Bronze Star awarded to two Team Dover members

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Established Feb. 4, 1944 the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to those who have shown brave and meritorious service to our country; and at Dover, two members of the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron have displayed such behavior to be granted the honor of wearing it.

Two members of the 436th LRS received their medals at a ceremony Oct. 30 at the Dover base theater. While deployed, these Airmen showed that the tradition of excellence at Dover shines through in their actions, both inside and outside the wire.

Tech. Sgt. Jimmy Heater, 436th LRS, deployed to the 424th Medium Truck Detachment, Joint Logistics Task Force 28, 4th Sustainment Brigade, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, received his Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious service while serving as the convoy commander of his detachment.

"I wasn't the only one who won this award," said Sergeant Heater. "My whole team deserved it, without them I wouldn't be here today, I wouldn't have been awarded. I may have been presented the medal, but it's really my whole team's."

Sergeant Heater received his medal recommendation from his latest deployment. While there, he was crucial to successful combat missions of the Air Force's medium truck detachments. He proved to be a superior combat convoy leader by completing 15 convoy missions and over 7,000 personal miles without any errors, while contributing to the detachment's 4.3 million command miles. During those logistical operations, he led his squad 118 days while safely escorting over 405 contracted vehicles loaded with over 25,000 tons of mission critical cargo.

"The team building atmosphere here at Dover really helped on the mission over there," said Sergeant Heater. "We run a high operations tempo here, and the mission has to be done on time and done right, so it becomes second nature to form teams. That's what's important out in my area of responsibility."

During one mission, when a contract vehicle blew a tire, lost control and struck a roadside barrier resulting in a total loss of the vehicle, he directed his Gun Truck Commander to provide aid and safely recovered the driver. He guided his convoy out of the danger area. His team was constantly immersed in a strict training regimen designed to hone Combat Life Saving skills, improve Movement Tracking Systems, Precision Lightweight Global Positioning System Receivers, and Counter Improvised Explosive Device procedures.

"Once you leave base, you're on your own," said Sergeant Heater. "You have to be completely self-sufficient, and you have to keep thinking ahead, applying the 'what ifs.' You never know what is going to happen on any given mission, you just have to stay on top of your training and keep up your situational awareness."

Tech Sgt. Paul Nelson, 436th LRS, deployed to the Combined Security Transition Command in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, received his Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious service while deployed as an Afghan National Army Central Movement Agency Mentor.

"It's an honor to receive this award and be able to share it with my friends back home," said Sergeant Nelson. "My whole team earned this award, all of those with me on this deployment. We did the best job we could, and that is what is most important."

Sergeant Nelson's main responsibility was training the Afghan Army's heavy company commanders and assisting their convoy security.

"Not only are you out there to do your job, but you're teaching someone else as well," said Sergeant Nelson. "It's different over in Afghanistan. Running convoys in Iraq, you're the one giving the orders. In Afghanistan you're working with the nationals to make sure things get where they need to go. Sometimes that's a bit tougher, but you make it work."

Not only did Sergeant Heater and Sergeant Nelson receive Bronze Stars, but they also received Air Force Commendation medals for their tours at Dover Air Force Base.

"We have the honor of presenting these awards to these two brave Airmen," said Lt. Col Sean Tyler, 436th LRS commander. "The Bronze Star is a combat-zone, wartime medal, and it's about people out in the AOR that achieve results at a meritorious level. They represent not only themselves, but Dover Air Force Base, and the Air Force with great distinction. They went out there, did their jobs to the best of their ability, and got the results they needed. They have proved that with a dynamic mindset you can accomplish the mission no matter what comes your way."