Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on a Feb. 14 visit to Aviano AB, Italy, got to bestow a Bronze Star medal upon TSgt. Phoebus Lazaridis, a tactical air control party airman with the 8th Air Support Operations Squadron at Aviano, for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan. Pelosi, who was with other Congressmen on a tour of various US military facilities in Italy, said, “I know I speak for may colleagues when we say nothing is a greater source of pride, nothing can surpass the privilege we have this morning. … We thank you for your service, your sacrifice, your courage, and your patriotism.” At Brooks City-Base, Tex., Lt. Col. Bradley Fishel, deputy director of contracting for the 311th Human Systems Wing, received a Bronze Star medal for meritorious service during his deployment to Afghanistan. The Army nominated Fishel for the award. (Aviano report by 2nd Lt. Brian Wagner; Brooks report by Rudy Purificato)
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”