TSgt. Wesley Rincker, an airman with the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Whiteman AFB, Mo., received a Bronze Star medal March 2 for his actions as a convoy commander in Iraq from March to September 2008. While serving as the Delta convoy commander in the 424th Medium Truck Detachment’s Bravo flight, he completed 18 convoy missions in Iraq, transporting a total of 22,644 tons of cargo 618,804 miles. Brig. Gen. Garrett Harencak, 509th Bomb Wing commander, presented Rincker with the medal during a ceremony at Whiteman. (Whiteman photo caption by SrA. Cory Todd)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
