"As a firefighter I’m part of the mission, but this experience gave me the opportunity to see how we as first responders tie into the refueling mission. "I realised I’m one small cog among many others in one large machine, and I was able to see it all work together.” David Ives during a training exercise at RAF Mildenhall in 2013 - Credit: Gina Randall/USAF The giant KC-135 aircraft is USAF's core refuelling capability, and provides support to allied forces across the world. Colonel Troy Pananon, USAF commander of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, said experiences such as these help to build cohesion between teams, and show firefighters the imperative role they play at the base.