SSgt. Howie Loughran, an explosive ordnance disposal airmen assigned to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron at Aviano AB, Italy, received a Bronze Star for his leadership during deployment to Iraq. His team diffused more than 80 improvised explosive devices and destroyed more than 50,000 pieces of ordnance.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
