Airman from my former unit awarded Air Force Cross

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

This guy showed up right after I left the unit, but hats off to him:

 

A Pope Air Force Base, N.C., combat controller is scheduled to receive the Air Force's second highest award for valor on March 10 in a ceremony at the Pentagon.

 

Staff Sgt. Zachary J. Rhyner will receive the Air Force Cross for his actions on April 6 in the Shok Valley in Afghanistan. Although shot in the left leg, he called in airstrikes, fired his M-4 rifle at the enemy and helped move other wounded people down a cliff.

 

Rhyner is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command's 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope. At the time of the incident, Rhyner was a senior airman who had completed training less than a year earlier.

 

Capt. Kyle Walton, the Special Forces team leader, treated Rhyner for his injuries as the Airman called in Apache attack helicopters.

 

Rhyner called in 4,570 rounds of cannon fire, nine Hellfire missiles, 162 rockets, 12 500-pound bombs and a 2,000-pound bomb, Air Force officials said.

 

Air Force officials estimate that 40 enemy were killed and 100 wounded in the engagement.

 

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,185866,00.html

[gbnavy61 1]

BZ on him. Sounds like he deserves it.

[DWCAce 19]

SH to him! Glad to have him serving our country!

[Nesher 628]

what a story... congrats to him

Cheers

[+Jug 99]

what a story... congrats to him

Cheers

It is rare that USAF personnel (exception: aircrews, and not many of them either) get into the actual fighting. Not too many have even actually heard an enemy bullet whine by much less get into actual combat. Looks like they're up to the task though and Well Done to this young airman.

[+Dave 2,322]

It is rare that USAF personnel (exception: aircrews, and not many of them either) get into the actual fighting. Not too many have even actually heard an enemy bullet whine by much less get into actual combat. Looks like they're up to the task though and Well Done to this young airman.

 

Its the new AF Jug, we have more airmen engaged in actual combat now than ever.

 

 

Job well done to that fine Airman.

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

Its the new AF Jug, we have more airmen engaged in actual combat now than ever.

 

 

Job well done to that fine Airman.

 

Combat Controllers aren't your average airmen either. Their aren't Military Channel specials about Combat Controllers, Combat Controllers aren't characters in lame action movies, Combat Controllers aren't modeled in video games. Combat Controllers are unassuming and get little public recognition, and that is the way they (we) like it.

 

This little club is full of guys just like this guy, scary thought for people that want to oppose them, don't you think?

[+Dave 2,322]

Combat Controllers aren't your average airmen either. Their aren't Military Channel specials about Combat Controllers, Combat Controllers aren't characters in lame action movies, Combat Controllers aren't modeled in video games. Combat Controllers are unassuming and get little public recognition, and that is the way they (we) like it.

 

This little club is full of guys just like this guy, scary thought for people that want to oppose them, don't you think?

 

Big time scary.

[JediMaster 451]

We had an airman get a Bronze Star over here a few years back for something you might not ever think of. He was an air traffic controller who after a mind-numbingly long flight into Iraq stood up at the tower there and stayed on duty nonstop for something like 36 hrs without leaving. There was no one else qualified to man the tower and there were tons of planes going back and forth, so he just stayed and had people make him coffee or something I guess! He only left when a qualified replacement finally arrived.

So while he never fought the enemy directly, he went above and beyond to make sure those who did were able to timely and safely.

[+Dave 2,322]

We had an airman get a Bronze Star over here a few years back for something you might not ever think of. He was an air traffic controller who after a mind-numbingly long flight into Iraq stood up at the tower there and stayed on duty nonstop for something like 36 hrs without leaving. There was no one else qualified to man the tower and there were tons of planes going back and forth, so he just stayed and had people make him coffee or something I guess! He only left when a qualified replacement finally arrived.

So while he never fought the enemy directly, he went above and beyond to make sure those who did were able to timely and safely.

 

I think I read about that guy. Wasnt there also while on his shifts several incoming fire incidents where he had to work aircraft away from the base while they were going on. ATC is bas enough but 36 hours by himself and alarms going off. Talk about stress.

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

We had an airman get a Bronze Star over here a few years back for something you might not ever think of. He was an air traffic controller who after a mind-numbingly long flight into Iraq stood up at the tower there and stayed on duty nonstop for something like 36 hrs without leaving. There was no one else qualified to man the tower and there were tons of planes going back and forth, so he just stayed and had people make him coffee or something I guess! He only left when a qualified replacement finally arrived.

So while he never fought the enemy directly, he went above and beyond to make sure those who did were able to timely and safely.

 

I would never wear that Bronze Star. In Allied Force there were Pro-Supers getting Bronze Stars that never left England, the BS Bronze Stars got even worse after 9/11 in not only the Air Force, but in all services. Around 05 or 06 they started clamping down on the awards though.

 

Bronze Stars started becoming deployment awards for officers and NCOs, and it was lessening the prestige of the award. While what this guy did was outstanding and beyond the call of duty, he should have received an MSM, which is the non-combat equivalent of the Bronze Star, the wording of the Bronze Star criteria is a little vauge, and they are working on rewording it so that you actually have to be involved in ground combat to be eligable, not just supporting operations.

 

Luckily there is the V device to distinguish the two.

 

Sorry for the rant, nothing against that guy, he did a great job, I just got jaded by it when I wrote one of my guys up for a Bronze Star for doing something I deemed heroic, and it getting downgraded to an Air Force Commindation Medal, while supply Majors who never left the damn wire were getting awarded them,.

[JediMaster 451]

I've seen those AFCMs all over the base here, and it seems like it's a different version of the "CGO of the quarter" award or something for how many have it and how many there are awarded.

 

So what do you guys think about this return of the Good Conduct Medal? Will there be a Perfect Attendance Medal and a Good Hygiene Medal next?

[+Dave 2,322]

So what do you guys think about this return of the Good Conduct Medal? Will there be a Perfect Attendance Medal and a Good Hygiene Medal next?

 

Its a time honored Enlisted medal of tradition. It speaks a great many things about our past. Being a TSgt I have a great repsect for that title of Non Commisioned Officer. The Good Conduct Medal is a part of that. Most NCO's will back me up on that. Being an SME on USAF History and have taught USAF enlisted to history countless new recruits, it has a place in our history. Many of those who just think its a BS ribbion has very little knowledge on is history in relation to being Enlisted and a NCO. That is the problem with today's USAF, there are many NCO's who do not know what it actually means to be an NCO. No offense JM but the last part of your statement leads me the the fact you are ignorant of what it means to be an NCO and the purpose of the GCM. I know many many many people who have not gotten a GCM for misconduct. I am glad it's back.

[JediMaster 451]

It just sounds redundant to me, maybe it's just a bad name. It sounds like something 99% of the military SHOULD have.

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

The Army and Navy have Good Conduct Medals too right? When I started out my military career in the Army in the mid-1990's I remember the Army GCM was passed out every 3 years. I don't know what is going on with it there or in the Navy, but it is pretty much a tradition. I'd rather have a GCM than a Bronze Star for not actually fighting.

[firehawkordy 34]

The Navy Good Conduct Medal is awarded to a Sailor for every four years without being sent to Captains Mast or worse. Back in the day for a lot of guys that was easier said than done. BTW, the gold hash marks and crows ( rank/rate insignia for you land lubbers) is authorized for a Sailor with twelve years CONSECUTIVE of no NJP.

 

And yes, this old AO1 has gold.

 

BZ to that Airman, looks like I owe the AF a little respect for their controllers.