Million Gallon Man' fuels the mission

by Senior Airman Timothy Moore
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

8/25/2014 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Regardless of the vehicle you operate, it requires fuel. For military vehicles passing through Ramstein Air Base, Germany, that fuel is often supplied by Airmen from the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron, and one Airman from the squadron went above and beyond to perform his mission.

Airman 1st Class Ben Hunter, 86th LRS fuel distribution operator, supplied more than one million gallons of fuel here in July.

"It was a personal goal," Hunter said. "I was challenged to it because it hasn't happened at Ramstein in two years. It happens more often in deployed locations. Some Airmen have tried to go for it, but usually only get close. I wanted to do something significant, so I did."

The feat is something significant as Hunter outperformed 86th LRS's top pumpers by approximately 600,000 gallons.

"The average is around 200,000 to 300,000 gallons a month for our top pumpers," said Tech. Sgt. Eric Groff, 86th LRS NCO in charge of fuel distribution. "For him to do that, he basically picked up the workload of three other individuals for the entire month."

Fuel distribution operators supply fuel to both aircraft and ground vehicles of varying sizes. The vehicles they service are used for transporting service members to and from deployed locations, enabling security forces personnel to patrol installations, taking patients back home to the U.S. and delivering humanitarian aid among other things.

The unit's control center tracks the fuel issued and helped Hunter keep track of his goal.

"People call me the 'Million Gallon Man'," Hunter said. "They like to poke fun at me, but not in a negative way. It's one of those things we don't see happen often; so when it happens, it's just fun to joke around about."

Though he and his fellow fuel distribution operators joke around about his impressive feat, Hunter is determined to stay humble and keep working hard.

"I'm happy to have accomplished a big goal, but it boils down to the fact that I was just doing my job," Hunter said. "Personally, I like to do things to the best of my ability. If I'm not, I'm not doing myself justice. I just want to do the job the best I can."
From a challenge, Hunter fortified himself to reach a personal goal, better himself in his career field and become the "Million Gallon Man."