Senior Airman Steven Nicklas (top), boom operator from the 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, directs the driver of an 25K-loader as part of his cargo checkride on Aug. 1, 2017. Boom operators are required to pass an annual cargo-loading and offloading evaluation on the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erica J. Knight)