Air Force Special Operations Command has identified an Air Force Cross recipient who leaders believe is worth upgrading to the Medal of Honor, but the command has not released the airman’s name. CMSAF James Cody in June said the Air Force was reviewing some medals previously awarded for actions in the Global War on Terrorism. He made the remarks during a Reddit forum, in response to a question about why there have been no Air Force MOH recipients since 2001. AFSOC spokeswoman Erica Vega confirmed the service reviewed the awards of Capt. Barry Crawford, MSgt. Ivan Ruiz, TSgt. John Chapman, SSgt. Robert Gutierrez, SrA. Jason Cunningham, SrA. Zachary Rhyner, and SrA. Dustin Temple. After “an evaluation of information not previously available,” the service found one it believes should be looked at for a Medal of Honor, Vega told Air Force Magazine Tuesday.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
