KC-10, C-17 commemorate JB MDL milestones Published Oct. 22, 2014 By Lt. Col. Kimberly Lalley 514th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The Freedom Wing and the Can-Do Wing, along with honorary commanders and special guests, commemorated the 20th and 10th year anniversaries of the basing of KC-10 Extender and C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Oct. 9, 2014. The Honorable Jim Saxton, former U.S. congressman and guest speaker, recalled when he was a newly elected representative and made his first visit to what was then McGuire Air Force Base. He remembered the C-17 before it was here and was at the ceremony welcoming the C-17 Spirit of New Jersey to the base. He acknowledged it as the "revolutionary aircraft of their time." Chief Master Sgt. William Gross, 714th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and master of ceremonies, was on board the first KC-10 that landed here 20 years ago. It's the same aircraft that was used as a static display for the ceremony. He was the primary crew chief for 10 years, from 1987 to 1997. He said he has fond memories flying all over the world to include Germany for the fall of the Berlin Wall, to Hawaii for the 50th anniversary of World War II and to Russia for the 15th anniversary of the Cold War. Gross stated the aircraft holds a very special place in his heart and he thanked "all the thousands of maintenance professionals that have kept her and the rest of the KC-10 fleet flying safely and effectively ... without your dedication, professionalism and skills, we would not be standing here today." Congressman Jon Runyan, who was not able to attend, sent a letter of support saluting the Airmen and civilians who work together to ensure the C-17s and KC-10s are able to fulfill their critical air mobility mission. Whether they are aircrew members from the Air Force Reserve and active-duty Air Force who fly the aircraft, or those responsible for working to load, launch, recover and fix them, all members of the team are vital to mission readiness. The mission of the KC-10 here is to continually sustain a trans-Atlantic refueling bridge, which speeds along the movement of aircraft to Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. Overseas, the KC-10 refuels aircraft fighting terrorist cells, and is also executing an aeromedical mission around the world. Col. Michael J. Underkofler, 514th Air Mobility Wing commander, provided a history lesson of "Big Sexy," which cruises at 520 knots at 38,000 feet. "From the first day the aircraft were assigned here in 1994, the Freedom and Can-Do wings have flown, maintained, and supported the aircraft together, side by side," he said. "It started with Operation Uphold Democracy, the effort to remove a repressive regime in Haiti, and continued with combat operations in the Balkans and Southwest Asia." He continued by describing the day of 9/11, when two McGuire KC-10 aircraft took off at 9:02 a.m. for a local training mission but were soon directed to hook up with F-15 Eagle fighter jets from Langley. Later, the KC-10s established an orbit over Washington and were vital to refueling command and control, and fighter aircraft that directed operations along the eastern seaboard. During the aircraft's history here, almost 600,000 hours have been flown by the two wings. More than three billion pounds of gas, roughly 500 million gallons, have been offloaded safely. Col. John Price, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, commemorated the C-17, which was first built twenty-three years ago but came to McGuire Sept. 24, 2004. Wing commanders from the Freedom and Can Do wings flew the aircraft together from Long Beach, Calif., to McGuire. Missions performed by the C-17 routinely deliver vitally-important supplies and personnel for combat, routine and humanitarian missions around the world, and also supports the global movement of the president and the vice president of the U.S. The C-17 aeromedical evacuation mission transporting injured Americans for decisive medical care is crucial. Flying between continents and landing on austere fields the aircraft is a true revolution, crossing oceans and delivering goods on a short dirt strip. The novelty and the capability of the $202 million aircraft has not lost its luster with it novelty and capability. The 6th Airlift Squadron Bully Beef Express and 732d Airlift Squadron Rams constant velocity ensures rapid global mobility, he said. The 514th and 305th Air Mobility wings worked jointly from the day these mission-critical aircraft arrived and continue to fuel the fight and deliver hope around the world.