Face of Defense: Boom Operator Rises to Challenge

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Danielle Conde
6th Air Mobility Wing

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Nov. 19, 2014 - During a late-night flight over Afghanistan, then-Air Force Airman 1st Class Crystal Cash steadied her hand and readied herself to carry out what she had been training to do for the past year, preparing to refuel a B-1 Lancer in inclement weather during her first solo flight as a boom operator.

Air Force Senior Airman Crystal Cash refuels a 125th Fighter Wing F-15 Eagle on the way to exercise Vigilant Shield 15, Oct. 20, 2014, near MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Cash is a 91st Air Refueling Squadron boom operator at MacDill. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brandon Shapiro  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

With nerves pushed aside and the support of her KC-135 Stratotanker pilots, Cash was able to successfully refuel the bomber, allowing its crew to continue its mission with a full tank. At the age of 19, Cash said, she never thought she would be trusted with so much responsibility.

Now, two years later, Cash is a senior airman assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron here.

Aspiring Boom Operators Should Prepare to Study

"I would advise people aspiring to be a boom operator to prepare to spend a lot of time studying," said Cash, who added that boom operators must be able to recall the rules and regulations and fully understand the aircraft inside and out. Even the smallest error, she explained, could cost the Air Force money and, potentially, someone's life.

Air refueling is vital to Air Force air operations, because it allows military aircraft to fly anywhere in the world nonstop, within hours. Without refueling, the mission could not be accomplished as efficiently.

In the short time Cash has been in the Air Force, she has logged more than 700 flying hours in the KC-135 Stratotanker, refueling various aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor, B-52 Stratofortress, C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III.

"Senior Airman Cash has excelled in all duties since she has joined the Air Force," said Air Force Master Sgt. Benjamin Cobb, the operations superintendent for the 6th Operations Group.

Contributed to Airstrikes on Deployments

Cobb pointed out that Cash's role as a ground scheduler has helped to ensure that all squadron members received the upgrade training they need to be fully mission-capable, and that her direct actions on multiple deployments contributed to the airstrikes against terrorist cells in Afghanistan and against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

"I am grateful for all the experiences I have had so far in the Air Force," Cash said. "I would never wish that things happened differently."

Her goals include being accepted into an Air Force ROTC program and to continue pursuing her bachelor's degree in biology, Cash said.

"If I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to be commissioned as an officer in the Air Force, I would like to come back as a flight nurse," she added. "That way, I could continue to fly while working in the medical field."