SSgt. Michael Stewart recently received a Purple Heart for an injury sustained while on a convoy mission in Iraq, but there is more to this story. When an improvised explosive device exploded, injuring several convoy members, Stewart helped stabilize his wheelman, A1C Joshua Collins, before a medevac team arrived. Stewart’s injury was slight, so he stayed to help get the convoy moving again. Air Force CMSgt. Tony Killion, the 70th Medium Truck Detachment chief, told the
Rock Slate that Stewart “represents what these transporters are all about. … They love doing this and can’t wait to get back out there.” (Read the
Rock Slate article
here.)
“The work ethic and dedication of [the KC-10 maintainers in Southwest Asia] is outstanding,” says MSgt. William Dorety, production supervisor for the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Dorety is one who would know. According to the Sand Script, Dorety has deployed 19 times during his 20-plus years in the Air Force and says, “I’ve never seen the same level of commitment as I’ve seen out of these young maintainers.” They perform all manner of maintenance—in 135 degree-heat on the flightline and hotter in the aircraft—on the KC-10s to ensure they can fly twice within 24 hours. (Read the feature in the Sand Script.)
