Lt. Col. Paul Zurkowski and Maj. Christopher Cisneros, both A-10 pilots assigned to the Maryland Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Squadron, were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for their heroic actions during a firefight in Afghanistan. The pilots are credited with saving the lives of 90 US soldiers, according to a Dec. 11 release. Zurkowski and Cisneros continued to provide close air support to ground troops, including some danger-close strafing runs, even as weather conditions worsened and the enemy fired at their aircraft. “I had a difficult time seeing the friendlies because of the weather. There (were) lightning strikes and these guys really needed my assistance,” said Cisneros. He added, “Eventually two other A-10s joined the fight and we were able to execute coordinated 30mm attacks to neutralize the enemy and provide cover to HH-60 Pave Hawk casualty evacuation helicopters.” It wasn’t until the A-10s landed back at Bagram Airfield that Zurkowski realized his plane had been hit twice. “I saw tracer fire and I knew I was getting shot at but I went right back into supporting the ground troops,” said Zurkowski, the squadron commander. The DFC ceremony was held Dec. 8 at Warfield ANGB, Md.
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.