7th CES overcomes Winter Storm Fern during Dark Ascent exercise
A U.S. Airman assigned to the 7th Civil Engineer Squadron removes ice during Winter Storm Fern at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 24, 2026. Historically, conditions like this at Dyess lead to waiting for solar melt rather than manual removal, but the 7th CES adapted operations to restore access and set conditions for airfield recovery during the 7th Bomb Wing’s Combat Readiness Exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman William Neal)