FEATURE
NEWS
HEALTH
COMMUNITY
USAFE-AFAFRICA 2025 Annual Award winners, Page 2
Maj. Gen. Michael Lalor receives distinguished service medal, Page 13
Improving you during National Nutrition Month, Page 15
First Family Child Care Provider Appreciation event, Pages 16 & 17
March 20, 2026 | Volume 50, Number 11
Activate your free KA su bscription
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
From tanks to takeoff, nothing moves without POL by Airman 1st Class Rebecca Harima 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs On the flight line, it can look simple: a hose connected, a deadman handle squeezed, a gauge rising as aircrew hustles. For the Airmen of the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants shop, the scene on the flight line is just the final step in a much bigger system. Much of their work happens behind the scenes, keeping aircraft and vehicles moving across Europe and beyond. “We provide all the fuel for three wings and five combat commands, ground products and jet fuels,” said Master Sgt. Matthew Bennett, 86th LRS Fuels Management Flight superintendent. “We have about 9 million gallons of fuel storage that we ‘QC,’ constantly testing the fuel, checking out the trucks.”’ POL manages storage, quality control and distribution of fuel and ground products that support Ramstein’s role in maintaining the See POL on Page 3
Airman 1st Class Gavan Ko, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distributor, pushes a pantograph at Ramstein Air Base, March 4. Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants Airmen manage millions of gallons of stored fuel to sustain daily flight operations and maintain mission readiness across multiple wings and combatant commands. Photo by Airman 1st Class Dylan Myers
Can’t-Miss German Day Trips A-Z: Pforzheim Pforzheim embodies so much that is good about Germany. With more than 100,000 people, it’s large enough to offer something for every traveler, and small enough that navigating it doesn’t feel over
“Project Hail Mary” is the featured movie of the week, Page 31
See PFORZHEIM, Page 30 Enz River at Enzauenpark in Pforzheim
Photo by MinhThuan/Shutterstock.com
by MilitaryInGermany.com