U.S. Air Force airmen awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses for Kabul evacuation

Four airmen from the 911th Airlift Wing have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for their heroic actions during the 2021 evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan. The awards, presented during a September 12 ceremony, recognize the courage of the C-17A cargo aircraft crew during Operation Allies Refuge.

The recipients include Lt. Col. Eric Miller, Maj. Jason Mileham, Master Sgt. Tyler Painter, and Tech. Sgt. Steven Strobel. The crew was honored for their performance at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 27, 2021, a period marked by extreme instability following a suicide bombing at the airport gate the previous day.

According to official citations, the crew navigated hazardous airspace under the threat of small arms fire and surface-to-air missiles to reach the airfield. Despite an unstable security situation and credible suicide bomber threats, the crew successfully evacuated 450 Afghan allies. During the mission, the crew also stabilized a wounded evacuee and managed potential unrest on the aircraft.