Attending the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference in Washington, D.C., as one of USAF’s 12 outstanding airmen of the year, SSgt. Kenneth Walker, with the Washington Air National Guard’s 116th Air Support Operations Squadron, received another honor—award of the Bronze Star with Valor by Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz on Sept. 14 at the conference. Walker received the medal for his heroic actions during a firefight on May 24, 2009, while deployed as a tactical air control party member with the 817th Expeditionary ASOS and the Army’sTask Force SPADER in Afghanistan. (USAF release)
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.
