June 17, 2020

Readiness in a post-COVID world

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — The June 2020 unit training assembly marked the first time the 940th Emergency Management Office conducted chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense training in a post-coronavirus environment.According to Tech. Sgt. Jim R. Stonebarger, a 940th Air Refueling Wing emergency manager, prior to COVID-19, the Air Force Instruction dictated

June 16, 2020

Home stretched, finally home

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — After an additional three months in their deployed location, more than 50 Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 940th Air Refueling Wing finally arrived home. Their boots stepped on to U.S. ground June 14 at their home station, Beale Air Force Base, California.The reservists had been away, in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, since November 2019 and

May 6, 2018

“El Diablo” rises from history

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Adding artwork to the front of an aircraft is a long-standing tradition, stemming back to World War I. From sharp teeth to combat cartoon characters, these paintings became a morale-booster for the troops during the war. The 940th Air Refueling Wing has been bringing the tradition to life again, after being re-designated as a KC-135 Stratotanker

April 30, 2018

“… Nothing worth having comes easily…”

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — After serving more than eight years as an enlisted member of the Air Force Reserve, Vesper M. Yasaharda took off her technical sergeant stripes to begin her journey as an officer. She graduated Air Force Officer Training School March 16, 2018, and pinned on the rank of second lieutenant. “I had always toyed with commissioning from the time I joined

April 12, 2018

“Summer”time starts at the 13th RS

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Summer and Sunshine stood brightly onstage while rain poured outside the Valley Chapel. As Lt. Col. Karyn L. “Sunshine” Christen relinquished command of the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron April 7, Lt. Col. Summer A. Fields stepped up with a smile to fill her shoes. Col. David S. Edwards presided over the squadron’s change of command ceremony. He is

March 30, 2018

“… She never took ‘no’ for an answer…”

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — “Women are often treated differently in both my military and civilian career fields, since they are male-dominated. I’m an equipment operator here, working with heavy machinery, and I’m a geologist on the civilian side. We, as women, have to grow tough skin and show people we can do the work just as well as men can. Doing that has made me not want

March 19, 2018

Reservist earns highest grade in schoolhouse history

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — “School, study, sleep, repeat.”That was the life Senior Airman Brandon J. Fitch said he held himself to during his technical training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. In addition to hundreds of hours in the Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program classroom, he dedicated nearly every other waking minute of his time to reading course materials. His

Feb. 28, 2018

“… Saw it as a way out…”

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Promoting to chief master sergeant was an indescribable moment for Martez D. Banks, 940th Operations Group superintendent. He felt fortunate to accept such a trusted position, however, he never planned to climb so high up the ranks.“It wasn’t a relief,” he said, explaining how pinning on chief was never his goal. “It wasn’t like ‘I’ve

Feb. 14, 2018

Spouses get first-hand look at refueling

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Thirteen husbands and wives of 940th Air Refueling Wing Reserve Citizen Airmen flew on KC-135 Stratotankers to watch air-to-air refueling Feb. 10.    It was the first spouse flight for the 314th Air Refueling Squadron since the wing’s re-designation to the tanker mission in 2016. The tankers, belonging to the 314 ARS at Beale Air Force Base,

Dec. 31, 2017

Same job, different clothes

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — For many reservists, work life does not end when they take off the uniform. Maj. Francis J. Tobias is one of these Airmen. Aside from a change of setting and suit and tie, his profession remains the same."I do the exact same job; I just change clothes," he said. In uniform, Tobias serves as the director of Equal Opportunity for the 940th Air