Home > News > Photos

Photos

Keyword: Category: Tag: Sort By:
The tails of the three newest 932nd Airlift Wing distinguished visitor airplanes stand out during an early morning in Illinois. In addition to the maintainers on the ground and the pilots who fly the aircraft, it takes a special person to make in flight service for high-level passengers -- to include the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the First Lady of the United States, the secretary of State, secretary of the Interior, the CIA director and the speaker of the House, just to name a few -- the top priority at 28,000 feet while also juggling many other duties. Tech Sgt. Tom Otten is one of those special flight attendants. "I love being a flight attendant because it gives me the opportunity to truly live the motto of service before self," Sergeant Otten said. "Our entire job revolves around putting others first and caring for their needs above our own. The amount of planning, flexibility and hard work that it takes to fly a mission is something that I find very challenging and very rewarding."


Tails of glory...932nd Airlift Wing has three C-40C planes

The tails of the three newest 932nd Airlift Wing distinguished visitor airplanes stand out during an early morning in Illinois. In addition to the maintainers on the ground and the pilots who fly the aircraft, it takes a special person to make in flight service for high-level passengers -- to include the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the First Lady of the United States, the secretary of State, secretary of the Interior, the CIA director and the speaker of the House, just to name a few -- the top priority at 28,000 feet while also juggling many other duties. Tech Sgt. Tom Otten is one of those special flight attendants. "I love being a flight attendant because it gives me the opportunity to truly live the motto of service before self," Sergeant Otten said. "Our entire job revolves around putting others first and caring for their needs above our own. The amount of planning, flexibility and hard work that it takes to fly a mission is something that I find very challenging and very rewarding."

Related Imagery
Executing the mission: The 932nd Airlift Wing's Maintenance Group (MXG), is responsible for leading people who are always training and equipping to inspect, maintain and repair Air Force Reserve Command C-40C planes at Scott Air Force Base. The 932nd MXG's management of resources improves the wing's professionalism and enables the 932nd Operations Group's C-40C aircraft to fly distinguished visitor (DV) airlift around the world, anywhere they are needed by the nation's leaders. Here, several maintainers make last minute checks on the plane before it leaves on a cold winter day, January 18, 2018. The Illinois unit, which is part of 22nd Air Force, under Air Force Reserve Command, flies four of the C-40C planes worldwide. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)
On a cold and blustery winter day, 932nd Maintenance Group personnel were out bringing in planes from various missions. Here, bundled up with gloves and safety gear, Tech Sgt. Anthony Fritz, a flying crew chief, directs a C-40C plane to the proper parking spot Jan. 16, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The 932nd Airlift Wing is the only Air Force Reserve Command wing flying the unique C-40 mission, and maintainers take precise care of four of these airplanes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien
A 932nd Airlift Wing C-40C aircraft takes off on a training flight Jan. 9, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The unit is responsible for maintaining and flying four of the distinguished visitor airlift planes worldwide. The 932nd Airlift Wing is a 22nd Air Force unit, based in southern Illinois near the towns of Belleville, Mascoutah, and Shiloh. The 932nd Airlift Wing is the only reserve unit flying this unique mission under Air Force Reserve Command. Other major areas supporting the reserve unit are the 932nd Mission Support Group, 932nd Medical Group and the 932nd Maintenance Group. Citizen Airmen come from more than 30 states during 932nd Unit Training Assembly (UTA) weekends to be part of the team (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)
The winter temperatures dipped down to a frigid eight degrees recently as Tech. Sgt. Paul Carissimo, 932nd Maintenance Group, prepares to top off the engine oil level on a 932nd Airlift Wing C-40C aircraft. He and other maintainers checked the plane over after it returned from a flight Jan. 16, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The C-40C plane is used to transport distinguished visitors worldwide. Carrisimo is a flying crew chief for the 932nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command unit flying four of the C-40C planes as part of 22nd Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Members of the 932nd MXS earn a rare black letter event for their dedication to the mission.
Aircraft commander, Lt. Col. Mike Louer, Chief of Safety for the 932nd Airlift Wing, lifts off the C-40 aircraft and disappears into the clouds upon departure on a training flight Jan. 9, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The unit is responsible for maintaining and flying four of the distinguished visitor airlift planes worldwide, sometimes on short notice. Aboard to observe his Airmen at work was Maj. Gen. Craig La Fave, who is Commander, 22nd Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. Twenty-Second Air Force has command supervision of the Reserve’s tactical air mobility operations and other vital mission sets to include distinguished visitor airlift, undergraduate pilot training, flight test operations and a highly mobile civil engineering response force. The 932nd Airlift Wing is a 22nd Air Force unit, based in Illinois near the towns of Belleville, Mascoutah, and Shiloh, Ill. The 932nd Airlift Wing is the only reserve unit flying this unique mission under Air Force Reserve Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)
Aircraft commander, Lt. Col. Mike Louer, Chief of Safety for the 932nd Airlift Wing, engages full throttle as he takes off on a flight Dec. 1, 2017, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The unit is responsible for maintaining and flying four of the distinguished visitor airlift planes worldwide, sometimes on short notice. The 932nd AW is a 22nd Air Force unit based in Illinois near Belleville and Shiloh. The 932nd Airlift Wing is the only reserve unit flying this unique mission under Air Force Reserve Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)