CMSgt. Dominick Tallarida and MSgt. Shawn Williams each received a Bronze Star Medal on Aug. 31 in separate ceremonies for their meritorious service in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively. Tallarida, assigned to Air Force Reserve Command’s 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., distinguished himself as a combat advisor in Iraq in 2008 and 2009. Just after receiving his Bronze Star, he was formally promoted to chief master sergeant. Williams, a senior joint terminal attack controller assigned to the Army’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team at Ft. Hood, Tex., was recognized for his actions in leading a 16-member team in close air support operations in Afghanistan from July 2008 to January 2009. His team is credited with saving countless coalition and civilians lives. (Randolph report by Kelly Parsons and Seymour Johnson report by Maj. Shannon Mann)
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.