WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Acting Secretary of the Air Force John Roth visited the 442d Fighter Wing and coined five Airmen April 7, 2021, in the 5-Bay hangar here.
Roth stopped at the 442 FW as part of a larger tour of Barksdale, Dyess, and Whiteman Air Force Bases over two days, his first stop at those bases since accepting the role of Acting Secretary on January 20, 2021.
In addition to coining the Airmen, Roth toured the cockpit of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft and spoke with Col. Michael T. Schultz, the 442 FW commander, about the capabilities of the A-10, the state of the wing, and the state of the Air Force.
“We operate and fight when it’s hard, not when it’s easy,” Schultz told Roth.
The five Airmen who received coins were chosen from throughout the wing for exemplary performance.