Accompanying the Air Force’s two top leaders to recent hearings on Capitol Hill have been several airmen of various ranks and career fields, among them a Silver Star recipient. TSgt. Brad Reilly is a battlefield airman, who Gen. Michael Moseley, USAF Chief of Staff, told lawmakers this week has made four deployments to Southwest Asis and is going back in July. Reilly received both a Silver Star and Purple Heart for an operation in Afghanistan in which he was part of a quick reaction force moving to augment an ambushed Afghan security force. His helicopter took enemy fire, wounding Reilly and another airman. Reilly provided life-saving treatment to his teammate, while he controlled close air support and returned fire himself for more than two hours.
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.