How awesome was it to be able to walk out of my building this morning and go down the road a few blocks to a packed aircraft hangar and witness three Silver Stars (two to one NCO), six Bronze Stars (several for valor), and three Purple Hearts presented to eleven Combat Controllers. The Air Force Chief of Staff was there and touched on several points directly before presenting the medals – specifically on how these men are literally on the front lines when deployed and doing the jobs they were trained to do, but also that the support of their families is equally important.Listening to the citations being read was humbling. You couldn’t help but envision the events happening in combat as the citations were being read, and then focusing on the recipients as they stood on the stage.
Appropriately for this ceremony, a Medal of Honor recipient from Washington state - Col Joe Jackson, was present. The significance of him being there at this morning’s ceremony stood out. It was then-Lt Col Jackson turning his C-123 around through a hail of enemy gun and mortar fire and marginal weather to land at an abandoned special forces camp in Kham Duc, Vietnam one day in May 1968 to rescue three combat controllers who were ‘first there’ and literally the last out.
An inspirational way to start the duty day and a reminder on why we continue to serve. ~
