The Air Force awarded the Bronze Star medal to SMSgt. David Smith for his actions while deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Smith is a contracting specialist at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Maj. Jonathan Terry, 325th Contracting Squadron commander, said,” This award comes as no surprise. … [Smith’s] efforts positively impacted over 280,000 Army, Marine, Navy, and Air Force personnel.” During his tour, Smith often faced hostile fire as he traveled throughout Iraq to support 12 different forward operating bases. (Tyndall report by A1C Veronica McMahon)
While U.S. defense officials have spent much of the past decade warning that China is the nation’s pacing threat and its People’s Liberation Army represents an urgent threat in the Indo-Pacific, several defense researchers are skeptical that the PLA has the human capital, the structural ability, or the political appetite…