tales from Army troops aided by B-1Bs. He wants to ensure they “never lose focus of why they’re here [in Southwest Asia].” Sanders also has a personal stake in bringing support to ground forces since his son serves with the 82nd Airborne.
The U.S. continued to move a significant amount of airpower toward the Middle East in recent days as talks to forge a nuclear deal with Iran hung in the balance. Flight tracking data indicate there was unusually heavy movement of dozens of fighter jets and other assets that might be…



