446th Airlift Wing

2016 Photo Review

446th AW 2016 photo review.

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C-17 patient load exercise at JBLM

A C-17 Globemaster sits on the runway as a patient load exercise is performed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 10. The 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron performed a patient load exercise to practice loading critically wounded members onto the C-17 for evacuation. The ASTS works closely with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron to accomplish the mission of loading patients and caring for them in flight. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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C-17 patient load exercise at JBLM

Members of the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron work to load patients onto a C-17 Globemaster during a monthly patient load exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 10. The 446th ASTS performed a patient load exercise to practice loading critically wounded members onto the C-17 for evacuation. The ASTS works closely with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron to accomplish the mission of loading patients and caring for them in flight. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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C-17 patient load exericse at JBLM

Members of the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron work to load patients onto a C-17 Globemaster during a monthly patient load exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 10. The 446th ASTS performed a patient load exercise to practice loading critically wounded members onto the C-17 for evacuation. The ASTS works closely with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron to accomplish the mission of loading patients and caring for them in flight. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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Operation Deep Freeze MVG OPs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircraft out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, lands on Pegasus Runway in Antarctica during the 2015 Operation Deep Freeze Season. Aircrews from the 446th and 62nd Airlift Wings from JBLM performed night-vision goggle landings during the Austral Winter. (Courtesy photo)

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Public Affairs

Tech. Sgt. Francis Aguon (front), 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, operates a refuel panel while Senior Airman Victor Rodriguez, 446th AMXS aerospace propulsion technician, attaches a pentograph on a C-17 Globemaster III at Naval Station Rota, Spain February 23, 2016. C-17's can hold nearly 250,000 pounds of fuel at full capacity. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Madelyn McCullough)

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Public Affairs

A C-17 Globemaster III rests on the flight line at Naval Station Rota, Spain while being run through an inspection by 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Reservists February 23, 2016. The Reservists were at Rota assisting the 725th Air Mobility Squadron as part of an annual training requirement. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Madelyn McCullough)

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Secretary of Defense JBLM visit

Maj. Beverly Davidson (center), 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, and Tech. Sgt. Kassy Kvam (left), 446th AES flying medical technician, brief Defense Secretary Ash Carter about aeromedical evacuation procedures March 4, 2016 here. Carter spoke of the total force concept at JBLM, and this was just one of the demonstrations, which highlighted the concept. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tim Chacon)

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Tacoma Starlifter 50th Anniversary Celebration

Kelsey Schmidt, Miss Washington 2016, rechristens the C-141 Starlifter, serial number 65-0277, August 6, 2016, at Heritage Hill, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, while Lt. Col. Elizabeth Scott, commander 4th Airlift Squadron, and Sandra Marth Hill, Miss Washington 1966, look on. In honor of the first C-141 arrival at McChord, members of the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings celebrated with museum volunteers, veterans, and community members for the 50th anniversary of the arrival of McChord's first C-141. (Air Force Reserve photo by Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hull)

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Live Fire Training

U.S. Air Force Reserve Firefighters, assigned to the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron, combat interior fires on a mock aircraft May 15, 2016, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Citizen Airmen participated in a two-day exercise consisting of fire suppression, search and rescue, and victim egress training. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott Matthews)

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Rainier Wing participates in Patriot Warrior exercise

A view of a C-17 Globemaster III flight carrying more than 100,000 pounds of equipment and personnel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The aircraft, piloted by an aircrew from the 728th Airlift Squadron, flew the equipment and personnel to Fort McCoy, Wis., for the Patriot Warrior exercise. (Photo by Maj. Brooke Cortez)

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Operation Footprint

Staff Sgt. John Gibson, 446th Civil Engineer Squadron structures technician, cuts a piece of wood to the proper length for a house under construction in Gallup, NM, June 13, 2016. Rainier Wing Citizen Airmen participated in Operation Footprint, a partnership of the Southwest Indian Foundation and the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training program, which provides an avenue for training military members. The two-week training allowed Citizen Airmen to construct homes, which will be given to tribal members of the Navajo Nation who are in need. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hull)

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July 4 “Freedom Fest”

Members of Joint Base Lewis-McChord watch fireworks exploding during the July 4, 2015 celebration.

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Operation Footprint

Citizen Airmen from the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron and Seabee’s from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 22 construct houses in a warehouse in Gallup, NM, June 13, 2016. Reservists and Seabee’s participated in Operation Footprint, a partnership of the Southwest Indian Foundation and the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training program, which provides an avenue for training military members. The two-week training allowed joint service members to build homes, which will be given to tribal members of the Navajo Nation who are in need. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hull)

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Expeditionary exercise trains Security Forces

Two members from the 446th Security Forces Squadron arrive for the expeditionary exercise from a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The expeditionary exercise kicked off over the September Unit Training Assembly and concluded Sept. 11. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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Expeditionary exercise trains Security Forces

A Citizen Airman from the 446th Security Forces Squadron focuses while riding in an armored vehicle during a large-scale Field Training Exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord September 8 - 11th. The exercise challenged SFS members to train in an expeditionary environment and included U.S. Army aviation assets and 446th Airlift Wing medical personnel. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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446 teams up to perform Active Shooter exercise

Recruits from the 446th Development and Training Flight are instructed to go prone during an Active Shooter exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Dec. 3. Among the most vital purposes of the exercise was to validate the efficacy of the Shoot Move Communicate training to include the use of reasonable force. During the exercise Quick Response Forces reacted and had to make split-second decisions about the level of force that was necessary to engage in. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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446 teams up to perform Active Shooter exercise

The 446th Security Forces Squadron trains to enter a building during an Active Shooter exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Dec. 3. Among the most vital purposes of the exercise was to validate the efficacy of the Shoot Move Communicate training to include the use of reasonable force. During the exercise Quick Response Forces reacted and had to make split-second decisions about the level of force that was necessary to engage in. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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Operation Turkey drop a success

Carl Supplee, 446th Airlift Wing Airman and Family Readiness Center director, stands with a representative from the Puget Sound Military Business Alliance in front of all the turkeys that were donated for the annual Turkey Drop. The PMBA partnered with the 446th AW to donate 83 Turkeys as part of an ongoing Thanksgiving food drive effort taking place on the Rainier Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Liddicoet)

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Operation Ham Grenade delivers with a bang

Col. Kirk Peddicord, 446th Airlift Wing Maintenance Group commander carries a box of hams during Operation Ham Grenade. The seventh annual event provides holiday meals to members of the 446th AW. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by David Yost)

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Wing supports community events

A C-17 Globemaster III piloted by members from the 728th Airlift Squadron flies over the University of Washington Husky stadium during their Veterans Day salute to military members Nov. 12. (Photo by Maj. Brooke Davis)

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2016 Year In Photos

Published Jan. 12, 2017
By David L. Yost
446th AW

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McChord, Wash --
The 446th Airlift ‘Rainier’ Wing provides 2,100 combat ready Citizen Airmen to support worldwide airlift operations. From humanitarian aid to aeromedical evacuation, members of the Rainier Wing operate the C-17 Globemaster III in some of the most austere places in the world, including the Antarctic.

These photos taken during 2016 offer a glimpse into what it is like to support those worldwide airlift operations.