Two airmen assigned to RAF Mildenhall AB, Britain, have been awarded Bronze Star medals for their individual contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Chris Hermann received his medal on July 30 for his activities during a 12-month tour in Baghdad with the Multi-national Security Transition Command-Iraq that concluded in June. He served as an air planner advisor and Iraqi special operations force’s air advisor. Maj. Joe Wildman, accepted his medal on Aug. 1 (and was promoted to major on that day) for his work with Multi-National Forces-Iraq during a seven-month deployment that concluded in February. He was an operations officer and deputy director of the law and order detachment with responsibility for protecting US and Iraqi officials and international dignitaries in Baghdad’s international green zone. (Mildenhall report by TSgt. Eric Petosky)
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.