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FEATURE
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FEATURE
FEATURE
Airlifter of the month: Staff Sgt. Haley Jergensen, Page 5
LRMC Deputy Commander lays wreath at Saint-Mihiel, Pages 8 & 9
37 AS: One man, one plan, one mission at hand, Page 14
Gold Star spouse turns grief into advocacy, Page27
June 5, 2026 | Volume 50, Number 22
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
Story & photos by Airman 1st Class Paden Henry 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Airmen’s PSI, pressure starts inside at 86 wheel, tire shop
Pressure has a way of introducing itself eventually. For a four-person shop responsible for keeping C-130J Super Hercules aircraft wheels moving back into Ramstein’s supply system, resilience is not measured by how often pressure appears. It’s measured by how the Airmen assigned to the 86th Maintenance Squadron’s wheel and tire shop respond when it does. These Airmen see it in the worn tread patterns and damaged sidewalls of the tires, alongside wheels that have carried the load of countless takeoffs and landings. Every wheel that comes into the shop follows a different path. Some wheels move to corrosion control, others require nondestructive inspections or measurements, meaning every step depends on combined efforts. “The biggest thing is teamSee PRESSURE on Pages 16 & 17
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Levi King, 86th Maintenance Squadron aircraft apprentice, packs bearings with Mobil Aviation Grease SHC 100 at Ramstein Air Base, May 29. The wheel and tire shop ensures through expert maintenance that every wheel is up to mission-ready standards to keep C-130J Super Hercules aircraft operational.
Rotterdam: One of Europe’s brilliant cities A city of art and architecture, Rotterdam is the Netherlands’ second city. And it’s brilliant. Restaurants, bars, and cafes can be found along pedestrian plazas and in unique pockSee ROTTERDAM, Page 30
“Masters of the Un is the featured movie of iverse” the week, Page 29
Photo by Nancy Pauwels/Shutterstock.com
by MilitaryinGermany.com