U.S. Air Force Wildland Fire Branch members perform a controlled burn at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, March 20, 2025. The controlled burn is performed annually at McConnell to maintain the ecosystem. (U.S. Air Force video by Senior Airman Paige Weldon)
McConnell is the original home of the KC-46A Pegasus. The KC-46 took its first flight in 2014, and in 2019, the 373rd Training Squadron’s Detachment 8 began to train crew chiefs on the new airframe. It takes a village of Airmen to raise a young aircraft, and it all starts here.
Jonathan Murphy, 22nd Air Refueling Wing occupational safety manager, won 2024 Air Force Occupational Safety Civilian of the Year.
Murphy’s hard work and innovative efforts set him apart when it came to protecting personnel and assets. His ideas saved the Air Force money and labor over a multitude of exercises and contingencies.
