Altus Air Force Base, Okla. -- McConnell Air Force Base civic leaders, along with 22nd Air Refueling Wing leadership, toured Altus AFB on Sept. 16, 2025.
Civic leaders are prominent community members who serve as a civilian liaison between the Air Force and local community, providing valuable external perspectives, feedback, and advice to military leaders.
During the tour, civic leaders met with instructors, were given an up close look inside a C-17, and learned about the base’s impact on global mobility.
"This visit is crucial for solidifying the bond between McConnell and Altus," said Col. Joe Wall, 22nd Air Refueling Wing commander. "Seeing firsthand the exceptional training that Altus provides our future KC-46 and KC-135 aircrew reinforces the importance of our partnership. The quality of airmen produced here directly impacts our ability to execute our global air refueling mission at McConnell."
The tour also offered civic leaders the chance to engage directly with technical school Airmen headed for McConnell, and gain firsthand perspective on how Altus contributes to the Air Force’s global air mobility mission while serving primarily as a training base.
“I think Altus AFB is a hidden gem,” said Jim Howell, Sedgwick District 5 county commissioner. “I’m grateful that I had the chance to come here, I have a great appreciation for this base and the importance to the overall mission of defense around the world right now.”
The visit concluded with a luncheon between Altus and McConnell civic leaders, offering a valuable chance to strengthen partnerships, share different community perspectives, and discuss future opportunities for collaboration.
McConnell AFB is home to the Air Force’s first KC-46 Pegasus fleet and home to the KC-135 for over 50 years, making its leaders and community partners uniquely tied to Altus AFB’s training mission. Every KC-46 and KC-135 pilot and boom operator begins their journey at Altus before bringing those critical skills to McConnell, where they execute real-world operations.
The visit highlighted how the two bases’ missions are directly connected, with Altus as the training hub and McConnell as the operational wing, ensuring the success of the Air Force’s next-generation air refueling enterprise.