Lt. Col. Derek Hoffnung with the 28th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla., received a Bronze Star for his actions while deployed to Camp Victory in Iraq, where he commanded the 704th Expeditionary Support Squadron. His mission was to support more than 70 battlefield airmen teams at 78 locations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.