June 6, 2024 French Medal has extra special meaning for Reservist on the 80th anniversary of D-Day On the 79th anniversary of that historic day, Maj. Gen. Vanessa Dornhoefer, mobilization assistant to the Air Force’s deputy chief of logistics, engineering and force protection, received the French Médaille de la Défense nationale (National Defense Medal) from French Defense Attache Maj. Gen.