USAFE Members Receive Bronze Star

Maj. Gen. Mark Schissler, U.S. Air Forces in Europe director of the Plans, Programs and Analyses Directorate, presents the Bronze Star to Lt. Col. Antonio Castillo, USAFE Directorate of Plans, Programs and Analyses chief of the Geographically Separated Units and Activities management Branch, Feb. 14, 2011, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Colonel Castillo was deployed as the Regional Support Team-Capital commander, NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, from Sept. 5, 2009 to March 3, 2010. He received the Bronze Star for being instrumental in supporting the Title 22 engineering and logistical requirements for more than 20,000 Afghan National Security Forces and U.S. personnel. Creating the RST-C from the ground up, Colonel Castillo led the execution of more than $39 million in engineering projects while performing in more than 100 combat missions and 30 dismount patrols throughout Kabul Province. The Bronze Star is awarded to a person in any branch of the military service who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Armed Forces on or after Dec. 7, 1941, shall have distinguished himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy. It can also be awarded for heroism while serving with friendly forces engaged in combat against an opposing military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Sarayuth Pinthong)