The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals for meritorious service to Maj. Patrick O’Rourke and SSgt. Jose Cervantes for their actions while deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Afghanistan from May 2006 to May 2007. O’Rourke, a combat rescue officer, and Cervantes, a pararescueman, both faced hostile fire during recovery operations for personnel aboard a CH-47 helicopter that crashed.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
