Not Your Father's Air Force XIV

From the Usual USAF Source...

(From left) Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, Capt. Nicholas Tsougas, Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, Capt. Leigh Larkin, retired Lt. Col. Donald Cornwell and National Aeronautic Association Chairman Walter Boyne.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tiffany Trojca) (click for hi-res)

F-15E Aircrews Presented Mackay Trophy: Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and National Aeronautic Association Chairman Walter Boyne presented the 2010 Mackay Trophy to the four members of "Dude Flight" for their heroics actions last year in the cockpits of two F-15Es during a mission over Afghanistan. Now-retired Lt. Col. Donald Cornwell as well as Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, Capt. Leigh Larkin, and Capt. Nicholas Tsougas received the trophy, which recognizes the most meritorious flight in a given year, during NAA's fall awards dinner Monday in Arlington, Va. On April 6, 2010, these airmen, flying in F-15Es with call signs Dude-01 and Dude-02, performed show-of-force passes and subsequently deployed six joint direct attack munitions to protect a task force of some 30 coalition troops under attack by approximately 100 Taliban fighters in Bala Morgab. Their attacks killed more than 80 Taliban, saving the task force members' lives. (SAF/PA report by SSgt. Eric Donner) (See also NAA Mackay Trophy webpage.)

Congratulations to Colonels Cornwell and Wells and Captains Larkin and Tsougas.  This isn't the first time the Mackay trophy has been awarded to a female airman... I think the first female aircrew member was awarded the trophy in 2000... but it certainly gets the attention of the old geezers among us.  

I just can't imagine having a conversation with the wife that goes sumthin' like this:  

"How was your day, Honey?"  
"Oh, just the usual... knocked off 80 Taliban that were giving our guys a hard time..."

But I think it would be pretty cool.

Oh, and Capt. Larkin?  Square away those wings.  Ma'am.