It’s not every airman who receives a Bronze Star with Valor, much less one presented by a former Air Force Chief of Staff, but SrA. Bren Mejia received his award from retired Gen. John Jumper during a Warrior Call at Holloman AFB, N.M., on Oct. 30, according to an Nov. 5 release. Mejia, with the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron at Holloman, where Jumper was on a two-day visit, received the Bronze Star for his “heroic actions” (no specifics provided in the release) while deployed to Afghanistan. He also received a Purple Heart. (Holloman report by A1C Sondra Escutia)
As the threat of Iranian-made drones grew, the Air Force rushed last year to equip F-15E Strike Eagles in the Middle East with a cheap, cost-effective way of defeating them. The service fielded the new capability in roughly a week.
