Team Fairchild provides presidential support Published June 3, 2008 By Senior Airman Jocelyn A. Ford 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The call comes in, and this is real, support is needed for Presidential support over Eastern Europe. The 92nd Air Refueling Wing was tasked as the lead unit and they were up for the challenge. Within 48 hours of receiving the task six jets and 11 crews had arrived to provide the needed support. Maj. Greg Hankins of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing worked as the detachment commander. Tankers, maintenance crews and aircrews gathered from all active-duty and one reserve KC-135 bases. Major Hankins had 122 servicemembers working with him from various career fields. They came together on a base that had not been used since the Kosovo war, and had only been used by the Air Force twice before. This mission was unique in that there were two controlling agencies, due to two simultaneous operations taking place. The total deployment was approximately two weeks long, and consisted of standing up a bare-bones base and providing support for Operations NOBLE ENDEAVOR and SPRING GUARDIAN. More than 20 Fairchild Airmen deployed on this mission. They provided continual 24-hour coverage. There was no time off, and all worked 12-15 hour days. "We have received many great praises from all the way up the chain," said Major Hankins. "It was because everyone worked so hard as a team to meet continuously changing mission requirements." The mission was successful. Sixteen sorties offloaded a total of one million pounds of fuel to 58 planes. The achievement "comes from everyone working together," said Major Hankins.