LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va.-- –
Four pilots assigned to the 94th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing, and two from the 149th FS, 192nd Wing, were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, for actions while deployed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, during a ceremony at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Aug. 31, 2026.
U.S. Air Force Gen. Adrian Spain, commander of Air Combat Command, presided over the ceremony and presented the decorations to the recipients, recognizing their courage, skill and airmanship that earned them one of the nation's highest honors, the Distinguished Flying Cross.
“We haven't awarded many of these in the last few decades, as it's intended to recognize true heroism and highly exceptional accomplishment in flight which means that it should be rare and it is,” said Spain.
The ceremony highlighted the actions of the warfighters and the role their efforts played in advancing the 1st FW’s mission.
“Their job was to provide air superiority,” Spain said. “The bombers and the rest of the support package relied on these Raptor pilots to clear the skies, shield them from surface threats, and ensure a safe route through heavily contested airspace.”
Spain also recognized the Airmen, families and teammates whose support contributed to the recipients' success.
“For the families and friends, the late nights, the stressful days, changing deployment schedules…you carry that weight too. And so, you also share this accomplishment with them,” said Spain.
According to the Air Force Personnel Center, the Distinguished Flying Cross was authorized by Congress July 2, 1926, and was awarded first to Capt. Charles A. Lindbergh, of the U.S. Army Corps Reserve, for his solo flight of 3,600 miles across the Atlantic in 1927. It is awarded to any member of the armed forces of the United States for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.
The event also provided 1st FW and 192nd WG leadership an opportunity to emphasize the connection between individual excellence and the wing's ability to generate combat airpower.
Colonel Nicholas Sigler, 1st FW deputy commander, reaffirmed how airpower across the joint forces rely on, begins, and ends with our Airmen.
“The incredible accomplishments of those recounted here today stand testament to the thousands of Airmen that sacrifice to generate and sustain our nation’s Airpower,” Sigler said.
Building on that philosophy, Col. Andrew Weidner, 192nd WG commander, added that "While the Distinguished Flying Cross recognizes individual heroism and extraordinary achievement in the cockpit, the success of this complex mission belongs to an entire enterprise. Behind every decision made in flight stood an incredible Total Force team of maintainers, intelligence specialists, planners, and mission support personnel—as well as the unwavering support of our families back home who make our service possible."
Spain's closing remarks emphasized the recipients' accomplishments and the broader team responsible for enabling their success. The ceremony marked the continued focus at the 1st FW on developing ready Airmen and maintaining the combat capability required to execute the wing's mission.
“It was your support that enabled their excellence—from the maintainers, the operations team, the Intel professionals, and the logistics involved,” Spain said. “Let there be no doubt heroism like this is earned by the entire formation. These pilots were the leading edge that day, but the foundation of their success was laid by the hard work of the entire organization in the days prior and every day since. And that's what Air Force readiness looks like.”