The Air Force has presented Bronze Stars to three explosive ordnance disposal specialists from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla., for their efforts in Southwest Asia. For two of the EOD airmen, TSgt. Shane Lagrone and TSgt. John Beebe, this was their second Bronze Star award. Lagrone and Beebe together performed more than a third of their unit’s combat mission workload, clearing improvised explosive devices during 150 and 137 missions, respectively. SSgt. Daniel Batt received his first Bronze Star, in part for his “exceptional ingenuity” in employing a robot during one of his 70 combat missions.
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…