The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals to two joint terminal attack controllers—SSgt. Trevor Bradford and SSgt. Matthew Muse—from the 5th Air Support Operations Squadron at Ft. Lewis, Wash. Bradford served with an Army cavalry unit in Iraq in 2003 
when his unit came under intense enemy fire for more than three days, during which time Bradford returned fire and continuously coordinated air support. In 2006, Muse’s efforts in coordinating close air support and providing real-time intelligence helped keep his teammates safe and enabled the capture of 11 high value individuals.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
