The Air Force has awarded MSgt. David Barber and MSgt. Robert Rose Bronze Star Medals for their service while deployed to Kirkuk AB, Iraq. The two airmen deployed from the 78th Security Forces Squadron at Robins AFB, Ga. Barber led airmen, soldiers, and Iraqi police on 131 missions, uncovering more than 3,000 pounds of weapons in five caches, capturing 10 insurgents, and stopping the threats posed by another 90 insurgents. Rose led a counter-threat unit with four tactical security teams and one site exploitation team on 135 missions, identifying some 1,600 insurgents. Rose also led his unit through an improvised explosive device attack to capture an al Qaeda cell leader. (Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
The Pentagon plans to use U.S. Air Force C-17s and C-130s to deport 5,400 people currently detained by Customs and Border Protection, officials announced Jan. 22, the first act in President Donald Trump’s sweeping promise to crack down on undocumented immigrants and increase border security.