Staff Sgt. Rhyner in Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner deployed to Afghanistan in 2008. Sergeant Rhyner, a combat controller with the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, will be awarded the Air Force Cross Mar. 10, 2009 for his actions in Shok Valley, Afghanistan April 6, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Staff Sgt. Davis standing proud

Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis (second from left) served as a member of the honor guard during a ceremony held Nov 12, 2005. Sergeant Davis died of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan Feb. 20, 2009. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Staff Sgt. Davis standalone photo

Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis died of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosice device Feb. 20, 2009 in Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo)

JINSA Award

Staff Sgt. Zachary J. Rhyner, a special tactics combat controller assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., recieves the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs Grateful Nation Award from Adm. Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during the Grateful Nation Award Ceremony Dec. 8 2008.(Courtesy photo)

21 NATO JSPOC

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Dr. Phil Taylor, Leeds University professor, speaks to NATO senior leaders about Strategic Communication and the War on Terror during the NATO Joint Senior Psychological Operations Strategic Communication Conference (JSPOC) here, Dec. 2, 2008. The 21st Annual NATO JSPOC conference discusses challenges inherent in NATO's roles and missions to discover new approaches in leveraging PSYOPS against asymmetric threat and was held at the Air Force Special Operations School. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sheila DeVera) (RELEASED)

Up in the air

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- From left: 1st. Lt. Lindsey Fennewald, Senior Airman Michael Jackson and Staff Sgt. Sara Klobucar, all from the 353rd Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight, release a helium-filled weather balloon here Oct. 27. A radiosonde attached to the weather balloon measures pressure, temperature and relative humidity as it ascends into the atmosphere; and sends the data back to the MW31 sounding system every one to two seconds. The data provides valuable input for computer forecast models, local forecasts and future weather research. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Aaron Cram)