The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Staff Sergeant Daniel P. Keller, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component Afghanistan, on 16 August 2017, during Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL in support of the Resolute Support mission. On that date while serving as a joint terminal attack controller attached to a combined joint special operations assault force, Sergeant Keller embarked on a clearance operation in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan against 350 Islamic State fighters. After fifteen hours of sustained contact, the assault force struck a house-borne improvised explosive device, killing four personnel and wounding thirty-one. Less than ten feet away, Sergeant Keller was knocked over by the force of the blast, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. Struggling to his feet, he executed air to ground engagements while returning fire with his M4, repulsing an enemy assault less than 150 meters away. Sergeant Keller helped move thirteen critically wounded casualties to a helicopter landing zone under a hail of enemy fire. 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. Once the helicopters departed, the ground force Commander aborted the mission due to losing nearly one quarter of the assault force. In spite of his injuries, he loaded wounded personnel into vehicles and volunteered to walk two and a half kilometers back to a combat outpost, escorting other wounded teammates. During this movement, he repulsed a three-sided enemy attack by returning fire with his M4 and simultaneously passing enemy positions to another joint terminal attack controller, allowing friendly forces to break contact. Arriving back at the outpost, Sergeant Keller was evacuated for his injuries. His personal courage, quick actions, and tactical expertise whilst under fire, directly contributed to the survival of the 130 members of his assault force, including thirty-one wounded in action and resulted in an estimated fifty enemy killed in action. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Keller has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.