250731-Z-UF872-2047

In a stirring moment during the naming ceremony at Eielson Air Force Base on July 31, 2025, representatives from Interior Alaska villages performed traditional cultural songs inside the KC-135 hangar, July 31, 2025. The performance celebrated their heritage and deepened the connection between rural communities and the 168th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard. The 168th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard held an aircraft naming ceremony and tour to honor Interior Alaska villages and strengthen the bond between the wing and local communities. Representatives from seven villages—Gwichyaa Zhee, Grayling, Huslia, Tetlin, Telida, Tanana, and Minto—were invited to take part in the event at Eielson Air Force Base. During the ceremony, each community was presented with a print of the KC-135 aircraft bearing their village’s tail flash. Dedicated crew chiefs shared the aircraft’s mission histories, highlighting their service and connection to Alaska’s rural communities. The tail flash naming tradition began in 2020, with the first KC-135 named after the village of Minto. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey)