During a celebration on April 1, 2022, the deputy commander of the Air Force Reserve presented the Distinguished Flying Cross to four C-17A Globemaster III aircrewman.
During Operation Allies Refuge in August 2021, three Reserve Citizen Airmen were assigned to the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis, as well as an active duty Airman from the 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, were acknowledged for helping evacuate Americans and their partners out of Afghanistan. Any official or recruited member of the United States military is eligible for the DFC. Armed Forces who stand out in battle in aid of missions via heroism or remarkable combat aviation performance. Burger spoke on the importance of the four Reserve Citizen Airmen earning the award during the event. The goal of the C-17A aircrew was initially limited to carrying the 82nd Airborne Division to assist capture Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, but after the capital fell on Aug. 15, 2021, the mission altered dramatically.
