Capt. Carlos Mendoza and Staff Sgt. Morgan Reed received the medals Nov. 9. Both were 19-year-old members of Air Force units tasked with securing the nation’s nuclear missile fields. The announcement marks the largest batch of awards to date for the airmen who participated in Operation Allies Refuge. The last KC-10 Extender tanker jet is scheduled to retire in September 2024. The vehicles will first be flown remotely to shuttle cargo around Edwards Air Force Base, followed by human pilots and passengers next year. A new restriction bars airmen from turning on the autopilot when flying at an altitude of less than 2,000 feet at night, or when flying in bad weather. “There’s been some exceptional recognition ... but it is not at all where I want it to be,” Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Mike Minihan said. JetZero and Northrop Grumman will ready a full-scale prototype for its first flight in 2027. Airmen will need to fly longer, triage more illnesses and injuries in midair and work more closely with their international partners than ever before. Mobility Guardian, a massive exercise for airlift and aerial refueling, involved 3,000 troops and 70 mobility aircraft from the U.S. and six allies. Load More