On 10 March 2026, Staff Sergeant Kyle Hill, Formal Training Unit Instructor Loadmaster assigned to the 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, distinguished himself through exceptional airmanship and ingenuity aboard a C-17A Globemaster III during a Formal Airdrop Training Course sortie. While instructing a student on heavy equipment aerial delivery procedures involving a 2,700-pound platform, the flight encountered a critical and unforeseen emergency when the extraction parachute failed to employ, the equipment sequence suffered a total malfunction. Displaying composure, he immediately took control of the situation, guiding his student through the applicable emergency malfunction procedures. Despite their efforts, these standard actions proved ineffective in resolving the system failure.

As the situation evolved, Kyle directed the last-resort measure: physically cutting the extraction parachute with a pole knife. Before they could act, the parachute was violently ripped from the platform, an event which pulled the cargo from its rail system. The now-unsecured 2,700-pound platform was free to move within the cargo bay, creating a grave threat to the aircraft’s centre of gravity along with the safety of the aircrew. A sudden shift of this mass during flight could have dangerous repercussions, potentially entering an uncontrollable state. The platform became dangerously lodged inside the cargo rail system, physically obstructing the cargo door and ramp from closing. This critical issue was immediately compounded by a pre-existing aircraft maintenance issue which prevented the crew from configuring the flaps to enable them to land procedurally with the ramp and door open. This left the crew with no viable safe landing option and the aircraft in a state of extreme peril.

With the aircraft and its crew left to execute few options, SSgt Hill's expertise and quick thinking proved to be life-saving. In an act of remarkable resourcefulness, he conceived of and directed a high-risk recovery procedure. This unprecedented solution required immense crew coordination. At SSgt Hill’s direction, the pilots maintained the C-17 in a slight nose-high attitude. This specific flight characteristic was essential to maintain constant tension on the cargo winch cable as it was used to carefully pull the platform forward, precluding the equipment from sliding forward at a rapid, unsecured pace. Utilizing the winch in this manner is far outside its normal designed purpose and is considered to be a final solution to provide aircraft controllability for landings, he successfully maneuvered the heavy platform clear of the lodged obstruction, allowing the cargo door and ramp to be closed and secured.

SSgt Hill's decisive and innovative actions directly broke a chain of events that would have otherwise led to a catastrophic conclusion. His ability to remain calm under extreme pressure, devise a solution to a complex, life-threatening problem, and flawlessly execute his plan, saved the 7-member crew and protected a vital $340 million national asset from certain loss. His performance was an outstanding display of professionalism and skill, potentially saving the lives of the crew, and he is a very deserving recipient of the Hugh Gordon-Burge Memorial Award.

1974/75  G W Crawford Esq

1976 - 1978  not awarded

1978/79  Captain F H Benton

1980 - 1981  not awarded

1981/82  Captain E H J Moody

1983 - 1986  not awarded

1986/87  Captain Peter Saxton

1987/88 Captain Shornsteimer

1988/89  Captain Dave Cronin

1989/90  FO A Atchinson Purser J Heward Stewardess S Prince Steward N Ogden Steward S Rodgers

1990/91  Captain Alfred L Haynes

1992  not awarded

1992/93  Captain I Berglund FO M Emery Flt. Engineer T N Boone

1994  not awarded

1994/95  Flt Lt A J Stacey AFC RAF

1995/96  Crew of G-TIGK - Captain C J Roberts Senior First Oficer L J Sole

1996/97  Captain Leul Abate

1998  not awarded

1998/99  Flt Lt Geoffrey Sheppard AFC and Flt Lt Ian Brosch MA BSc

2000  not awarded

2000/01  Captain Bill Hagan and SFO Philip Watson

2002  not awarded

2002/03  Lt Cdr Neale Hargreaves MBE - Mission Commander of Dolphin 43

2003/04  Captain Eric Gennotte, FO Steeve Michielsen, FE Mario Rofail

2004/05  Captain Mark William Hoey

2005/06  Thierry Fautrel & Marie-Pascale Bulle of Air France AF 358 at Toronto Airport

2006/07  Kevin (George) Francis

2008  not awarded

2008/09 Ultimate 21 Flight in Afghanistan

2009/10  Flt Lt Alex Townsend RAF

2010/11  Crew of Flight QF 032 (AIRBUS 380 VH-OQA)

2011/12  Flt Lt N McCready BEng RAF and Flt Lt L D Flemington DFC MSc BAv RAF

2012/13  Lt Bryan Peterson USN

2013/14  Captain Malcolm Waters and First Officer David Hayhoe

2014/15  "Ugly 52" - Maj Nicholas George English AAC and Capt Charles William Russell AAC

2016  Captain Richard Alvarez

2017  Flt Lt Karl A Kinsler RAF

2018  Flt Lt Ben Wallis AFC RAF

2019  not awarded

2020 Flt Lt Paul Medford RAF

2021  Crew of TALON 42

2022  Crew of Air Astana Embraer 190

2023  David Barrell

2024  Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Davey RAF

2025  A1C Michael Miccio USAF