Air Force Chief of Staff to honor 105th Airlift Wing National Guard … – DVIDS

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, NEW YORK—Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown will recognize 17 New York Air National Guard Airmen for their bravery and teamwork during the August 2021 evacuation of Americans and Afghans from Afghanistan during an April 1, 2023, ceremony at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York.

The members of the 105th Airlift Wing distinguished themselves during missions flown into the Kabul International Airport to evacuate 2,524 Americans and Afghans who worked for the United States.

During Operation Allies Refuge the 105th contributed three C-17s and their aircrews to the operation, which ran from July 14 to 30 August.

On their final mission, aircrew members of the 105th solemnly airlifted the remains of 13 fallen service members killed while protecting the evacuation.

One aircrew will receive the Air Medal with the “C” device which indicates achievement performed in combat, while another crew will receive the Air Medal.

Tech. Sgt. Byron A. Catu, from Monroe, New York, flying crew chief of a C-17 designated by its call sign Reach 824, will receive the Air Medal with “V” device. The “V” device designates valor. Recipients of the Air Medal with “V” device have demonstrated heroism above what is normally expected while engaged in direct combat.

Catu was recognized with a Meritorious Service Medal in 2022.

Brown will also take part in a ceremony in which one of the wing’s C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft will be named “The Spirit of Allies Refuge,” to commemorate the wing’s role in the missions.

“The men and women of the 105th Airlift Wing have, time and again, displayed their incredible selflessness through their whole dedication to the mission,” said Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton, the commandeer of the 105th Airlift Wing.

“Operation Allies Refuge provides the supreme example of what our Airmen are made of. Throughout this operation, these Citizen Airmen put themselves directly in harm’s way for the sole purpose of saving the lives of others,” he said.

“While the recognition they are receiving from these Air Medals is a great honor, saving the lives of thousands of fellow human beings served as their motivation,” Charlton emphasized.

The purpose of the mission was to airlift specific at-risk Afghan civilians, particularly interpreters, U.S. embassy employees, and other prospective Special Immigrant Visa applicants from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over the country.

Six members of the crew of C-17 Raven 824 were recognized for their actions during the mission in June of 2022. That aircrew was tasked with delivering an Army special operations helicopter and support crew to Kabul shortly after the Taliban occupied part of the airport.

Airmen receiving the Air Medal during the April 1 ceremony are:

• Lt. Col. Dominic Conlan, aircraft commander, Air Medal With “C” Device (4th Award), from New Milford, Connecticut. Conlan and his crew flew into Kabul four times. Once to retrieve a repaired C-17 and then also evacuated 462 people on that mission. Eventually he led the rescue of 1,476 Afghans, 72 Americans and a MH-47 special operations helicopter.

• Lt. Col. Jeffrey Sweeney, C-17 instructor pilot, Air Medal With “C” Device (4th Award), from Gardiner, New York. Sweeney was part of Lt. Col. Conlan’s crew and played a key role in four missions. He piloted a repaired C-17 which the crew evacuated from Kabul with 462 evacuees despite the loss of one generator and an engine overheat.

• Maj. Lindsay Jacobson, C-17 pilot, Air Medal With “C” Device (4th Award), from New Milford, Connecticut. She was part of Conlan’s crew and completed an external airworthiness inspection despite reports of snipers and suicide bombers in the area. She also provided first aid to a toddle suffering from extreme heat.

• Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Britt, instructor loadmaster, Air Medal With “C” Device (4th Award), from Cohoes, New York. He was part of Conlan’s crew and oversaw the loading of a MH-47 helicopter in 50 minutes instead of the normal 4 hours. He played a key role in calming refugees waiting to deplane in Kuwait.

• Senior Airman Todd Bednarek, loadmaster, Air Medal With “C” Device, from Jamesville, New York. He was part of Lt. Col. Conlan’s crew and played a key role in loading an MH-47 in only 50 minutes instead of four hours on the crew’s final mission. He also oversaw boarding procedures which allowed the evacuation of over 2,000 people.

• Technical Sgt. Craig A. Hernandez, crew chief, Air Medal With “C” Device, from Cortlandt Manor, New York. He was a part of Lt. Col. Conlan’s crew and oversaw the repair of a failed generator in austere conditions which allowed the plane to take off. He also played a key role in seeing to the health and safety of the evacuees.

• Staff Sgt. Benjamin M. Hinderman, Security Forces Airman, Air Medal With “C” Device, from Highland Mills, New York. Staff Sgt. Hinderman conducted security patrols of C-17s on the ground in Kabul in a threat environment and assisted in seeing to the health and safety of evacuees.

• Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Kuritzky, Security Forces Airman, Air Medal With “C” Device, from Walden, New York. Staff Sgt. Kuritzky led the security team which secured C-17s on the ground in Kabul. On two occasions he oversaw the loading of hundreds of refugees without incident.

• Staff Sgt. Anthony Waldropt Jr., Security Forces Airman, Air Medal With “C” Device, from Brooklyn, New York. Staff Sgt. Waldrop secured C-17s on the ground in Kabul. On two occasions he oversaw the loading of hundreds of refugees without incident.

• Capt. Robert Dana, aircraft commander, Air Medal (2nd Award), from Fort Montgomery, New York. Despite maintenance issues with their C-17, launched and flew to Kabul, dealt with active radio jamming, landed amid firefights on the ground, and evacuated 424 to Tbilisi, Georgia even though the aircraft was low on fuel.

• Maj. Patrick O’Neil, C-17 instructor pilot, Air Medal (2nd Award), from New Windsor, New York. As a key member of Capt. Dana’s crew, Major O’Neil aided the pilot in flying and navigating into the airport at Kabul and then calculated the flight requirements to get 424 evacuees to Tbilisi, Georgia.

• Maj. John Chybowski, C-17 pilot, Air Medal (3rd Award), from Marlboro, New York. As a member of Capt. Dana’s crew, Major Chybowski, played a key role in providing advice and situational awareness to the pilots flying. He was the primary crewmember scanning for threats and identified battles on the ground to the pilots.

• Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth Schofield, instructor loadmaster, Air Medal (10th Award), from Poughkeepsie, New York. As a member of Capt. Dana’s Crew, Senior Master Sgt. Schofield, coordinated with the security forces Airmen to swiftly load 424 evacuees and defuse any hostile situations on board.

• Tech. Sgt. Scott Alden, loadmaster, Air Medal (2nd Award), from Beacon, New York. As a member of Capt. Dana’s crew, Tech Sgt. Alden helped board 424 evacuees. He diagnosed a maintenance issue which meant the pilots were not getting proper weight and aircraft balance information, so they could make the right calculations.

• Staff Sgt. Dennis Bhola, loadmaster, Air Medal, from Tuckahoe, New York. As a member of Capt. Dana’s crew, Staff Sgt. Bhola assisted in boarding 424 evacuees. He then provided security at the rear of the cargo bay and intervened to prevent fights breaking out among the passengers.

• Master Sgt. Michael S. Roe, crew chief, Air Medal, from Poughkeepsie, New York. As a member of Capt. Dana’s crew, Master Sgt. Roe provided medical assistance to Afghan evacuees. On a separate occasion, he also provided medical assistance to Afghan evacuees in Kuwait.

• Tech. Sgt. Byron A. Catu, crew chief, Air Medal With “V” Device, from Monroe, New York. As a crew chief, Catu played a key role during three missions to Kabul, one of which required delivering an Army MH-47 special operations helicopter and crew to the airport. When the impact of a bullet in the wing of the C-17 resulted in a fuel spill, Catu dealt with the situation, allowing the flight to proceed. His work was critical in allowing the crew of his aircraft to fly missions. He was originally awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2022.