10 airmen given Bronze Stars for convoy duty

[unhappycamper]

10 airmen given Bronze Stars for convoy duty
Staff report
Posted : Monday Nov 5, 2007 12:50:10 EST

Ten airmen who endured roadside bomb attacks, mortar strikes and a host of other threats while assigned to convoy duties in Iraq from April to October earned Bronze Star medals.

"Everyone in the 424th Medium Truck Detachment performed amazingly during their deployment and I'm especially proud of the accomplishments of our bronze star recipients," Lt. Col. Kevin Sampels, commander of the 586th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron, said in an Air Force release. "Their actions in leading numerous convoy missions throughout Iraq are truly heroic and I couldn't be more proud of them and the entire squadron."

Given Bronze Stars were:

* Chief Master Sgt. Richard Bunce of RAF Mildenhall, England, who served as chief of the detachment. This is Bunce's second Bronze Star.

* Master Sgt. Louis Pate of Pope Air Force Base N.C., who served as a convoy commander. He led 13 missions and his teams amassed more than 509,000 miles while spending more than 135 days on the road. On May 17, his convoy was hit with a roadside bomb. He moved his crew out of the "kill zone" while maintaining multidirectional security for the team.

* Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Sudlow of F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., who served as a convoy commander. He oversaw 14 missions and his teams amassed more than 434,000 miles while spending more than 110 days on the road. He helped capture a group of thieves who stole military and civilian equipment from the convoy while out on a mission.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/11/airforce_bronze_stars_071105w/

[Captain Hilts]

1. We pay to train them to be 'airmen' then they end up doing convoy duty. That's wrong. nt