Leadership at altitude: Top enlisted service member visits 459th Wing
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, left, observes 756th Air Refueling Squadron pilots during an orientation flight over Ohio, March 19, 2024. The flight offered Black a firsthand experience of the 459th Air Refueling Wing’s mission, emphasizing the importance of aerial refueling operations and facilitating direct engagement with the wing’s Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi)
Leadership at altitude: Top enlisted service member visits 459th Wing
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, left, speaks with military members during a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft orientation flight over Ohio, March 19, 2024. After the flight, Black spoke to 459th Air Refueling Wing Airmen where he offered advice about their professional development and about their role in the Joint Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi)
Leadership at altitude: Top enlisted service member visits 459th Wing
An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft piloted by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Curtis “Chummer" Voltz, with the 180th Fighter Wing, refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 756th Air Refueling Squadron stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Md., March 19, 2024. The mission was part of an orientation flight for the new Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, who spoke with 459th Air Refueling Wing Airmen afterward to increase their understanding of their role in the Joint Force and the importance of preparing as a warfighter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi)
Leadership at altitude: Top enlisted service member visits 459th Wing
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Tyler Detreville, left, 756th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, demonstrates how to use the boom with U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Emily Gavidia, strategic planner to the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, during a flight over Ohio, March 19, 2024. The boom is a telescoping tube used for transferring fuel from a tanker aircraft to a receiver aircraft during flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi)
Leadership at altitude: Top enlisted service member visits 459th Wing
Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are seen through the window of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 756th Air Refueling Squadron stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Md., during a refueling mission over Ohio, March 19, 2024. The mission was part of an orientation flight for the new Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Troy E. Black. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi)
By Airman 1st Class Gianluca Ciccopiedi / Published March 26, 2024
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md.,
The 459th Air Refueling Wing hosted the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, for an air refueling orientation flight, March 19, 2024.
The flight offered Black a firsthand experience of the 459th Air Refueling Wing’s mission, providing a comprehensive view of aerial refueling operations critical to U.S. military efforts. It featured eight F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard, refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Md., underscoring the importance of interoperability and collaboration across different units and geographical locations.
After the flight, Black spoke with Airmen from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, where he offered advice about their professional development, their role in the Joint Force and the importance of preparing as a warfighter.
