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Five Reserve Charleston Airmen earn Distinguished Flying Cross

  • Published
  • By Capt. Shane Ellis
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. --  
Five 315th Airlift Wing Reserve Citizen Airmen were among the 51 Distinguished Flying Crosses awarded by U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, for their actions in Operation Allies Refuge, during a ceremony at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 21, 2022.
5 Reserve JBC Airmen earn Distinguished Flying Cross

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander Air Force Reserve Command, and six Distinguished Flying Cross recipients pose for a photo in front of a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft after the DFC ceremony at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 21, 2022. The DFC ceremony was the largest of its kind, and 51 Airmen were presented the DFC for their heroic actions during the Operation Allies Refuge evacuation. Five Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 315th Airlift Squadron were among the recipients. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Shane Ellis)
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The DFC ceremony was the largest of its kind in decades, and significant to the 701st Airlift Squadron Airmen was their role in the birth of a baby girl during one of the  
5 Reserve JBC Airmen earn Distinguished Flying Cross

Distinguished Flying Cross medals lie in rows prior to being awarded to Airmen at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 21, 2022. The DFC ceremony was the largest of its kind, and 51 Airmen were presented the DFC for their heroic actions during the Operation Allies Refuge evacuation. Five Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 315th Airlift Squadron were among the recipients. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Shane Ellis)
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evacuation missions and having Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander Air Force Reserve Command, present at the ceremony.

According to Healy, emotional and professional maturity are the exceptional traits for Reserve Citizen Airmen to be ‘Ready Now’ and ‘Transforming to the Future.’

“Emotional and professional maturity are key for our Airmen to be able to interact together and carry out our missions regardless of any limitations,” said Healy.

“Ready now is meaning today," he continued. “You could transpose today, right now, all the way back to when they got that call and we had four crews moving within 24 hours. They are Reserve Citizen Airmen standing up saying this is my job, I want to do this, I want to go help, and that’s only possible because our Reserve Airmen are ready to fight and carry out the National Defense Strategy and get to the defense of the United States.”

Col. John Robinson, 315 AW commander, was in attendance and said he is proud of the Airmen who received the DFC.

“We are proud of you, congratulations, you do a great job every day and you got recognized for your efforts,” said Robinson.

“A crew of many went in and out of the evacuation area, they exercised their skills professionally and with expertise they rescued people,” he continued. “They brought hope to people halfway around the world.

Emotional and professional maturity are key for our Airmen to be able to interact together and carry out our missions regardless of any limitations.
Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander Air Force Reserve Command
I always say that’s what the American flag on our tail does, it delivers hope when they see our flag pull into an airport nearby. For the people who need it, America brings comfort… and for the people who need it, America can bring war. That’s the beauty of our aircraft and crew members who fly them as they can bring both.”

Healy summed up his message by saying the biggest thing Reserve Citizen Airmen can do is to always represent the patch the best they can.

“To all of our Airmen here today, and all of our Airmen who participated in Operation Allies Refuge, you definitely made the Air Force Reserve Command patch proud,” he said.
5 Reserve JBC Airmen earn Distinguished Flying Cross

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dennis Hiott, 701st Airlift Squadron loadmaster, is presented the Distinguished Flying Cross by U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Wing Command, during a ceremony at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 21, 2022. The DFC ceremony was the largest of its kind, and 51 Airmen were presented the DFC for their heroic actions during the Operation Allies Refuge evacuation. Hiott played a significant role in the birth of a baby girl during one of the 315th Airlift Wing evacuation missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Shane Ellis)
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Operation Allies Refuge was the largest non-combatant evacuation in American history. Each of the DFC recipients put themselves into harm’s way to evacuate tens of thousands of refugees in just 17 days. 

The DFC, authorized by congress on July 2, 1926, is the fourth-highest award for extraordinary achievement and is the highest award for heroism while participating in aerial flight.
 

701 AS DFC recipients and honorable mentions:

Lt. Col. Trey Adams, 701 AS C-17 pilot (now retired)
Maj. David Gantt, 701 AS C-17 pilot
Capt. Dennis Connor, 701 AS C-17 pilot
Master Sgt. Leah Schmidt, 701 AS loadmaster
Tech. Sgt. Dennis Hiott, 701 AS loadmaster
Maj. Williams Cuchens, former active duty C-17 pilot and current 701 AS C-17 pilot
Capt. Leslie Green, 375th Air Expeditionary Squadron flight nurse (Green was the flight nurse who flew with the 701 AS crew and assisted in delivering the baby)