President Obama will present the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, to Ryan M. Pitts, a former Army staff sergeant, on July 21, announced the White House on Monday. Obama will recognize Pitts for his conspicuous gallantry during an engagement with insurgents in Wanat in northeastern Afghanistan on July 13, 2008. On that day, Pitts was manning an observation post when his outpost came under attack. Despite taking grenade shrapnel in both legs and his left arm, and loss of blood, Pitts continued to fight and defend his position and his teammates, allowing US forces to hold the observation post and turn the battle’s tide, according to an Army release. Pitts will be the ninth living recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He currently lives in Nashua, N.H.
The Air Force plans to have its new Integrated Capabilities Command stood up by the end of 2024, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said May 2, offering new details of one of the signature reforms announced by the service earlier this year. Allvin said around 500-800 Airmen will…