BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- Staff Sgt. Franklin Newbery (left) teaches Col. Derrick Hoxie III how to take oil and fluid samples from an A-10 Thunderbolt II here Dec. 25. The colonel was participating in the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's Crew Chief for a Day program. The program offers deployed Airmen of all Air Force specialties a chance to experience what it is like to work on fighter jets.

"What better way is there to spend Christmas Day while on deployment than with the maintainers out on the flightline?" said Colonel Hoxie, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing deputy commander.