According to one of his bosses, 2nd Lt. Jack McGonegal performed “beyond my expectations of a second lieutenant” in serving as deputy commander of a Quick Reaction Force and theater internment facility operations commander in Iraq. Lt. Col. Paul Scholl, vice commander of the 50th Mission Support Group, made that observation as he pinned a Bronze Star on McGonegal. The young officer cited “a couple thousand detainees rioting” as “probably one of the most extreme experiences” requiring a QRF response within minutes. His actions included personally preventing one detainee from going over the fence during one of 10 large-scale disturbances. McGonegal is a member of the 22nd Security Forces Squadron at McConnell AFB, Kan. (Base report by A1C Jessica Lockoski)
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
