TSgt. Tavis Delaney, a tactical air control party member assigned to the Washington Air National Guard’s 116th Air Support Operations Squadron at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, received the Silver Star Medal for his valor during the Battle of Do Ab in Afghanistan on May 25, 2011. Delaney “heroically distinguished himself by gallantry in action and extremely valorous actions in the face of the enemy,” reads his award citation, according to a May 8 release from the Washington National Guard. His actions under fire “saved the lives of more than 64 coalition forces and contributed to the destruction of more than 200 Taliban insurgents,” states the citation. Delaney’s award ceremony was on May 6. “We are incredibly proud of TSgt. Delaney and the 116th ASOS,” said Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, Washington National Guard adjutant general. He added, “Time after time, they have been the decisive difference on the battlefield, and TSgt. Delaney is deserving of this high honor.” (See also Sioux Falls’ KSFY report.)
The artificial intelligence that controlled the F-16 on which Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall flew last week was evenly matched in dogfights against a human pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours, Kendall said May 8, as he made the case that autonomy will become essential to air and spacepower.