Photo By Senior Airman Jade Caldwell | Philippine Air Force Lt. Gen. Aristotle Gonzalez, commander of Northern Luzon Command,...... read more read more
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CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines -- U.S. Airmen assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing were awarded the Philippine Military Merit Medal for their groundbreaking missions in support of Exercise Balikatan 2026 at Camp General Servillano A. Aquino, Philippines, May 5, 2026.
The Philippine Military Merit Medal is awarded by senior Armed Forces Philippine leaders; a non-combat, meritorious achievement for service in connection with military operations against Philippine adversaries or an action in direct support of military operations. The decoration recognized U.S. Airmen for significantly enhancing rapid airlift capabilities and strengthening regional security in a strategically vital operating environment.
“Today, we are giving out awards as a sign of appreciation,” said Philippine Air Force Lt. Gen. Aristotle Gonzalez, Commander of Northern Luzon Command. “The Philippines recognizes what the 317th Airlift Wing has completed. The 41st iteration of Balikatan is all in the interest of not just interoperability, but the ability and will to fight together, and of course, win together.”
Pilots and loadmasters assigned to the 40th Airlift Squadron, alongside Airmen from the 317th Airlift Wing and 7th Bomb Wing, rendered meritorious service in support of joint and combined operations, as credited by the AFP.
“Balikatan 2026 represented a strategic breakthrough for the Joint Force, successfully validating the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft as the premier maneuver platform,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brenden Wier, Commander of the 40th AS. “The 40th AS directly enabled the Combined Joint Force Land Component Commander to control key maritime terrain in the Luzon Strait, advancing the exercise timeline by an entire phase and achieving training objectives six days ahead of schedule.”
During Balikatan 2026, the 317th Airlift Wing landed a C-130J Super Hercules on Itbayat for the first time on April 23. This event marked the first C-130J landing and first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Insertion to the island, enabling senior leaders to maintain flexible and responsive military options in remote and strategically significant locations.
“People may think landing at Itbayat with a C-130J, a modern platform, might be an easy task and it’s not that easy,” said Gonzalez. “Beyond the difficulty is the true message. The 40th AS was able to airlift a weapon system onto that island, which sends the message, ‘This is the Philippines.’ We make it clear that these contingent locations are just as restrictive for all who do not believe in good order.”
During Batanes operations, the 40th AS transported weapon systems, vehicles, service members and equipment into Itbayat and Basco, establishing a forward presence in austere locations near contested maritime areas. In coordination with joint forces, the squadron enabled the airlift of HIMARS for the 25th Infantry Division and Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction Systems for the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment.
Throughout the exercise, the 317th Airlift Wing executed daily missions that ensured the timely delivery and employment of key capabilities across the Philippines, including Itbayat, Basco, Laoag, Lal-lo and Palawan. The ability to rapidly project combat power into remote areas expanded operational reach and provided commanders with flexible options across the region.
“Some will say that setting up a mission center is an ordinary thing to do, but no—what the 317th AW has accomplished here in the Philippines is more than that,” said Gonzalez. “That mission center, communicating directly with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, initiates actions and operations that allow us to fight more effectively together.”
By incorporating combined, joint all-domain operations at tactical and operational levels, Balikatan 2026 increases U.S.-Philippine interoperability and lethality across air, land, sea, space and cyberspace, improving the collective ability to defend the Philippines.
“Our success in Balikatan 2026 was driven by the expertise of our key planning team: Capt. Sydney ‘Echo’ Pasterski, Capt. Kyle Pasterski and Senior Airman Kenden Johnson,” said Wier. “However, these achievements were made possible by the entire team of aviators, maintainers and support personnel who executed the mission daily. They absorbed the stress of a high-tempo flying schedule, adapted to last-minute "frag" changes and consistently executed with professionalism and dedication. I am profoundly grateful to all these great Airmen and proud to count them as part of the Screaming Eagle Tribe.”
The performance and discipline displayed reflect great credit upon the 317th Airlift Wing and underscore the enduring strength of the partnership between the U.S. Department of War and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, reinforcing a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity.
| Date Taken: | 05.04.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2026 18:04 |
| Story ID: | 564870 |
| Location: | PH |
| Web Views: | 113 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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