Air Force Special Operations Command boss Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold was nominated to be inducted into the Order of the Sword—the highest honor awarded by the enlisted force—April 29. Heithold called the day the proudest of his career in a May 2 release. During the nomination ceremony, a crowd of airmen presented Heithold with an engraved invitation to the induction ceremony, which is scheduled for Nov. 18 at Hurlburt Field, Fla., according to the release. He will become the command’s 10th inductee to the order. Heithold, who has served as AFSOC commander since July 2014, has been confirmed by the Senate to serve as principal deputy director of cost assessment and program evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon and is scheduled to move in June.
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.
