blockquote>”Fill ‘er up” is a phrase you may have used many times back in the days of full service gas stations but it’s not very common terminology in the day and age of high prices and self-service everything.

The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants Flight, however, is certainly an organization that still embraces the full-service ethic.

Senior Airman Victoria Drefs, a 376th ELRS POL technician, is one of the many premiere refueling unit operators who takes that “extra mile” ethic to work with her every day.

Airman Drefs is currently deployed from Aviano Air Base in Italy is a native of Armour, S.D. and a three year Air Force veteran. She is the first and likely will be the only technician, of her crew of 37, during this four month rotation to surpass an amazing two million gallons of fuel pumped into the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet here.

This is no small feat even during the summer months when the Manas Air Base fleet is nearly fifty percent larger and the weather conditions are optimal, but it is truly an enormous achievement in the harsh Kyrgyzstan winter on an open and unprotected flight-line.

Victoria reached the two million gallon mark on the day after Christmas and was met by Lt. Gen Gary North, Air Forces Central Commander, at the receiver aircraft to commemorate the occasion with a presentation of one of his commander coins.

The two million gallons of fuel she delivered into 464 aircraft equates to 13,400,000 pounds and would average out to about four or five aircraft a day during her time at Manas, if she never took a day off.

“She’s the epitome of what today’s Airmen can do,” said Master Sgt. Cleven Allen, 376th ELRS fuels superintendent, “She’s every supervisor’s dream come true.”

“I knew I was getting close to the two million gallon mark because they sent us updates,” said Drefs, “but I did not know that Lt. Gen. North would be there until just before I headed to the plane. It was great how it worked out for him to be there.”

Drefs is no stranger to the limelight when only a month prior she was selected as one of only two deployed Air Force members to receive a Thanksgiving Day morale call, from President George W. Bush.

She coyly said “no comment” when asked how passing the 2 million gallon mark and getting coined by North compared to getting a phone call from the President of the United States.

Drefs will redeploy to Italy, but she can look back fondly on her experiences at Manas from her recognition as a top performer to her phone call with the President or just for spending time playing basketball with her friends.

“Although I am ready to go home, I will never forget my memories of Manas,” said Drefs.

DVIDS
By Senior Master Sgt. Patrick J. McCracken
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Like many high school seniors, Megan Schlotthauer wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after graduation. Her grades weren’t the best, and college is expensive.

Searching for a purpose, the 17-year-old decided to explore her options in the Army Reserve.

“I was looking at the community colleges, and thought I would go there,” she said. “Then I was talking to some people I know who are in the Navy Reserve, and some friends who have been in the military, and I thought that’s what I wanted to do.”

She presented the idea to her mother, Lisa Altoon, who wasn’t receptive to the notion of her cheerleader daughter joining the Army.

“I was dead set against it from the beginning,” she said.

Altoon, like many parents, was concerned about the possibility of Megan deploying to a combat zone. That is, until she met her daughter’s recruiter, Army Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Dean of the Fremont, Calif., recruiting station. Dean proved to be a persuasive recruiter.

After learning about the Army Reserve, Altoon, a postal carrier in Fremont, decided that she, too, would become a soldier. Until recently, someone her age with no prior service would have been too old to enlist. Since the Army increased its maximum age to 42 in 2006, however, the door was wide open for the 39-year-old.

Mother and daughter enlisted in the same military occupational specialty — computer information specialist — and were assigned to the same unit, the 351st Civil Affairs Command in Mountain View, Calif.

Though Altoon originally was skeptical about her daughter joining, she said being in the same Reserve unit has its advantages.

“I’m a mom,” she said. “This will give me a chance to protect her and keep an eye on her.”

Altoon began basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., in October, followed by advanced individual training at Fort Gordon, Ga., to train as a computer specialist. Schlotthauer leaves for Fort Jackson in August.

Both soldiers said they’re aware they might be deployed in support of the global war on terrorism, but insist they’ll be ready if that time comes.

“Honestly, if I’m meant to go to Iraq, I’ll go to Iraq,” Schlotthauer said.

Her mother, and now her fellow soldier, agreed. “If it’s meant for me to go, then that’s what’s going to happen,” Altoon said.

DVIDS
By Al Laxamana
Special to American Forces Press Service

Senior Airman Michelle Kendall scans the area while providing ground security for a 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules Nov. 22 at a remote location in Iraq. Airman Kendall is a member of a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Fly Away Security Team. She is deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and her hometown is Houston, Pa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson)

Senior Airman Rosie Munoz scans the area for threats while a 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules unloads cargo Nov. 22 at a remote location in Iraq. Airman Munoz is a member of a 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Fly Away Security Team. She grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and calls El Paso, Texas, home. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson)

Senior Airmen Rosie Munoz (left) and Michelle Kendall exit to provide ground security for a 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules Nov. 22 at a remote location in Iraq. Airmen Munoz and Kendall are Fly Away Security Team members with the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. These Airmen make up the only all-female 332nd ESFS FAST, stationed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Airman Kendall is a native of Houston, Pa. Airman Munoz calls El Paso, Texas, home. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson)

Texas National Guard Soldier Pvt. Simone Garner, originally from Germany, is sworn in as a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony at the Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11, 2008 at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Garner is a parachute rigger with the 294th Quartermaster Company (Airborne) in Austin, Texas. Photo by Jeff Crawley

BALTIMORE, Md. (Nov. 13, 2008) Chief Storekeeper Marie Toffolo cries as she is greeted by her father during her return from a nine-month individual augementee tour in Gardez, Afghanistan. Toffolo served as a mentor to the Afghan National Army. More than 72,000 Sailors have served as individual augementees in the war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Gwen A. Truett