More than 50 members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., earlier this month partnered with airmen of the Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing from Moffett Field, Calif., during Exercise Soaring Angel. These airmen helped open up a simulated forward operating base during a Middle East crisis as part of the nine-day exercise at the Army Combat Support Training Center at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., that concluded on Oct. 17. “The main goal of this exercise was to integrate with our partners to get significant training close to home at a reduced cost,” said MSgt. Paul Spear of the 573rd Global Support Squadron in the 621st CRW’s Oct. 17 release. The Travis airmen got hands-on training in command and control, ramp coordination, aerial port activities, and security operations, states the release. For the Moffett airmen, the exercise was valuable practice for deployments early next year to the Horn of Africa and southeast Asia, said Lt. Col. Andrew Ferguson, 129th RQW plans officer. (Fort Hunter Liggett report by MSgt. Stan Parker)
Loved Ones Mourn 6 Airmen Killed in KC-135 Crash
March 16, 2026
Tributes to the six crew members that died in the KC-135 Stratotanker crash in Iraq have flooded social media since the Pentagon released their identities March 14. They were the first Airmen to die while supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran.