Chief 
of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and National Aeronautic Association Chairman Walter Boyne presented the 2010 Mackay Trophy to the four members of “Dude Flight” for their heroics actions last year in the cockpits of two F-15Es during a mission over Afghanistan. Now-retired Lt. Col. Donald Cornwell as well as Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, Capt. Leigh Larkin, and Capt. Nicholas Tsougas received the trophy, which recognizes the most meritorious flight in a given year, during NAA’s fall awards dinner Monday in Arlington, Va. On April 6, 2010, these airmen, flying in F-15Es with call signs Dude-01 and Dude-02, performed show-of-force passes and subsequently deployed six joint direct attack munitions to protect a task force of some 30 coalition troops under attack by approximately 100 Taliban fighters in Bala Morgab. Their attacks killed more than 80 Taliban, saving the task force members’ lives. (SAF/PA report by SSgt. Eric Donner) (See also NAA Mackay Trophy webpage.)
President Donald Trump signed legislation reopening the federal government late Nov. 12, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The move sets the stage for tens of thousands of defense civilians to return to work and guarantees troops will be paid in a few days’ time.
