Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC)

Flight Commander

Captain William J. Putt distinguished himself by outstanding achievement while serving as Flight Commander, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (32d AAMDC), Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division (ISRD), Al Udeid, Qatar. Through his unparalleled expertise and unwavering dedication, Captain Putt played a pivotal role in equipping AFCENT ISRD personnel with heightened awareness and comprehensive understanding of Iranian Tactical Ballistic Missile and UAV threats. This achievement resulted in profound advancements, including deeper situational awareness, heightened levels of integration, and improved response planning. Consequently, his efforts facilitated enhanced information sharing, streamlined joint planning, and more informed decision-making processes surrounding Integrated Missile Defense Operations. Captain Putt's invaluable contributions ensured the effective management of emerging and developing Iranian threats within the CENTCOM AOR, strengthening the Air Force's mission and safeguarding national security. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Putt reflect credit upon himself, the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command and the United States Air Force.

Deputy, Non-Kinetic Operations

Captain Roland E. Schaetzel distinguished himself by outstanding achievement while serving as Deputy, Non-Kinetic Operations and Electronic Warfare Officer, Combat Operations Division, 609th Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. On October 1, 2015, an Iraqi Forward Operating Base with 600 coalition troops to include 300 Americans was receiving precise indirect fire and was under threat of imminent attack. In response, Captain Schaetzel directed four electronic attack aircraft to disrupt the enemy's command and control which resulted in the immediate suppression of enemy fire and the elimination of 20 ISIL combatants. In addition, Captain Schaetzel led the electronic warfare planning for the 10 November 2015 Kurdish hostage rescue mission and coordinated the force protection of 29 aircraft and 63 ground units which resulted in the rescue of 73 hostages scheduled for execution. Lastly, he initiated the non-kinetic effects integration for UK special operation forces, synchronized 8,010 flight hours with coalition assets, and coordinated 1,782 non-kinetic missions. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Schaetzel reflect credit upon himself, the 609th Combined Air Operations Center and the United States Air Force.

WB-57 Liaison Officer

Captain George S. Amos distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as WB-57 Liaison Officer, 609th Combat Operations Division, Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. During this period, Captain Amos' expertise enabled the collection of over 13,000 pre-planned and 1,000 ad-hoc targets, 106 missions, and 680 flight hours. These efforts identified crucial enemy tactics, techniques and procedures, directly resulting in significant enemy casualties. In addition, Captain Amos sought out and developed essential relationships with coalition partners. These relationships prioritized subserviced targets and increased Task Force war fighter support by more than ten percent. Moreover, when maintenance grounded the primary mission sensors, Captain Amos displayed flexibility under pressure and pivoted to garner targets for secondary sensors, thus keeping the jet flying and maximizing ISR war fighter support. Further, Captain Amos led a highly visible priority collection effort for a high value individual, resulting in a 30 percent increase in persistent full motion video coverage and subsequent successful task force mission execution. Finally, Captain Amos developed new targeting procedures that boosted daily collection, resulting in a 20 percent increase in Combatant Commanders priority target processing. The distinctive accomplishments of Captain Amos reflect credit upon himself, the 609th Combined Air Operations Center and the United States Air Force.

Operations Intelligence Analyst

Staff Sergeant Cheryl V. McClure distinguished herself by meritorious service while serving as Operations Intelligence Analyst, 552d Operations Support Squadron, 552d Operations Group, 552d Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. During this period, Sergeant McClure briefed the Combined Air Operations Center regional defense plan to 23 E-3 members in support of Exercise IRON FALCON, meeting the Combined Forces Air Component Commander's top objective. Additionally, she oversaw Olympic Command and Control Intelligence planning in support of 56 sorties and 520 flight hours, ensuring the safety of more than 10,000 athletes and spectators. Furthermore, Sergeant McClure developed scenarios to validate overseas contingency operations in support of a 2.1 million dollar Air Force Special Operations Command exercise, certifying 32 units as combat mission ready. Finally, she coordinated security requirements with three air defense agencies supporting 91 Operation NOBLE EAGLE missions and provided essential Command and Control for the protection of the President of the United States. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant McClure reflect credit upon herself, the 552d Operations Support Squadron, and the United States Air Force.

Senior Shift Controller

Staff Sergeant Sebastian O. Manna distinguished himself by meritorious service while serving as Senior Shift Controller, Wing Command Post, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. During this period, in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM and Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, Sergeant Manna's superior command and control execution enabled a 98.8 percent mission effectiveness rate, resulting in over 2,000 air refueling missions offloading 170 million pounds of fuel to coalition aircraft. His expert coordination across wing agencies ensured the safe movement of over 2,400 passengers and 2,000 tons of combat operations cargo. Additionally, he expertly managed 17 distinguished visitor flights, including Afghanistan's President and the commanders of United States Central Command and United States Air Forces Central. Furthermore, Sergeant Manna created an operational report distribution list, meticulously validating 71 addressees to ensure the time critical report's rapid distribution to the Combined Forces Air Component Command Watch. Finally, his rapid confirmation and notification of wing leadership and agencies during 11 real world and 136 exercise Combined Air Operations Center missile launch alerts ensured the safety of over 1,900 personnel. The distinctive accomplishments of Sergeant Manna reflect credit upon himself, the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and the United States Air Force.