A B-52 Stratofortress is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker manned by members of the 96th and 203rd Air Refueling Squadrons over the Pacific Ocean Dec. 14 as part of the 96th ARS's first operational mission. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander and aircraft commander for the squadron's first operational refueling mission, reviews pre-flight planning documents Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander and aircraft commander for the squadron's first operational refueling mission, reviews pre-flight planning documents Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander and aircraft commander for the squadron's first operational refueling mission, reviews aircraft taxiing routes with members of both the 96th ARS and Iowa Air National Guard Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Capt. Jasmine McCann, 96th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, reviews maintenance documents with KC-135 Stratotanker crew chiefs from the Hawaii Air National Guard Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander and aircraft commander for the squadron's first operational refueling mission (right), and Capt. Jasmine McCann, 96th ARS pilot prepare a KC-135 Stratotanker for flight Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Col. Jeff Morgan, 15th Operations Group commander, observes aircrew members of the 96th Air Refueling Squadron's first operational flight as they prepare for takeoff Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander and aircraft commander for the squadron's first operational refueling mission, completes a pre-flight checklist Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Capt. Jasmine McCann, 96th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, teamed with other 96th ARS aircrew members to conduct the squadron's first operational mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Tech. Sgt. Derek Wheeler, 203rd Air Refueling Squadron boom operator of the Hawaii Air National Guard, teamed with 96th ARS aircrew members to conduct the squadron's first operational mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa ANG as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander (right), and Capt. Jasmine McCann, 96th ARS pilot, approach the Honolulu coastline in a KC-135 Stratotanker to land after completing the squadron's first operation al mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Capt. Clifton Norvell, 96th Air Refueling Squadron medical element, passes the time on the 96th ARS's first operational mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander, opens a bottle of champagne to celebrate with aircrew members after completing the squadron's first operational mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander, pours drinks from a bottle of champagne to celebrate with aircrew members after completing the squadron's first operational mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)

Lt. Col. Brian Hill (center), 96th Air Refueling Squadron commander, toasts to a successfully completed mission Dec. 14 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the squadron's first operational mission, a 96th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker joined a KC-135 from the Iowa Air National Guard as part of a two-ship formation to refuel two B-52 Stratofortresses on the way to Guam.(U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen)