Pumping gas makes a difference

Pumping gas may not be the glamorous career most boys or girls dream of having, but petroleum, oil and lubricants specialists at the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing are heroes behind the scenes. They are the difference between success and failure for the troops in Afghanistan.
On Oct. 8, in a 24-hour period they pumped 544,758 gallons of jet fuel, breaking the record of 501,662 gallons in 24 hours.
"It feels really good to know we're helping from the background," said Airman 1st Class Jason Rayner, a native of Houston, who personally pumped 43,744 gallons Feb. 18.
Rayner said he works 12 hours a day, six days a week and said the work load is expected to increase as the number of troops in Afghanistan climbs.
"We can do more," said Senior Master Sgt. Henry Ellis, the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels manager, deployed from Yokota Air Base, Japan. "This is just another milestone. It proves we're busy, it proves we're doing good things and supporting the troops, but we're looking to break another record as other troops and rotators come through."
His guess is that, in the next month, they'll pump more than 600,000 gallons.
This gasoline supports air refueling operations, one of the main missions at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. KC-135 Stratotankers flying 24 hours a day and seven days a week over Afghanistan provide fuel to coalition aircraft that protect troops on the ground, but, without Airmen working around the clock to get the fuel to the tankers, the mission would come to a screeching halt.
"I feel I could do more," Rayner agreed.