Maj. Darren Brumfield, currently assigned to Dyess AFB, Tex., and MSgt. William Rapoza of Lackland AFB, Tex., have each received a Bronze Star medal for their meritorious service during deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. Brumfield, who commands Dyess’ 7th Component Maintenance Squadron, got his medal for his work in standing up the first Afghan Air Wing in Kandahar. He also oversaw the safe transport of 215,600 pounds of cargo and more than 1,800 Afghans. Rapoza, medical readiness noncommissioned officer-in-charge of Lackland’s 59th Medical Support Squadron, served as lead medic of a security forces squadron in Baghdad during the first half of 2010. The medal recognizes his medical support of operations outside the wire. Brumfield’s award ceremony took place on Sept. 28; Rapoza’s was on Oct. 14. (Dyess photo caption by A1C Chelsea Cummings) (Lackland photo caption by SSgt. Robert Barnett)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.