Coalition aircraft flew 50 close air support missions in Afghanistan and 56 in Iraq on July 6, Air Forces Central said in a release. In Afghanistan, for example, A-10s fired cannon rounds and dropped general-purpose 500-pound bombs onto anti-government forces in the vicinity of Nagalam. And a B-1B bomber attacked enemy fighting positions in the same area with 500-pound and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions. Further, an F-15E struck enemy forces in the vicinity of Shkin with a 500-pound laser-guided bomb and 500-pound JDAMs. Another F-15E unleashed cannon rounds on enemy fighting positions near Molla Ashraf, AFCENT said.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.