A Special Tactics Officer with the 21st STS, Capt Crawford was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Laghman Province (2010). He ran into the open under fire to coordinate the evacuation of wounded Afghan soldiers and controlled 33 aircraft during a 10-hour battle. When his joint task force was ambushed by over 100 insurgents, they were pinned down in a steep valley. Recognizing the dire situation, Capt Crawford exposed himself multiple times to direct AH-64 Apaches and F-15s, dropping ordnance within 150 meters of his position. Despite his radio antennae being shot off, he continued to coordinate the medical evacuation of three critically wounded Afghan commandos. His leadership and mastery of close air support were instrumental in ensuring his entire team survived the grueling engagement without American casualties.