{"id":32157,"date":"2018-07-17T20:03:56","date_gmt":"2018-07-17T20:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/17\/special-operations-pilot-awarded-dfc-with-valor-for-airdrop-under-fire\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:18:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:18:24","slug":"special-operations-pilot-awarded-dfc-with-valor-for-airdrop-under-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/07\/17\/special-operations-pilot-awarded-dfc-with-valor-for-airdrop-under-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Special operations pilot awarded DFC with valor for airdrop under fire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An Air Force <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2017\/06\/05\/air-force-rolls-out-13-year-455000-bonuses-for-fighter-pilots\/\" target=\"_blank\">special operations pilot<\/a> was awarded the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/01\/05\/airmen-receive-distinguished-flying-cross-for-airdrop-under-fire-in-afghanistan\/\" target=\"_blank\">Distinguished Flying Cross<\/a> at a July 6 ceremony on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, for his efforts to resupply Army Special Forces soldiers under heavy fire in Afghanistan two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maj. Michael Tolzien, from Kirtland\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/05\/15\/kirtland-air-force-base-begins-construction-on-helicopter-simulator\/\" target=\"_blank\">58th Special Operations Wing<\/a>, received the DFC \u201cwith valor,\u201d which means his actions were conducted at grave personal risk while engaged with the enemy, according to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kirtland.af.mil\/News\/Article-Display\/Article\/1568988\/58th-sow-airman-awarded-distinguished-flying-cross\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kirtland officials<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In January 2016, while serving in Afghanistan, then-Capt. Tolzien received an alert for a high priority mission: A team of Green Berets was under heavy enemy fire, isolated from conventional support and would soon be overrun by enemy forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2016\/01\/07\/dod-identifies-special-forces-soldier-killed-in-afghanistan\/\" target=_blank>Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McClintock<\/a> from 19th Special Forces Group out of Buckley, Washington, had already been killed in the fight near the city of Marjah, in Afghanistan\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2017\/12\/11\/helmand-again-the-focus-of-us-strategy-in-afghanistan\/\" target=_blank>Helmand province<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2016\/03\/07\/fallen-green-beret-earns-silver-star-for-final-act-of-heroism\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"169\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635929449147147345-arm-mcclintock-1jpg.jpg?w=169\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Fallen Green Beret earns Silver Star for final act of heroism<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McClintock has been posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the nation\u2019s third-highest award for valor, for his actions during an hours-long firefight in southern Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tolzien\u2019s crew prepared their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/01\/05\/airmen-receive-distinguished-flying-cross-for-airdrop-under-fire-in-afghanistan\/\" target=\"_blank\">MC-130J Commando II<\/a> aircraft with 1,600 pounds of combat-critical supplies, to include ammunition, water and medical gear, that could be dropped to the ground team and assist them in pushing back the enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After loading up and taking off, Tolzien\u2019s aircraft began cruising toward the drop zone, which was changed multiple times due to the shifting nature of the ground combat situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fluidity of the battle forced Tolzien\u2019s crew to recalculate the perfect release point several times to ensure the supplies landed where U.S. forces, and not the enemy, could retrieve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conditions were quickly deteriorating as the crew neared their objective and looked for the best spot to drop their haul. Tolzien\u2019s aircraft was struck multiple times by enemy fire as it flew slow and low, at about 800 feet above the ground, looking for the drop point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the incoming rounds, Tolzien was able to remain calm and fly the plane steady enough that his crew dropped the supplies within 50 meters of the ground forces, \u201chalting any further loss of life,&#8221; according to the Air Force. The drop \u201cdirectly contributed to a successful counterattack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Captain Tolzien reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force,\u201d the award citation reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1367\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg?resize=1024,684 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/180706-F-YE685-0019.JPG.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Air Force Col. Bradley Downs (left), vice commander of the 492nd Special Operations Wing, pins the Distinguished Flying Cross on Maj. Michael Tolzien, 58th Special Operations Wing during a ceremony at Kirtland Air Force Base, July 6, 2018. Tolzien\u2019s Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded \u201cwith Valor,\u201d which denotes an act of heroism at grave personal risk far above and beyond while engaged in direct combat with and exposure to an enemy\u2019s hostilities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tolzien now serves as the chief of current operations at the 58th Operations Group, helping to train future special operations pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m humbled to receive this award &#8230; and I know the training you\u2019re getting here will prepare you to do the same thing in similar circumstances,\u201d he told student-pilots at the 58th Special Operations Wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Col. Bradley Downs, vice commander of the 492nd Special Operations Wing, presented the award to Tolzien and called him one of the most \u201chumble and unassuming aviators you\u2019ll ever meet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/01\/05\/airmen-receive-distinguished-flying-cross-for-airdrop-under-fire-in-afghanistan\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26231920_10155166972875777_7143239410124470780_o.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Airmen receive Distinguished Flying Cross for airdrop under fire in Afghanistan<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Two airmen were awarded the oldest medal in U.S. military aviation history Friday for their actions in Afghanistan on Jan. 5, 2016, which left bullet holes in their aircraft\u2019s rudder.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTolzien is someone who lives the professional ethos we all hold dear,\u201d Downs said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also at the ceremony was the mother, Joyce Montoya, and other relatives of McClintock, the only fatality of the attack that day. Two other soldiers were wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McClintock posthumously received the Silver Star for running out of the compound in which his team was taking shelter, under fire, to find a landing zone so a helicopter could land and evacuate a wounded teammate, his wife previously told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2016\/03\/07\/fallen-green-beret-earns-silver-star-for-final-act-of-heroism\/\" target=_blank>Army Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four other members of Tolzien\u2019s crew also received DFCs for their actions during the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Capt. Charlotte Raabe, the crew\u2019s combat systems officer, and Staff Sgt. Gary Bjerke, a loadmaster, received their DFCs in January. Then, in February, Capt. Joseph Castro, another pilot, and Staff Sgt. Joshua Call, the other loadmaster, also were awarded the DFC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DFC is a military decoration awarded to members of the U.S. military who distinguish themselves in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Air Force special operations pilot was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross at a July 6 ceremony on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, for his efforts to resupply U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers under heavy fire in Afghanistan two years ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":34256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":88,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[29,116,15,88],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3406],"class_list":["post-32157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-your-military"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"XWQIWRREEFELBONMVSEJXDV7ZA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/07\/17\/special-operations-pilot-awarded-dfc-with-valor-for-airdrop-under-fire\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross at a July 6 ceremony on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, for his efforts to resupply U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers under heavy fire in Afghanistan two years ago.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/07\/17\/special-operations-pilot-awarded-dfc-with-valor-for-airdrop-under-fire\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Military Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-07-17T20:03:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T20:18:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kyle Rempfer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kyle Rempfer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 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