Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, prepares for his final flight as the commander, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Middleton, 41st Rescue Squadron special missions aviator, loads .50 caliber rounds into a machinegun aboard an HH-60G Pave Hawk, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The HH-60G flies with two pilots and two SMAs, who are responsible for pre-flight aircraft inspections, passengers, cargo and operating the aircraft’s weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, prepares for take-off during his fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)

A helicopter maintainer from the 41st Helicopter Maintenance Unit waits to launch an HH-60G Pave Hawk prior to 23d Wing commander Col Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, left, and Capt. Evan McNeal, 41st Rescue Squadron C-flight commander, prepare for take-off during Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron approaches an HC-130J Combat King II from the 71st RQS to conduct aerial refueling during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron approaches an HC-130J Combat King II from the 71st RQS to conduct aerial refueling during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron approaches an HC-130J Combat King II from the 71st RQS to conduct aerial refueling during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron approaches an HC-130J Combat King II from the 71st RQS to conduct aerial refueling during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The 71st RQS was presented the That Others May Live Foundation’s (TOMLF) 2017 Rescue Squadron of the Year Award, Oct. 21, in Melbourne, Florida for demonstrating rescue excellence from July 2016 to June 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron flies over Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range during 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel’s fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Middleton, 41st Rescue Squadron special missions aviator, tosses a smoke grenade from an HH-60G Pave Hawk, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The HH-60G flies with two pilots and two SMAs, who are responsible for pre-flight aircraft inspections, passengers, cargo and operating the aircraft’s weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Middleton, 41st Rescue Squadron special missions aviator, recovers a 60-foot rope from a landing zone, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The HH-60G Pave Hawk flies with two pilots and two SMAs, who are responsible for pre-flight aircraft inspections, passengers, cargo and operating the aircraft’s weapons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)

Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, walks toward family and friends after completing his fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)

Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, embraces his family after completing his fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)

Family members paint the feet of Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, after his fini-flight, June 27, 2017. His painted feet were then placed on a ceiling tile to be hung in the 41st Rescue Squadron. This process is usually done after pilot complete their fini-flight, a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)

Family and fellow Airmen spray Col. Thomas Kunkel, 23d Wing commander, with champagne after his fini-flight, June 27, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The fini-flight is a long-standing Air Force tradition that occurs when a pilot departs from the base. Upon completion of their final flights, military aviators are hosed down with water or champagne by their family and friends before they depart their unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren M. Sprunk)