{"id":38980,"date":"2017-09-19T22:42:46","date_gmt":"2017-09-19T22:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/09\/19\/combat-controller-to-receive-air-force-cross-for-actions-during-fierce-afghan-battle\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:36:10","slug":"combat-controller-to-receive-air-force-cross-for-actions-during-fierce-afghan-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/military-honor\/2017\/09\/19\/combat-controller-to-receive-air-force-cross-for-actions-during-fierce-afghan-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"Combat controller to receive Air Force Cross for actions during fierce Afghan battle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Staff Sgt. Richard Hunter, a combat controller with the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, will receive the Air Force Cross for his actions during a 2016 battle in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan, the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command said Tuesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the battle, Hunter called in 31 danger-close air strikes in support of his 12-man Army Special Forces team, said Lt. Gen. Brad Webb. Some of those air strikes were as close as 13 meters from friendly forces, Webb added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force Cross is second only to the Medal of Honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hunter will be the 11th AFSOC recipient of the Air Force Cross since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Webb said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Staff Sgt. Richard Hunter, a combat controller attached to a team of 12 Army Special Forces soldier and 43 Afghan Army commandos, has been nominated for the Air Force Cross for his actions during a harrowing Nov. 2, 2016, mission. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On Nov. 2, 2016, \u201cthe team was on a mission to uncover a Taliban safe haven, ended up in an ambush, and Sgt. Hunter, as the JTAC and combat controller, called in a number of strikes,\u201d Webb said. \u201cIt was an eight-hour firefight. They took American casualties. In fact, some of his Army brothers were killed in the exchange.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team had been ambushed by insurgents in elevated positions along the northern village of Boz Kandahari. Hunter controlled AC-130 Gunships and AH-64 Apaches as the team moved through the village and was ultimately evacuated by helicopter under fire.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the course of the engagement, Hunter was \u201cfiring his own weapon, protecting others, providing first aid to others, and calling in air strikes,\u201d Webb said. \u201cIt was an extremely heroic mission. I\u2018m very, very proud of him.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an August interview with Air Force Times, Hunter elaborated on the situation his team faced in Kunduz Province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPicture this: A group of about 50 people, with [about] 50 percent of them attritted to injuries, and half of them not able to walk,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cSo what are the other half doing? Dragging, carrying bodies. That\u2019s what we were doing with them as we were bounding up this alleyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t