Photo By Senior Airman Zachary Foster | A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing departs MacDill Air Force...... read more read more
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Behind every KC-135 Stratotanker sortie launched by the 6th Air Refueling Wing is a small but vital team assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. These Airmen collect, interpret, and communicate critical flight information - keeping the flight mission-ready and the wing’s operations running smoothly.
This team is made up of Airmen with backgrounds from across multiple maintenance career fields, including crew chiefs, avionics technicians and other KC-135 specialists. Together, they provide the wing—and Air Mobility Command as a whole—with reliable data drawn directly from mobility aircrew.
Despite maintaining 24/7 operations, gathering and interpreting this information is no small task. Acting as translators, debrief Airmen bridge communication between aircrews and maintenance units, ensuring technical details are clearly understood and properly addressed.
“In some cases, we have to contact multiple shops to track down who is responsible for the repair,” said Senior Airman Michael Kosmala, 6th AMXS debrief specialist. “For example, hydraulics and aircraft repair typically have jobs that overlap, and it’s our responsibility to interpret what the aircrew is saying and communicate it to the right team.”
Prioritizing the Mission
In addition to routing maintenance information, the team categorizes each issue by priority level:
- Code 1: No discrepancies - aircraft is fully mission-ready
- Code 2: Minor issues that do not impact mission capability
- Code 3: Major faults that require immediate maintenance
With an ever-changing rotation of aviators, the ability to accurately identify problems and coordinate responses is critical. The team’s varied backgrounds allow them to draw on a broad range of expertise, enabling them to resolve most issues without needing outside consultation.
“My background as an avionics technician gives me more insight into some of the unique issues we face with the KC-135,” said Senior Airman Jennings Williford, 6th AMXS debrief specialist. “Oftentimes, the small details mentioned in passing turn out to be the most important clues.”
Their mission extends far beyond MacDill. Whether at home station or deployed, debrief specialists ensure maintenance data is tracked, reported, and communicated accurately—keeping the aircraft and the mission on schedule.
A recent example took place during Operation Midnight Hammer, where Kosmala served as the sole debrief specialist supporting multiple agencies participating in the exercise.
While initially tasked to assist only MacDill aircrews, he quickly adapted as more aircraft and personnel arrived.
“When I got out there, I had no office, no infrastructure, and no one to help with coverage—and that got pretty difficult when more aircraft came to support,” said Kosmala. “By the end, I’d worked with other maintenance crews to secure a workspace, create a tracking system, and build a coverage schedule that extended late into the night.”
To maintain operations, Kosmala trained multiple Air National Guard noncommissioned officers to provide continuous coverage during his rest hours. Their combined efforts ensured every aircraft participating in the operation remained mission-ready.
“Supporting exercises and doing these daily operations can get tedious,” said Kosmala. “But supporting something of this scale takes the fundamentals we practice every day. To see that hard work pays off in such a big way is just incredible. We did that - we made that happen.”
Whether at MacDill or forward deployed, the debrief team represents the backbone of the 6th ARW’s maintenance operations: fueling global reach through precision, teamwork and a relentless commitment to excellence.
Their efforts ensure the KC-135 Stratotanker remains ready to deliver airpower anytime, anywhere in the world.
| Date Taken: | 12.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2025 14:19 |
| Story ID: | 553401 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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