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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Capt. Brett DeVries, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot of the 107th Fighter Squadron from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, next to the aircraft he safely landed after a malfunction forced him to make an emergency landing July 20, 2017, at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. For his efforts, DeVries was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Nov. 6, 2020.170720-Z-MI929-001
                        
                        
                        Capt. Brett DeVries, a 107th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., poses beside the aircraft he safely landed after a malfunction forced him to make an emergency landing July 20, 2017, at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. For his efforts, DeVries was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross Nov. 6, 2020. (Air National Guard photo by Terry Atwell)
                
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        Capt. Brett DeVries, right, and his wingman, Maj. Shannon Vickers, both A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots of the 107th Fighter Squadron from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. Vickers helped DeVries safely make an emergency landing July 20, 2017, at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.170802-Z-MI929-002
                        
                        
                        Maj. Shannon Vickers and Capt. Brett DeVries, both 107th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., in front of an A-10. Vickers helped DeVries safely make an emergency landing July 20, 2017, at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. (Air National Guard photo by Terry Atwell)
                
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Michigan Air Guard pilot awarded Distinguished Flying CrossPublished Nov. 12, 2020
                    
                    
                    127th Wing
            **SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. (AFNS) --****Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett** presented Maj. Brett DeVries, a 107th Fighter Squadron pilot, the Distinguished Flying Cross Nov. 6 for extraordinary flight achievement.
“The Distinguished Flying Cross is America’s oldest military aviation decoration,” Barrett said. “Awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement that is, ‘entirely distinctive, involving operations that are not routine,’ today, Maj. DeVries, you will join the ranks of some other American heroes.”
The training flight narrowly avoided catastrophe on July 20, 2017, when DeVries successfully landed his **A-10 Thunderbolt II** with neither a canopy nor fully engaged landing gear.
“Maj. DeVries truly put service before self and demonstrated a level of airmanship to which we should all aspire,” said Brig. Gen. Rolf E. Mammen, 127th Wing commander, during the ceremony.
The first award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made to 10 Army Air Corps aviators for participation in the Army Pan American Flight, officially awarded May 2, 1927. The first presentation of the award was on June 11, 1927, when President Calvin Coolidge honored Charles Lindbergh for his first transatlantic solo flight.
While DeVries was flying the A-10 during the emergency, he relied heavily on his wingman, then-Maj. Shannon Vickers, and the maintenance team back at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Mammen said DeVries had the entire Wing standing behind him.
“As a commander, I cannot tell you how proud I am of Maj. DeVries and our entire 127th Wing, who work so hard every day to ensure that we are ready to fly, fight and win,” Mammen said.AFWN 



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        Maj. Brett Devries Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross
                                
                                Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett presented the Distinguished Flying Cross to Maj. Brett DeVries from the 127th Wing. DeVries was recognized for safely landing an A-10 Thunderbolt II after a catastrophic aircraft malfunction that caused the canopy to eject and crippled the landing gear. DeVries, a senior A-10 pilot assigned to the 107th Fighter Squadron, has more than 2,000 flight hours to include 830 in combat. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Andrew Schumann)


#MichiganNationalGuard #CornerstoneMICommunities #ExcellenceInAllWeDo #WeStandReady #MING #ANG #expeditionaryreadiness #TeamSelfridge #127thWing #Selfridge #MichiganNationalGuard #CenterForPerformanceExcellence #SECAF #A10 #DFC #ReadyAF Featured News
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