1st Lt. Robert Bartkowiak, 3rd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Space Delta 12, speaks during a panel discussion at the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado, Feb. 24, 2026. He and other award winners sat down for a conversation with the chief master sergeant of the Space Force. They shared their perspectives and reflected on their time in service. (U.S. Space Force photo by Brandon Kalloo Sanes)