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Lieutenant Colonel Mark Hasara shares his extraordinary experiences from 24 years in the Air Force as a KC-135 aerial refueling pilot, revealing how tanker missions form the backbone of modern combat operations while offering profound leadership lessons.

• Childhood dreams sparked by watching aircraft at LAX led to a career flying the KC-135 tanker despite facing discouragement from teachers and counselors
• First combat mission during Desert Storm refueling Wild Weasel aircraft suppressing Iraqi air defenses — the specialized mission hunting and destroying enemy radar and missile sites
• Saved 32 F-16s that were critically low on fuel deep in Iraqi airspace, with one fighter down to just six minutes of flying time remaining
• Key leadership philosophy centers on relationships, trusting your team to solve problems their way, and thinking jointly across all military services
• Conned a 102,000-ton aircraft carrier during an underway replenishment — illustrating how small adjustments (1% throttle changes, 1-degree heading shifts) apply to both operations and life
• After being fired from his dream job, discovered it was "God's vector check" redirecting him to where his skills would be needed most following 9/11
• Modern air operations depend entirely on tanker support, with B-2 strikes requiring six refuelings and over a million pounds of fuel for a single mission
• Transitioning to civilian work revealed stark differences in mentorship, relationships, and purpose compared to military service

Check out Mark's book "Tanker Pilot: Lessons from the Cockpit" and his YouTube channel (@MARKHASARA) for more insights into aerial refueling operations and leadership lessons.

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