Struggling to his feet, he executed air-to-ground engagements while returning fire, repulsing an enemy assault less than 150 meters away. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. googletag.defineSlot('/13076449/L-Marketing', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1429642448542-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); Listen to the entire podcast on Youtube: Need some motivation to get your week started off right?
Keller’s parents wiped away tears, and he hugged his wife after Goldfein presented the medal at Friday’s ceremony. Keller is the 2nd airman to receive a medal for that same battle. In calling in airstrikes and medevacs simultaneously, Keller was also working against what he called the "thermal crossover" when dusk sets in and temperatures go down, making it more difficult for aircraft to pick out targets using infrared imagery. After arriving back at the outpost, Keller was evacuated for his injuries.

Keller, in his second deployment to Afghanistan, and the rest of the commando team spent much of the deployment away from the relative protection of fortified compounds.

Sgt. “Only 10 Airmen since 9/11 have received this honor,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, who presented the medal in a hangar at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base. A Silver Star medal for the same operation was presented at Hurlburt Field, Florida, on Sept. 6 to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt.
He then took it upon himself to make certain those men could be removed from the battlefield. When he got there, he was ready. During this movement, he repulsed a three-sided enemy attack by returning fire and simultaneously passing enemy positions to another joint terminal attack controller, allowing friendly forces to break contact. Ride along one of this opportunities. Sgt Daniel Keller Receives Air Force Cross, https://news.unclesamsmisguidedchildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/uncle-sams-misguided-children-logo.png, https://news.unclesamsmisguidedchildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/sgtdanielkellerframe1.jpg, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). “I think it’s amazing what a small group, like a special forces team and their partner forces, is capable of doing against these larger number [of ISIS fighters] who are dug in after taking over these people’s homes and villages.”. “Among us, there are people who step up and do truly heroic things,” Bevin said. One of Sgt Keller’s friends, SSgt Aaron Butler, a Green Beret, was killed in the blast. More would have died had Sgt Keller not taken the actions he did, according to the Air Force. When medical evacuation helicopters were unable to identify the landing zone, he sprinted to the center of the field, exposing himself to enemy fire in order to marshal in both aircraft and aid in loading the casualties. “It’s also – you think about all the other guys in these events, and the amazing stuff you see guys do in combat that might not be recognized,” Keller said. Air Force Staff Sgt. All rights reserved. Previously, he had spent 30 days in the field and was on the 55th day of a second time in the field when the order came to assault insurgents in the valley.

“Initially, I thought I was blind. “When medical evacuation helicopters were unable to identify the landing zone, he sprinted to the center of the field, exposing himself to enemy fire in order to marshal in both aircraft and aid in loading casualties.”. Can't comPLANE. The U.S. Air Force Academy gives its cadets some unique opportunities. These inn…, Taking care of people Congratulations, Dan.” Kentucky Air National Guard Combat Controller Daniel Keller (right) and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein (left) during Air Force Cross ceremony, “It is amazing and extremely humbling that the Air Force did this for me, but I just don’t want people to forget that it was a really bad day for a lot of really great Americans — specifically for Aaron [and] Aaron’s family,” Keller said.

"Everything just sort of went black," he said of the blast. In a news release, the Kentucky Air National Guard said that Keller, then a staff sergeant with the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, was part of an assault force of 130 from Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component Afghanistan on a mission to clear ISIS-K fighters from a valley near the Pakistan border. From development to ops in less than a year! Keller distinguished himself in 2017 for meritorious service in Eastern Afghanistan. JTAC Sgt Daniel Keller of the Kentucky Air National Guard is set to receive the Air Force Cross on Friday, September 13. “You can see that it’s effective as you see the crops returning and seeing lights on at night in these places behind you that you just pushed through and cleared,” Keller said.

All rights reserved. Keller who always have, and always will, defend her.” I've been working at Uncle Sam's Misguided Children since 2013. Special Tactics is the Air Force and Air National Guard’s special operations cadre, leading personnel recovery, global access, precision-strike missions and battlefield medical care.

“Whoever’s available, they’re going to do it.”.

Technical Sergeant Daniel Keller received the Air Force Cross because of his bravery during a 2017 mission in Afghanistan. “I’d like to say these events and actions are remarkable, because I truly feel that to be the case, but I doubt you’d agree, Dan,” Goldfein added. “It’s weird, man.

“It drives me to want to be better at my job,” Keller said.