141st Ops Group commander completes fini-flight

Col. Matthew Yakely, commander of the 141st Operations Group, is sprayed with water and champagne after completing his final flight on a KC-135 Stratotanker February 23, 2018 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. The final flight, or fini-flight, is a tradition among pilots and air crew to celebrate one’s last flight with their unit or on a certain airframe.

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141st Ops Group commander completes fini-flight

Col. Matthew Yakely, the commander of the 141st Operations Group, taxis through spray from fire engines from the 92d Civil Engineer Squadron after completing his final flight on a KC-135 February 23, 2018 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. Col. Yakely has accumulated more than 5,590 flying hours across six different airframes, with his most recent being the KC-135 Stratotanker.

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141st Ops Group commander completes fini-flight

Col. Matthew Yakely, commander of the 141st Operations Group, embraces members of his family after completing his final flight on a KC-135 February 23, 2018 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. Col. Yakely is retiring after serving more than 24 years in the Air Force, with nearly 16 of those years with the 141st Air Refueling Wing.

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141st Ops Group commander completes fini-flight

Jackie, the wife of Col. Matthew Yakely, commander of the 141st Operations Group, looks on as he laughs while celebrating his fini-flight February 23, 2018 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. The fini-flight, or final flight, is a tradition among pilots and air crew to celebrate one’s last flight with their unit or on a certain airframe.

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141st Ops Group commander completes fini-flight

Published March 1, 2018
141st Air Refueling Wing

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Col. Matthew Yakely, commander of the 141st Operations Group, is sprayed with water and champagne after completing his final flight on a KC-135 Stratotanker February 23, 2018 at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. The final flight, or fini-flight, is a tradition among pilots and air crew to celebrate one’s last flight with their unit or on a certain airframe. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Rose M. Lust)