U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Elisaul Penafiel Alvarez, a boom operator assigned to the 756th Air Refueling Squadron, checks KC-135 Stratotanker instruments during a refueling mission, April 22, 2025. Boom operators are responsible for safely delivering fuel to a wide range of U.S. and allied aircraft mid-flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Gianluca Ciccopiedi)