Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz awards Capt. Barry Crawford the Air Force Cross-the second highest honor for valor in combat-during a Pentagon ceremony. An Air Force Special Operations Command special tactics officer, Crawford was assigned to an Army SOF unit in Afghanistan on May 4, 2010, when he “placed himself at grave risk on four occasions while controlling over 33 aircraft and more than 40 airstrikes on a well-trained and well-prepared enemy force” during an intense 10-hour-plus firefight, according to his citation.
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…