The (N.C.) Courier-Tribune reports on the work Air National Guard Maj. Steven Francis, a forward air controller with the North Carolina ANG’s 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, performed while serving in Iraq. Francis describes his sojourns into the field, where he encountered rocket-propelled grenades and “bullets whizzing” around his head. His job, of course, was to direct aircraft to provide close air support for troops on the ground. Read the article here.
Air Force F-16 pilot Lt. Col. Eric R. Emerson, who commanded a small quick reaction force of fighters responding to Iranian-backed militia groups in 2024, became the first Air National Guardsman presented with the Anthony C. Shine Award on Feb. 10.
