Pit Crews
The skin of the aircraft would reach 172 degrees, so we bought NASCAR mechanics' gloves.
     — Lt. Col. Bryan Walkup

Powder Sand
It is amazing the places sand can get into on an airplane. The sand is very fine, like talcum powder.
     — TSgt. C.M. Madden

Thursday Night Bingo
Thursday night bingo was huge at our base in Qatar. Big Time Bingo they called it. The prize money would get up to $700. I won a DVD player. I plugged it into the galley of our C-130. Some kind of funky power surge through the airplane damaged it. I have to tap on it to get it to work now.
     — Lt. Nate Kazek

Golden Arches
We could see a McDonald's at the end of the runway outside the fence. We were restricted to base and had to eat MREs and battle rations. If the wind was right, we could almost smell the fries. Seeing those golden arches that were just out of reach was painful.
     — TSgt. Brett Allen

U-2 Food Tubes
We can eat a variety of tube food through a little port in our helmets. I'm partial to sloppy joe and chicken a la king. The chocolate pudding is caffeinated. We have a super-caffeinated version that raises our attention level before a critical phase of the flight.
     — Lt. Col. Troy DeVine

410th Air Expeditionary Wing
The 410th AEW operated from two bare-base locations. Fighting alongside their fully integrated special operations ground task forces, the 410 AEW's pilots, flying F-16 and A-10 aircraft, pursued enemy equipment, personnel, and high-value targets, including regime leadership. In total, the wing flew 9,651 fighter and attack hours in twenty-six days flying counter-tactical ballistic-missile missions and never left the special operations forces in western Iraq without air cover. Often flying in extremely hazardous conditions in and around Iraq, the wing's crews generated 2,547 sorties, providing around-the-clock, time-sensitive targeting, interdiction, OCA, CAS, ISR, and CSAR missions deep within enemy territory. These missions were flown from bare bases with little supporting infrastructure and necessary logistics. The wing accurately employed more than 600 precision-guided munitions and expended a total of 800,000 pounds of weapons. In addition to eliminating TBM support equipment, the wing is credited with destroying aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery pieces, surfacetoair missile systems, ammunition supply dumps, radars, and enemy troops. The wing is also credited with the destruction of two Baath Party headquarters buildings in western and central Iraq. Although the wing was engaged in more than 200 troopsincontact scenarios, there were no fratricide events. During OIF, 410th personnel supplied thirty F16s, four HH60s, four HC130s, eight RAF GR.7 Harriers, and two PR.9 Canberras with 130,000 gallons of fuel per day for twenty-three days.