• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

US Military

  • Branches
    • Army
    • Navy
    • Air Force
    • Marine Corps
    • Coast Guard
    • National Guard
    • Air National Guard
    • Find A Recruiter
  • Find A Recruiter
  • Military Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • VA Loans
    • Military Scholarships
    • Military Friendly Colleges
    • Money
  • Jobs
    • Military Pay Chart
    • Veteran Jobs
    • Civilian Jobs
  • VA Loan Rates
  • Military News
    • Top News
    • Benefits
    • Careers
    • Education
    • Featured Columnists
      • Larry Fowler
      • Scott Ostrow
      • Kim Lengling
      • Dr. Sasha Toperich
      • Rick Stewart
  • USM Shop
  • GI Bill
  • VA Loans
  • Military Scholarships
  • Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities in America

One Team: U.S. Marines Help Certify Spanish Pilots

January 4, 2016 By admin

MOR?N AIR BASE, Spain — January 4, 2016 — Refueling MV-22B Ospreys is nothing new for a U.S. Marine KC-130J Hercules crew, but providing almost half a million pounds of fuel to more than 50 Spanish aircraft is not standard.

That?s exactly what the detachment of U.S. Marine KC-130J Hercules with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa achieved in less than six months during their deployment to Mor?n Air Base, Spain.

During these ?sorties?, Spanish pilots earned their NATO aerial refueling certifications, continuing the strong defense relationships between U.S., Spain and other NATO allies.

?We normally provide logistical support, assault landings, expeditionary operations and air-to-air refueling to the Ospreys,? said U.S. Marine Capt. Ryan Gibbons, a pilot with SPMAGTF-CR-AF. ?Refueling Spanish jets provided additional bilateral opportunities for us and Spanish fixed-wing aircraft consisting of E/F-18 Hornets, AV-8 Harriers and EF-2000 Eurofighters.?

Previous detachments have trained with the Spanish pilots, but it was all dry-plug ? no fuel was transferred from the KC-130J Hercules. The current rotation of Marines was the first detachment approved to fuel Spanish aircraft.

?Apart from Spanish pilots receiving their certifications, air-to-air refueling provides our pilots with training and readiness proficiency, not just for tilt-rotor aircraft, but also for fixed wing as well,? said Gibbons, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. ?It is also provides us an opportunity to conduct missions based on pure NATO standards when refueling Spanish aircraft.?

Gibbons, commissioned in 2008, takes great pleasure being a pilot, describing a very independent environment being a flight commander, building relationships and trust with his air crew and exercising leadership, which he says is sometimes difficult being in aviation.

?It?s one of the rare opportunities where you get to take a plane on the road, sometimes thousands miles away, several time zones away from your home station and ultimately, you are the arbiter of all decisions made with the aircrew, the plane, and the mission,? he adds. ?It always keeps you busy and I enjoy a challenge.?

In 2016, the Marines are looking forward to working with the Spanish Air Force and Navy, possibly expanding their refueling capabilities into the Canary Islands as well as supporting future exercises.

The air-to-air refueling missions are great for building rapport with our Spanish allies and we are excited to continue this relationship, said Gibbons.

Filed Under: daniel articles, Marines, Top News

[related_posts_by_tax format="thumbnails" limit_posts="100" image_size="sidebar-thumbnail" public_only="true" posts_per_page="6"]

Primary Sidebar

USMilitary.com Career Guide

Sign up to receive USMilitary.com email updates and to hear what's going on with all military branches!

Featured Columnists

Larry Fowler

Larry Fowler is the publisher of USMilitary.com Network one of America's premier privately owned

Autobiography Compares Christian Living With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).

Scott Ostrow

Lt Col (Dr.) Scott A. Ostrow retired from the Air Force in September 2005 and has been teaching

Must Read: The Truth About The ASVAB Test Prep From The Man Who Wrote The Book

Kim Lengling

Kim Lengling is a Air Force Veteran whose passion is to help support veterans and their

The Moving Wall: Women Who Paid The Ultimate Price For Their Country

Dr. Sasha Toperich

Dr. Sasha Toperich is the Senior Executive Vice President at Transatlantic Leadership

Sarraj’s Dangerous Dance With Power

Rick Stewart

Rick Stewart is a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE)

Announcing American Patriots Unsung Magazine

Nathan B. Nelson

Capt (ret) Nathan B. Nelson is the Director of Military Affairs for the 1st Congressional district

Three Critical Considerations for Every Veteran Prior to Leaving Active Duty

Laquan Daniels

Laquan Daniel is a military recruiting expert with over 17 years of specialized experience in the

Important News For Military Transitioning Veterans

Veteran Buzz

Hire Military Veterans

Which Companies Are Most Likely to Hire Military Veterans?

July 30, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

5 High-Paying Jobs for Military Veterans

July 2, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

High Paying Jobs Not Requiring a Degree

June 28, 2018 By Ben Ehinger

Footer

  • Advertise With Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write For US
  • Link to Us

Recent

  • Autobiography Compares Christian Living With Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S).
  • Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot: To Maintain a Watchful Eye, “Above the Best”
  • Peering Into The Future: NATO 2030 Initiative Announced
  • What Military Branch Sees the Most Combat?
  • From Belarus “With Love”, Yet Again

Search

© Copyright 2021 USMillitary
Web Design by Goebel Media Group


THIS IS A PRIVATE WEBSITE THAT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, U.S. ARMED FORCES, OR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE NOT REVIEWED THIS INFORMATION. THIS SITE IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

​Tips
Discounts
News

​

​

Join the USMilitary.com Newsletter Today!

By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions

x