(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gary Hilton)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Caleb Partain, 33rd Rescue Squadron special mission aviator, performs pre-flight checks before takeoff at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 30, 2025. SMA’s are highly trained specialists that perform a multitude of integral roles, including conducting pre-flight inspections of aircraft systems and providing weapon defense when necessary, ensuring mission success.