Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh on April 22 received the enlisted service’s greatest award, the Order of the Sword. CMSAF James Cody presented the award during a ceremony at Maxwell AFB, Ala., saying “the entire Air Force is honoring you, all of the enlisted airmen that you have helped. They are all thinking of you and saying, ‘What a great leader.’ ” The award was adopted by the Air Force in 1967, and is the highest tribute enlisted airmen can give a leader, a Maxwell release states. Welsh, who will retire this summer, was nominated for the award in September. He told airmen at the ceremony to “take care of each other. … Keep standing for what you stand for.”
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.
