The Air Force presented its new Combat Action Medal for the first time during a special ceremony June 12 at the new Air Force Memorial honoring six airmen. They are: Maj. Steven Raspet, an A-10 pilot; Capt. Allison Black, an AC-130H gunship navigator; SMSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, a pararescueman; MSgt. Charlie Peterson, an Air National Guard vehicle operator; MSgt. Byron Allen, an MH-53 Pave Low aerial gunner; and SSgt. Daniel Paxton, an aeromedical evacuation technician. Among the VIPs attending the ceremony were members of the family of Air Force legend Gen. Billy Mitchell, whose personal aircraft insignia inspired the new medal’s design, reports SSgt. Monique Randolph.
Now Enlisted Airmen Can Stay in Uniform Longer
Dec. 8, 2023
The Air Force is extending the amount of time Airmen can spend at most enlisted ranks by two years, as the service looks to combat sluggish recruiting and balance its force structure. The High Year of Tenure (HYT) program sets limits on how long service members can spend in each grade…