Capt. Kevin Polk, an emergency services nurse assigned to Keesler AFB, Miss., received the Bronze Star for his life-saving efforts of a fellow airman in Southwest Asia. Ignoring fire from an enemy mortar attack at Balad AB, Iraq, Sept. 11, 2004, Polk, then a critical care air transport team nurse with the 379th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar, searched living quarters for wounded personnel and found and stabilized an airman with life-threatening injuries. Officials said Polk’s actions helped save the airman’s life.
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…