SrA. Brad Salazar, a tactical control air party airman assigned to the 8th Air Support Operations Squadron at Aviano AB, Italy, has received a Bronze Star medal for his meritorious service in southern Afghanistan in 2009. Then an airman first class, Salazar successfully completed multiple close-air support missions and friendly extractions during his deployment to Zabul province. “His performance was remarkable,” said Col. Thomas Gould, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing commander at Ramstein AB, Germany, who presented Salazar with the medal during an Aug. 2 award ceremony in Hohenfels, Germany. Gould added, “How often do we give a Bronze Star to an A1C? It’s rare and he is certainly worthy of the honor.” (Ramstein release by SrA. Scott Saldukas)
President Donald Trump is proposing a 13 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal 2026, growth that could mean the first ever $1 trillion defense budget, according to a document obtained by Air & Space Forces Magazine.