Staff Sgt. Richard Hunter, a 23rd Special Tactics Squadron combat controller, was ambushed while embedded with an Army Special Forces team and their Afghan partners in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. He coordinated close air support strikes, deconflicted airspace, and maximized fire support from overhead gunships. In the middle of the chaos, Hunter led a fire team back into the kill zone to recover a wounded teammate. He directed airstrikes with a radio in one hand while dragging the rescued team member 30 meters to safety with his other hand. (Courtesy photo)