U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Torri K. Larson

Chalks are kicked into place quickly as crew chiefs perform post-flight inspections on an F-15 Eagle Nov. 11 in Siauliai, Lithuania. Although the aircraft is stationary, maintenance members bustle about quickly to keep the jet up to readiness standards 24-7.

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Torri K. Larson

Staff Sgt. Kristopher Glenn, 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons loader, inspects the missiles on an F-15 Eagle after landing in Siauliai, Lithuania, Nov. 11. Sergeant Glenn ensures the weapons are secured to the aircraft and makes any necessary adjustments due to movement in flight.

U.S. Air Force photo by Michael Tolzmann

Members of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Honor Guard perform a 21-gun salute during a celebration Nov. 16 in Siauliai, Lithuania. The celebration involved all armed forces members from the local area and was in honor of 90 years of military service.

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson

Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Spradley, 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron explosive ordnance disposal, plays a new version of “patty-cake” with one of the children at the District Vijurkai Children’s Home in Vijurkai, Lithuania, Nov. 15. The children in the home range from 3 to 17 years old and will be celebrating Christmas with Airmen from the 493rd EFS.

Welcome to the Baltics

Lithuanian SWO Alvydas Tamosiunas welcomes everyone to the change-over ceremony as the U.S. and German formations wait for the beginning of the ceremony marking the first day of the U.S. rotation performing the NATO Baltic air policing mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jill Lavoie)

F-15 lands in Siauliai

An F-15 deployed from RAF Lakenheath lands in Siauliai, Lithuania in preparation for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe to assume the NATO Baltic air policing mission. The 493d Fighter Squadron deployed four F-15s. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. J. LaVoie)

Maintaining the defense of Iceland

KEFLAVIK AIRPORT, Iceland ? Airman 1st Class Gomes Martinez, an armament team member from the 48th Munitions Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, inspects the AIM-120 umbilical cord connector on the LAU-128 Guided Missile Launcher aboard an F-15 aircraft. He is participating in Northern Viking 2008. One of the main goals of the multinational exercise was to achieve higher levels of interoperability in air defense and maritime capabilities between participating nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan.)

Maintaining the defense of Iceland

KEFLAVIK AIRPORT, Iceland ? Airman 1st Class Gomes Martinez, an armament team member from the 48th Munitions Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, unscrews the cover of the forward detent assembly of an LAU-128 Guided Missile Launcher of an F-15 aircraft. His responsibilities include maintaining all of the armament systems on the aircraft. He is participating in Northern Viking 2008, a multinational exercise aimed at exercising the air defense, coastal defense, anti-terror and command and control capabilities of NATO forces in Iceland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan.)

Tanker crews take away valuable experience from Iceland

KEFLAVIK AIRPORT, Iceland ? Airman 1st Class Danny Ingram, a KC-135 boom operator, prepares paperwork for his mission in support of Northern Viking 2008 here Sept. 3. The exercise fosters trust between participant nations, including Iceland, Canada, Denmark, Norway and other NATO nations, by promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation. Airman 1st Class Ingram has more than 900 flight hours in his logbook and is assigned to the 351st Air Refueling Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan.)

3 AF commander visits with Romanian Air Force

Lt. Gen. Philip Breedlove, 3rd Air Force commander, is escorted by Romanian Air Force Air Flotilla Gen. Ion Avram (center), commander of the 71st Air Base at Campia Turzii, Romania, during a tour of facilities being used by Airmen from the 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, for the Viper Lance ’08 Weapons Training Deployment. The two were accompanied by Romanian Air Force Air Flotilla Gen. Vigil Ristea (right), the service’s chief of training and doctrine. Lt. Gen. Breedlove visited the Romanian air base to recognize the teamwork between the USAFE Airmen and their Romanian AF counterparts during the two-week exercise that allowed both services to learn from the other and to strengthen the NATO alliance between them. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Technical Sgt. Charlein C. Sheets)

Forecaster briefs weather to NATO pilots

KEFLAVIK AIRPORT, Iceland - Staff Sgt. Cody Pryer, a weather forecaster here deployed from the 48th Operations Support Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, briefs pilots from the U.S., Norway, Denmark, Canada and NATO with weather information prior to their flights. He briefs information such as wave heights, for search and rescue reasons, cloud heights for refueling purposes and turbulence and thunderstorm information. The forces here are participating in the 2008 Northern Viking multinational exercise which is designed to hone the skills necessary to assist Iceland in its defense. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan.)

NATO exercise sustains international readiness

KEFLAVIK AIRPORT, Iceland - Lt. Col. Michael King, 404th Air Expeditionary Group commander, awaits the start of the 2008 Northern Viking multinational exercise opening ceremony here. According to King, the exercise is a series of combined air operations, which include high value defense, offensive and defensive air operation scenarios aimed at providing air defense to Iceland. He is deployed from the 493rd Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan.)