News

Airmen help make dream come true for special fan
July 15, 2021 — Capt. Dennis Conner, 701st Airlift Squadron, at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, flew a C-17 Globemaster III over the state’s coast during the “Salute From The Shore” celebration July 4, 2021. Little did he know the impact that flight would have for him that day, as well as a family watching from the shore who would end up getting a private tour of a C-17... MORE

Master Sgt. James Ebert, 701st Airlift Squadron loadmaster, speaks with Braiden Adkins while touring a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina July 14, 2021.

Single-Parent Reservist rises above challenges to earn wings
May 6, 2019 — Imagine being a single-parent of two, completing a bachelor's degree and independently financing pilot training in order to accomplish the dream of becoming a reserve pilot with the 315th Airlift Wing, all within five short years. Being a single parent is no easy feat, but Staff Sgt. Shakeyna Smith, aviation resource management technician with the 701st Airlift Squadron here, accepted the challenges that greeted her. From parenting her two small children as a teenage mother to pursuing higher education in psychology and aviation, Smith has embodied excellence in all she does... MORE

Staff Sgt. Shakeyna Smith, aviation resource management technician with the 701st Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, stands next to a Cessna 172 before taking flight, Jan. 25, 2019, in North Charleston, South Carolina. Smith completed 72 hours of flight time through Charleston Regional Accelerated Flight Training and IFR6 of N. Charleston, S.C., before persuing a commision in the U.S. Air Force to pilot C-17 Globemaster III's while being a single parent of two, a full-time college student and an Air Force Reservist. (Courtesy photo/Staff Sgt. Shakeyna Smith)

Reservists credit teamwork in lifesaving mission
November 8, 2018 — As if by fate, a weather delay in Germany allowed a group of reservists to embark on a challenging 22-and-a-half-hour mission to help save a fellow service member. On Nov. 3, 2018, a C-17 aircrew from the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., who’s mission heading home from Germany was delayed due to severe weather, was asked to take on an emergency mission transporting a burn patient to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. ... MORE

315th AW stadium flyover helps kick off Jaguars game
October 24, 2018 — While the Jacksonville Jaguars lost their Oct. 21 home game against the Houston Texans, 20-7, the game at least started off with a thunderous roar from a Charleston C-17 Globemaster III flown a mere 1,500 feet above by the 701st Airlift Squadron aka the “Turtles.”... MORE

While the Jacksonville Jaguars lost their Oct. 21 home game against the Houston Texans, 20-7, the game at least started off with a thunderous roar from a Charleston C-17 Globemaster III flown a mere 1,500 feet above by the 701st Airlift Squadron aka the “Turtles.”