U.S. Air Force Senior Capt. Andrew Scherff conducts a preflight check of a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska prior to conducting a refueling mission, June 20, 2012, during Red Flag-Alaska 12-2. Scherff is a KC-135 pilot assigned to the 349th Air Refueling Squadron, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. Red Flag-Alaska is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored, joint/coalition, tactical air combat employment exercise which corresponds to the operational capability of participating units. The entire exercise takes place in the Joint Pacific Range Complex over Alaska as well as a portion of Western Canada for a total airspace of more than 67,000 square miles.