The Air Force has awarded a Bronze Star to Capt. Maria Moss, a 763rd Maintenance Squadron officer at Nellis AFB, Nev., for her efforts while deployed to Afghanistan. Moss served as a security assistance officer on a year-long tour—her third to Afghanistan. Moss told journalist A1C Oleksandra Manko that her year-long tour was “a trying thing … but it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done.” She managed purchases of equipment and supplies for the Afghan National Army and air forces, to include helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. She also helped organize construction of a training camp for Afghan commandos.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…