185th hosts media day event

Sioux City, IA -- The Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) in Sioux City, Iowa hosted a media day event on June 4, 2015. Journalists from the Sioux City, Iowa area were invited to fly with the unit, while crew members performed a mid-air refueling mission. 

During the mission, Air Force F-16s from Buckley, Colorado met the KC-135 from Sioux City while flying over north central Kansas for a flight that lasted about three hours.

Photographers were given a close up view of the refueling process while lying on their stomachs in the back of the Air Force KC-135 next to boom operator, Chief Master Sgt. Al Mast who is assigned as the "Chief Boom" to the 185th ARW.

"It is a great job, we take it for granted because we get to do it every day, but I can't believe they pay us to do this" said Mast, when talking to journalist about the main mission of the refueling wing.

The pilot for the mission was Wing Commander Col Larry Christensen who also made himself available for interviews as part of the event.
"We are in high demand, both for training and operational missions", said Christensen when talking to media representatives about the need for air refueling.

Christensen talked to reporters about the uniqueness of the National Guard and how air units like the 185th depend heavily on their traditional guard members who typically serve one weekend each month and two weeks each year.

Christensen also talked about other important members of his team, which he said includes employers and family members.

"We wouldn't be able to do what we do without the support of the community where we live," said Christensen.