The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals for meritorious service to Maj. Patrick O’Rourke and SSgt. Jose Cervantes for their actions while deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Afghanistan from May 2006 to May 2007. O’Rourke, a combat rescue officer, and Cervantes, a pararescueman, both faced hostile fire during recovery operations for personnel aboard a CH-47 helicopter that crashed.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.