The C-17 is the Air Force’s main intercontinental transport. It is a big airplane. It isn’t the largest in the world, not by a long stretch, but it is huge. Back in my day, when troops flew in a military transport, it was usually a C-130, and it wasn’t very comfortable.

Now, when C-17’s aren’t hauling outsized cargo like vehicles and emormous pallets of supplies, they are outfitted with reasonable accomodations for troops.
Probably the most important mission the C-17 flies is medevac for our soldiers. Once a wounded soldier has been stabilized in a field hospital in Iraq or Afghanistan, they are quickly flown to Germany for definitive treatment. When C-17s fly this mission, they are almost flying hospitals, complete with medical staff.
And the C-17 has another trick up its sleeve. You don’t have to go to the airport to catch your flight. Your flight comes to you.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diX3x6ffvSA]
This is my old squadron:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/13/BAPG11F2DD.DTL
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2008/07/13/BAPG11F2DD.DTL&o=1
Great stuff, thanks for the update.