MORRIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ariz. — Sustaining the high-tempo flying operations that define the 162nd Wing's F-16 fighter pilot training mission, which supports global airpower, is a complex logistical science. Long before wheels leave the tarmac, the petroleum, oils and lubricants flight of the 162nd Logistics Readiness Squadron works around the clock, managing fuel distribution, chemical purity and supply logistics to ensure exceptional engine performance in flight.

The POL flight of the 162nd LRS manages fuel distribution, chemical quality control and supply logistics to maintain operational readiness across the installation.

“What we do as a POL flight is supply clean, dry and serviceable fuel throughout the wing,” said Master Sgt. Travis Iverson, fuels superintendent of the 162nd LRS.

Beyond driving the iconic green trucks on the flightline, the POL flight ensures fuel quality through rigorous laboratory analysis and multiple stages of filtration during transit and delivery. Fuel must be scientifically verified to be free of water, sediment and chemical contaminants to ensure proper engine combustion and prevent mechanical failure.

“When we say ‘dry,’ we mean there’s no water, no sediment, no chemicals or anything that doesn’t need to be in there,” said Tech. Sgt. Aaron Beeman, a fuels technician with the squadron. “For the plane’s fuel to go through the engine to mix with the air itself and burn and produce the thrust that they need, it needs to be clean because water doesn’t burn.”

In addition to standard jet fuel necessary for the wing's F-16 training mission, the POL flight handles specialized products such as liquid oxygen, for pilot breathing systems needed during high-altitude sorties. They also manage standard gasoline for a vast fleet of aerospace ground equipment, including security forces vehicles, fire trucks and civil engineering machinery.

Maintaining this supply chain requires logistical coordination with Defense Fuel Support Points to schedule shipments and maintain sufficient reserve levels. Managing these resources also requires meticulous financial and inventory oversight.

“We make sure all the transactions for the jets and all the gallon numbers are correct, and everything matches up,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Butler, fuels accountant for the squadron. “We manage high-volume, multimillion-dollar jet fuel sales on a monthly basis.”

The team’s reach extends beyond internal wing support. They provide fuel testing services to U.S. Army aviation units and select U.S. Marine Corps components, while strictly adhering to environmental compliance guidelines for all fuel handling and storage procedures.

“Everyone just sees big green trucks out on the flightline and putting gas on the jets,” said Iverson. “However, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff we do, such as inventory management, all the lab and testing of the fuel that we do, and also the accounting side.”

Wherever fuel is needed, the POL flight meets the demand with mission ready Airmen. The POL flight supports operations at home station or deploys its members to forward operations to ensure that mission objectives keep things moving forward.

Ultimately, this comprehensive approach to chemical purity and supply logistics keeps the Air National Guard’s premiere F-16 fighter pilot training unit fueled up and ready to fly.

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