Fini

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)

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SMA

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Maintenance stare

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Plug

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)

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Probe

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)

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Belly

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)

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Over

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)

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Turn

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)

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Wild blue

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)

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Refuel

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)

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Bank

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)

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Grenade

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)

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Fast rope

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Commander completes fini-flight

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)

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Wing commander takes final flight

Published June 29, 2017
By 23d Wing Public Affairs
23d Wing Public Affairs

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Team Moody celebrated the 23d Wing commander Col. Thomas Kunkel's completion of his final flight, or "fini-flight," at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., June 27, 2017.

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.

Kunkel will continue his Air Force career by serving as a Legislative Liaison, at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. The Directorate is the liaison between the Air Force and Congress on all programs, air and space weapons systems and issues such as legislative and constituent inquiries.

Fini

SMA

Commander completes fini-flight

Maintenance stare

Commander completes fini-flight

Plug

Probe

Belly

Over

Turn

Wild blue

Refuel

Bank

Grenade

Fast rope

Commander completes fini-flight

Commander completes fini-flight

Commander completes fini-flight

Commander completes fini-flight