erikpolcrack
US Veteran
Can anybody share the full story on what she did/went through? I've searched the net and come up with very little. Got to be a great story. Good on her!
USAF Tanker Boom Operator Gets TWO DFCs!
- Thread starter erikpolcrack
- Start date
Did a search using the title of your OP. This what I found, per what is stated no further details will be given to maintain operational security. Hope this helps somewhat?
KC-135 Crews Receive Distinguished Flying Crosses for Combat Missions
April 6, 2026 | By Todd SouthSHARE ARTICLE
More than a dozen Airmen with the 92nd Air Refueling Wing received decorations for “flying complex and dangerous missions in contested airspace,” the Washington-based unit announced April 1.
The wing’s release did not identify specific details of missions or award narratives, and a spokesperson declined to comment further to Air & Space Forces Magazine, citing operational security concerns.
However, all 12 Airmen who received the Distinguished Service Cross were KC-135 Stratotanker pilots or boom operators. The DFC recognizes acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement in the air and is the military’s fourth-highest award for heroism, separate from distinguished service medals.
Staff Sgt. Gabrielle Stallings in particular was recognized with two DFCs. Another three Airmen received Bronze Star Medals.
The 15 Airmen were honored in a ceremony March 31 for providing critical refueling that enabled other Air Force aircraft to continue their mission and return home safely, according to the wing release.
“These historic missions were fraught with peril and required decisive reactions to dynamic operational environments,” said Maj. Gen. Charles Bolton, 18th Air Force commander. “The way they choose to respond, the way they adapt and work together—that’s what we’re highlighting today.”
U.S. Air Force combat operations have focused on the Middle East in recent years, and the KC-135 fleet has played a key role in that fight—leading to more decorations for the Airmen who operate the tankers.
THE PILGRIM
Member
The tankers have been vital to our air operations for so many years.
They extend our range and allow to go places and hit targets that we could not otherwise reach .
The Tankers are so reliable that we often tend to take them for granted.
When you’re planning an operation, You worry about the defenses, timing, coordination, weather and other factors.
But you seldom worry about the tankers, you just know they will be where they’re supposed to be when you need them.
And if you have had the privilege of laying alongside a KC-135 Boomer during a refueling, I certainly hope it look like magic to you because it always looked that way to me.
And I have seen it done a number of times.
They extend our range and allow to go places and hit targets that we could not otherwise reach .
The Tankers are so reliable that we often tend to take them for granted.
When you’re planning an operation, You worry about the defenses, timing, coordination, weather and other factors.
But you seldom worry about the tankers, you just know they will be where they’re supposed to be when you need them.
And if you have had the privilege of laying alongside a KC-135 Boomer during a refueling, I certainly hope it look like magic to you because it always looked that way to me.
And I have seen it done a number of times.
