The Air Force is staying mum on the process of upgrading an Air Force Cross for one of its special operators to a Medal of Honor to avoid “impeding the independence” of the process, CMSAF James Cody said. A review of the seven Air Force Crosses awarded in the Global War on Terror showed one case had the potential to be upgraded to a Medal of Honor. “We’ve done our part as the Air Force,” Cody said at ASC15 on Wednesday. A congressional sponsor now must take up the upgrade process, and the Air Force wants to avoid overreaching. The potential award will go to a special operator. Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, said his command found one commando possibly worthy of the award. The seven airmen who have been awarded the Air Force Cross are Capt. Barry Crawford, MSgt. Ivan Ruiz, TSgt. John Chapman, SSgt. Robert Gutierrez, SrA. Jason Cunningham, SrA. Zachary Rhyner, and SrA. Dustin Temple.
The Air Force is placing Air Combat Command in charge of teaching combat tactics to fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft units, according to a May 12 announcement. Beginning this summer, the service will reassign the formal training units for the F-35, F-16, and MQ-9 from Air Education and Training Command to…