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Fueling the Fight: Scott’s fuels Airmen power the mission

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Violette Hosack
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  

Whether refueling a presidential aircraft, supporting joint training, or conducting daily flightline operations, the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s Fuels Flight powers the mission one gallon at a time.

A plane flies in the air between clouds

An F-22 Raptor from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, flies over Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, after completing a hot-pit refuel July 16, 2025. Scott AFB’s hot-pit refueling mission runs Monday through Friday, open eighteen hours, and eleven hours on the weekends.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Shelby Rapert)
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Named POL for Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants, fuels Airmen are often recognized by passersby on the flightline during hot pit refueling operations—a high-stakes process, often performed on fighter jets, that allows aircraft to refuel with engines running to cut down turnaround time. But their work extends far beyond the hot pits. The Fuels Flight issues fuel for aircraft, generators, and government vehicles across the installation at all hours, ensuring every corner of the mission stays powered. 

“In this career field, you always have to be ready to go on someone else’s schedule,” said Senior Airman Bailey Grisez, 375th LRS fuels service center controller. “When the call comes, you just have to make it happen.”

That readiness was on display over the recent Fourth of July weekend, when Scott’s fuels Airmen supported Air Force One, Marine One, and a C-17 Globemaster III carrying Secret Service personnel in Des Moines, Iowa. The team loaded refueler trucks onto flatbed trailers for transport, flew to meet them on site, and completed safety screenings and fuel testing before servicing the aircraft.

four men stand while a plane gets fueled up

Members from the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 375th Operations Group airfield operations refuel an F-22 Raptor from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 16, 2025, on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The hot-pit refueling mission on Scott AFB runs Monday through Friday, open eighteen hours, and eleven hours on the weekends.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Shelby Rapert)
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“It was probably one of the most notable times in my career and one of the coolest moments of my life,” said Senior Airman Aaron Robin, 375th LRS fuels distribution operator. “You’re under a lot of pressure, but the team came together and got it done.” 

Some Airmen from the fuels team also participated in a Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise (QLLEX), a joint event focused on bulk fuel distribution, strengthening interoperability with other branches, and preparing for deployed operations.

“QLLEX lets us practice what we’d do downrange,” said Robin. “It’s about making sure we can keep the mission going anywhere in the world.”

Closer to home, Scott’s fuels Airmen train for emergencies. Last summer, they participated in a base-wide fuel spill exercise, responding to a simulated 20,000-gallon leak. Working with civil engineers, bioenvironmental teams, and emergency management, they contained the spill, conducted water testing, and validated procedures that protect both the mission and the environment.

A man inside of a plane cockpit waves outside.

A U.S. Air Force Captain, 27th Fighter Squadron, waves before taxiing a F-22 Raptor assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, to the runway on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 16, 2025. The Capt. landed for approx. 25 minutes, as 375th Air Mobility Wing Airmen fueled the aircraft before sending him on his way.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Shelby Rapert)
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From high-profile missions to everyday support, the 375th LRS Fuels Flight is always on call. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday weekend or the middle of the night,” said Grisez. “If the mission needs fuel, we’re there.”

With a legacy rooted in Scott AFB’s century-long history of air mobility, the 375th LRS Fuels Flight continues to embody its motto: delivering power “anytime and anywhere.”