MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- U.S. Air Force Col. Edward Szczepanik, 6th Air Refueling Wing commander, and Staff Sgt. Jake Magda, 50th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, have a candid conversation over a game of catch at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 16, 2025. Magda shares his story recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.