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Pumping gas - a worthwhile pastime

By Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs / Published February 26, 2010

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TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Pumping gas may not be the "glamorous" career most boys or girls dream of having, but 376th Air Expeditionary Wing petroleum, oil and lubricants specialists are heroes behind the scenes - the key difference between success and failure for the troops in Afghanistan.

They've had an unquestionable success recently, as they broke their own record Feb. 18 by pumping 544,758 gallons of jet fuel in a 24-hour period. The standing record was one the previous flight set Oct. 8, 2009: 501,662 gallons in 24 hours.

"It feels really good to know we're helping from the background," said Airman 1st Class Jason Rayner, a Houston, Texas, native who personally pumped 43,744 gallons Feb. 18. He joined the Air Force to support the men and women who are fighting this war, and isn't ready to stop any time soon.

"We can do more," Senior Master Sgt. Henry Ellis said confidently. He is the 376th ELRS fuels manager, deployed from Yokota Air Base, Japan. "This is just another milestone. It proves we're busy, it proves we're doing good things and supporting the troops - but we're looking to break another record as other troops and rotators come through."

His guesstimate is that in the next month they will pump more than 600,000 gallons.

This gasoline supports one of the main missions of the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, air refueling. Flying 24/7 over Afghanistan, providing fuel to coalition aircraft which in turn protect troops on the ground, the KC-135s are a force multiplier strategically stationed here. But without Airmen working around the clock to get the fuel to the tankers, the mission would come to a screeching halt.

"I feel I could do more," Airman Rayner agreed.

Deployed from Altus Air Force Base, Okla., he knows the importance of his mission here.

"They call this place the 'gateway' to Afghanistan," he said. He works what he calls "crazy hours" - 12 hours a day, six days a week at least - but knows that the work load will only increase as the number of troops in Afghanistan increases. Still, this deployment is a good one for him.

"It's a lot better than I envisioned," Airman Rayner said. What he's doing is vitally important to Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors.