Hegseth, associates pushed F-15 airmen downed over Iran to appear on ’60 Minutes’ – report - The Times of Israel

The segment airs Sunday evening as the season premiere of "60 Minutes." One of the two airmen agreed to appear, identified only by the codename "Bravo." CBS says he served as the F-15E's weapons systems officer and held the rank of colonel.

Bravo spent roughly two days alone in the Iranian mountains after his jet went down. Sunday's broadcast marks his first public account of what happened and how he got rescued. CNN reports the push to get the airmen on camera came from Hegseth and other political officials inside the Pentagon, not from the airmen themselves seeking the spotlight.

The report raises questions about how much input military leadership had in shaping a very personal, very public story. A combat account turned into a television event at the request of the officer's own chain of command. That looks different than a voluntary media appearance. People who serve or have family in the military tend to notice when the push for a story comes from the top rather than the person who lived it.

Only one of the two downed airmen appears in Sunday's segment. What happened to the second, and why he isn't on camera, remains unclear.