The Air Force has awarded a Bronze Star with Valor to TSgt. Michael Williams, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron at Charleston AFB, S.C. The Oct. 16 photo release announcing the award contained no details of his actions while deployed to Afghanistan, where Williams was critically injured by an antipersonnel landmine. (Charleston Aug. 27 release on Williams’ recovery progress.)
The $4.26 billion Small Business Innovation Research contracting program widely used by the Air Force went into hibernation as the government shut down Oct. 1, but unless lawmakers strike a deal on reforms, the program could reach an abrupt end.


