Capt. Jonathan Keyser and CMSgt. Douglas Meyers, both assigned to the 566th Intelligence Squadron at Buckley AFB, Colo., on Jan 15 received Bronze Star Medals for their meritorious service in support of operations in Southwest Asia. Keyser, then a first lieutenant, served in Baghdad, Iraq, from November 2006 to May 2007, as NSA and Central Security Service foreign affairs directorate liaison officer at the US Embassy. He is credited with saving Iraqi and coalition lives by developing and implementing a unique technique for supplying intelligence information. Meyers served as senior enlisted manager for Air Forces Central’s directorate of intelligence during his year-long deployment in Southwest Asia. He supported more than 1,000 airmen at 72 sites in six countries in the region as well as the Horn of Africa. (Buckley report by SMSgt. Edward Pineda)
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.