The Air Force honored 22 of its airmen in the eighth volume of Portraits in Courage for their actions both on and off duty. CMSAF James Cody recognized five of the featured airmen at a luncheon dedicated for them at the Women’s Memorial, in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 5. Among the 22 airmen featured are Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, pararescuemen from various rescue squadrons, a wounded warrior veteran, combat controllers, agents from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and a nuclear missileer. These airmen represent “honor, valor, devotion, and selfless sacrifice in the face of extreme danger to themselves and others,” states a Feb. 6 release. “Our airmen are faced with situations like this each and every day around the globe,” wrote Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and Cody in the introduction. “Each of them has their own story.” So far, the Air Force has recognized 175 airmen through the Portraits in Courage series.
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…