The four airmen USAF announced in December 2005 as the recipients of the 2005 Lance P. Sijan Air Force Leadership Award came to Washington, D.C., this week to participate in a Pentagon ceremony, officiated by Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the Air Force assistance vice chief of staff and director of staff. The honorees were Lt. Col. Gerald Ven Dange from the Defense Contract Management Agency West in Redondo Beach, Calif.; Capt. William Dains from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; MSgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez from Kirtland AFB, N.M.; and SrA. Grailin Blamer from Ft. Lewis, Wash.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
