Gen. Tom Hobbins, US Air Forces in Europe commander, just visited Fighter Wing Skrydstrup, Denmark, to present 35 Danish F-16 pilots with US Air Medals for their year of support in Operation Enduring Freedom. The four-star general thanked the pilots—NATO allies—for their commitment. They’ve flown nearly 900 mission hours over Afghanistan during a 12-month deployment. The Danish fighter pilots were part of the 376th Air Expeditionary Operations Group, of Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan. To qualify for the medals, they had to fly a minimum of 15 hours in a hostile combat zone.
Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich assumed command of U.S. European Command on July 1, taking over the key assignment as the U.S. and its allies contend with a resurgent Russia and a grinding war in Ukraine.
