An F
-16 pilot with the 510th Fighter Squadron at Aviano AB, Italy, received a Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in providing close air support to ground forces in Iraq, and his father pinned on the medal. Maj. Gen. Michael Collings pinned the DFC on his son Capt. George Collings during a ceremony Oct. 29, reports TSgt Michael O’Connor. In Iraq in January, the younger Collings scrambled to lead a CAS to support coalition ground forces that were pinned down by enemy fire when they attempted to reach a downed AH-64 Apache helicopter. He located the friendly forces and dropped a 500-pound laser-guided bomb, taking out six enemy forces, stopping 30 others, and enabling the coalition ground forces to take control.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.