The Cool Blue Blog

Technical Sergeant Shawn Foust

Confronting the challenges presented by the unconventional war in Iraq, Air Force Technical Sergeant Shawn Foust was assigned to Joint Logistic Task Force 1144, becoming a Convoy Commander for the 424th Medium Truck Detachment. In 212 missions during his second tour of duty, Foust encountered various obstacles and challenges while amassing over 507,000 cumulative miles on the dangerous roads of Iraq.

Convoy mission 57-459 would present the greatest challenge, earning Foust praise for his ability to overcome such a daunting task. As his convoy was approaching Forward Operating Base Al Asad, a roadside bomb detonated, wounding the driver and passenger of the third truck, and leaving the vehicle partially disabled. A possible full-scale ambush was upon them as scattered mortar and small arms fire landed on their position. The intermittent insurgent fire raised the threat level for the entire convey and Foust knew he had to remain calm and professional. He immediately moved the convoy past the kill zone and went back for the wounded men. Foust organized his Airmen into a defensive posture, and prepared to repair the damaged truck. Working tirelessly and on constant guard for six hours, throughout the night, Foust and his fifteen man squad replaced each of the damaged 250 pound tires until the vehicle was operational. Foust successfully completed this mission all those before and all those that followed.

In the six months he spent in Iraq, he exhibited a sense of service, devotion to duty, and commitment to the overall success of his unit that went above and beyond what was expected, earning him the Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious service.

                                       

Sgt. Cameron Davis

While stationed in Iraq as a combat engineer, Sgt. Davis operated the Buffalo Armored Vehicle. Sgt. Cameron Davis was tasked with the dangerous and difficult duty of clearing improvised explosive devises – the number one killer on the battlefield-- for his following comrades on ground military missions. As a Buffalo arm operator, Davis noticed that most IED’s were buried and the Buffalo were inefficient in retrieving them.

Sgt. Davis used his engineering and operating background to design and build a new piece of equipment called the "claw" to dig out buried IED’s. The "claw" attached to the Buffalo arm allowed the soldiers to pick up objects and IED’s just like a hand would. The claw was more efficient, weighed less, moved faster, could pick up heavier objects and allowed the combat engineers to spend less time on target in the kill zone, saving the lives of the Buffalo operators as well as soldiers on follow-on ground missions.

Davis modestly shares credit with his entire unit saying, "Every one of the soldiers in my unit including the command was extremely supportive while I was building the claw and gave me all the tools and resources I needed. A fellow soldier named Sgt. Morgan helped me assemble the claw."

Sgt. Davis’ invention was recommended to a four-star general of supply. Davis created a manual on how to build the claw so other route clearance teams could construct them and assist the manufacture of the Buffalo to possibly integrate the "claw" into its design. Sgt. Davis used brains and brawn inventing the "claw" and should be honored for the impact he made on the safety of soldiers in Iraq.                   

Lance Corporal Moses Cardenas

On one hot August morning near Rawah, Iraq, Lance Corporal Moses Cardenas of the Marines 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion found his platoon barraged by an insurgent suicide bomb, numerous rocket-propelled grenades, and heavy machine gun fire. In the chaotic moments that followed, Cardenas would have to decide between attempting the rescue of his wounded sergeant or remain in his covered position until reinforcements arrived. The choice was simple.                   

Cardenas thought, "He was my sergeant; I had to do something," and with that he courageously charged 50 meters through the kill-zone to his wounded comrade. Running the gauntlet through enemy fire, he was shot in the neck by the spray of weapons’ fire. Undeterred, he arrived at Sgt. Randy Roedema’s exposed position and performed first-aid to stop the flow of blood from Roedema’s severe wounds.                   

With both Marines wounded and under the sights of numerous insurgents, Cardenas knew if he was to save his friend he must evacuate both of them to safety. With his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon charged and a grip on his injured sergeant, Cardenas rotated between firing his machine gun and pulling Roedema across the battlefield. Reaching the relative safety of his platoon’s convoy, Cardenas continued laying down suppressive fire until the situation came under control and medics could tend to the wounded Marines.

Cardenas was awarded the Silver Star, the third highest military award. Roedema would later reflect "I owe him my life." Four days after Cardenas saved his life, Roedema’s wife gave birth to their first child – a child that will have a father because of the selfless act preformed by Cardenas on that summer morning in Iraq.

From The North Shore Journal

Cardenas and Sgt. Randy M. Roedema were on a routine early morning zone reconnaissance patrol with the quick reaction force last year in Western Anbar province in Iraq. They happened upon a vehicle which crossed their sector, so they moved in to check it out, according to Cardenas.

After repeated attempts to get the driver and passengers of the truck to submit to a search, three men burst from the top of the vehicle and opened fire. The Marines quickly attempted to bound back to their vehicles for cover, and to allow their turret gunners an open line-of-fire.

Three Marines were hit. Lance Cpl. Christian Vasquez was killed, and Cardenas was hit in the neck. After he hit the deck, he looked up and saw that Roedema was on the ground.

“I saw my sergeant laying down and I said, ‘Not today,’” Cardenas recounted after the ceremony.

Already injured, Cardenas began dragging Roedema to safety, but they had more than 50 meters to cover, so Cardenas alternated dragging Roedema with applying suppressive fire with his squad automatic weapon.

“’You’re going to see you’re daughter,’ that’s what he said when he was pulling me,” said Roedema, 25, from Denver, Colo. “He saved my life.”

Cardenas was again hit with a round from the insurgent’s weapons, but he continued pulling Roedema until they we both safely behind cover, and only later, after a corpsman arrived, did Cardenas receive attention for his wounds.

Asked why he risked his life for Roedema, Cardenas answers simply, “He’s my sergeant; he’s the chief scout; it really didn’t register how dangerous it was. After sleeping, eating, and laughing with my fire team everyday, you get really close, like brothers.”

Roedema was treated and taken to medical facilities. Even better than the diagnosis that he was going to recover from his wounds was the news that he had just become a father, after his wife, Sharla, gave birth to baby Juliannah.

“Without [Cardenas], I’d never be able to see my daughter,” Roedema said. “Words don’t explain what he means to me and my family.”

Corporal Ian Dollard

June 24, 2007 on patrol in Saqlawiyah, Iraq, Corporal Ian Dollard’s team investigated an abandoned dump truck for signs of explosives when insurgents ambushed them. Immediately, one Marine was hit once by a spray of machine gun fire and several Marines rushed to his aid. Dollard provided suppressive fire from behind his up-armored Humvee for the rescuers and wounded Marine. Suddenly, a second position opened fire on the Marines. An enemy round hit his platoon commander, 1st Lt. Paul Brisker, instantly dropping Brisker to the ground and presenting the young corporal with a life threatening decision.

Dollard recalls adrenaline took over, and he rushed towards his wounded comrade – as well as the second enemy machine gun position. The 21-year-old Marine selflessly used his body as a shield to protect Brisker from additional gunfire while he began performing first aid. 

In his exposed position, Dollard was hit not once, but twice by machine gun fire in his armor, causing him only temporary pause. He knew Brisker would die if not pulled to the safety provided by his platoon, so he dragged the injured officer more than 25 meters to a Humvee under constant gunfire. In the final steps of the rescue, Dollard was hit a third time, this round bypassing his armor and hitting him in the leg.

Ignoring his injuries, Dollard continued supporting his platoon as they left the engagement to rush back to their operating base and get Brisker the critical care he needed. Only then did Dollard tell his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Marc Navai, "Oh, by the way, I got shot too."

Without delay, Navai started working on the citation, arguing, "That’s what a Silver Star is all about." Dollard was credited with saving the life of his platoon commander, who eventually made a full recovery. After only six weeks recuperating, Dollard was back on the frontlines, serving his country and the Corps with the same heroism he brought that June day in Anbar province.

Any Marine would brave enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade when you have friends that "got your back."

Cpl. Ian M. Dollard exemplified that sense of brotherhood when he risked his life to save a fellow Marine.

For his actions while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dollard received the Silver Star — the nation’s third highest award for combat heroism.

His former company commander, Maj. George D. Hasseltine, pinned the award on Dollard during a ceremony on Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field here March 21.

CWO4 Michael Zanders

April 15, 2006 would prove to be unlike any other day during his near 800 hours of combat flight in Iraq. In Mosul around mid-day, Zanders received a "911" call from a nearby combat outpost. Zanders took off in one of two Kiowa Warrior helicopters from Forward Operating Base Mosul and arrived on site in minutes. As they approached, they saw gunfire and explosions blackening the desert. The heavy dust rising from the chaos obstructed the choppers’ view of the kill-zone, forcing them to fly as close to the ground as possible. After frantic communiqués from the combat outpost warning their position could be overrun, the Kiowas helicopters went into action. Zanders’ sister ship took the lead. Both choppers unloaded on the attacking insurgents with volleys of high explosive rockets and 50 caliber machine gun fire.               

After several low-flying orbits of the battlefield, the other chopper took hostile fire and was forced to pull out of the fight. The pilot had smelled gas and performed an emergency landing within a kilometer of the engagement zone to assess the damage. Zanders kept one eye on the downed aircrew and the other on the still pitched battle.                 

The Army pilots had feared such a situation could arise. With insurgents threatening to overwhelm their haphazard landing zone, the pilots knew there was no time to wait. Without pause, Zanders landed next to the downed crew – the most vulnerable sort of maneuver for a helicopter – and signaled to the pilot and copilot of the fellow Warrior to climb onto his craft’s weapons struts and hold on. With a "thumbs up" from the precariously secured aircrew, Zanders climbed back into the sky, and flew at over 80 knots back to FOB Mosul.               

Flying through the Iraqi air with an additional aircrew barely on board made for a challenging flight in the insurgent–contested territory. In the air, as Zanders flew passed a Black Hawk helicopter that had scrambled to perform the rescue, Zanders saw the surprise on the face of the passing pilots as they took in the sight of the downed aircrew strapped to the side of Zanders’ chopper. That heroic act – which Zanders modestly called "instinct" – was later confirmed to be the first ever attempted of its kind.                 

Successfully evacuating the aircrew at the base, Zanders prepared to head back out. The situation at the besieged combat outpost was stabilized while he refueled and rearmed, but instead of debriefing, he took off again to provide security around the downed chopper until it could be recovered.

Captain Daniel Burkhart

More than a quarter century of war and discontent has left Afghanistan’s once well-established villages and cities derelict, dilapidated and in need of brave humanitarians. Army Captain Daniel Burkhart, on his second tour supporting the war on terror, went above and beyond his role in the Combined Security Transition Command and gave his free time to the Voluntary Community Relations Project (VCR) with an open heart and helping hand.

Burkhart always believed it was a privilege to serve as a conduit through which the goodwill and generosity of the American people was able to flow to Afghanistan, improving the lives of these war-ravaged citizens. Started by an Army Chaplain, the VCR project distributes clothes and other goods to displaced refugees in and around Kabul – all donated by the American people.

Burkhart considered the time away from his loving wife and infant to be daunting. Seeing the face of his young daughter in that of every needy Afghani youngster, he knew he could not ignore them. As a part of VCR, he has helped facilitate the delivery and distribution of thousands of items to this war-torn country. These tokens of support by the American public are one of the many ways Burkhart and his fellow soldiers help the Afghan people resist the pressures of the poppy industry, or worse, acquiesce to the Taliban’s insurgency.

When asked about his experience in Afghanistan, he does not tell tales of the fanatical Taliban fighters or the despicable acts of al Qaeda terrorists, but instead the hospitality and work ethic of the local populous. He reflects on the many cups of chai he has shared with refugees and villagers alike, and the many games of soccer he has played with energetic children.

While Burkhart will always remember the brown sand and desolate landscapes of Afghanistan, it is the appreciative children and the hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives he has touched with the VCR project that will always have the most prominent place in his memory.

For his year-long service in Afghanistan, Burkhart received the Bronze Star, the NATO Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal and the Outstanding Service Medal.

More here

1st Lt. W. Bryan Jackson

Lt Jackson is only the seventh Soldier since the Vietnam War ended in 1975 to receive the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action.

Called a hero by his former Task Force commander and later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 1st Lt. W. Bryan Jackson’s utter disregard for his own well-being likely saved the life of a fellow soldier, while jeopardizing his own.

Deeply involved in combat operations on September 27, 2006 in Anbar province, Iraq, Jackson attempted to recover a disabled vehicle when his unit was attacked by a hail of enemy machine gun fire, wounding several. Instead of seeking cover, he rushed to the aid of his injured first sergeant and began life-saving first aid.

An insurgent’s bullet ripped through his thigh, but did not take Jackson out of the fight. Regaining consciousness after the initial shock of the injury, Jackson’s first thought was about his severely wounded comrade. He alternated between returning fire on the suspected enemy position and administering first aid to his compatriot with life-threatening wounds. Ignoring his own severe injuries and relying on his tenacity and strength, Jackson carried his first sergeant to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle 30 feet away for evacuation. Even as he was hit a second time by enemy fire, Jackson never faltered in his aid. Once clear of the engagement and despite the severity of his own injuries, Jackson still refused medical aid until the man he helped save was treated.

The first words from Jackson after undergoing emergency medical evacuation and the first of several surgeries to come were of concern for the man he saved. For his injuries, his selfless courage under extreme enemy fire and extraordinary heroism in action, Jackson was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, becoming only the seventh soldier since 1975 to receive the later award.

Humbly, Jackson reflected: "I believe I just had to do what I had to do in that situation… I think many soldiers would have done the same thing."

His citation reads as follows

For extraordinary heroism in action while serving as a Company Fire Support Officer with Company A, Task Force 1-36 (1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment), Multi-National Corps-Iraq, on 27 September 2006, while engaged in combat operations against an armed insurgent force in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. While recovering a disabled vehicle, Second Lieutenant Jackson's unit came under heavy enemy machine gun fire. Despite the danger, he applied first aid to a severely wounded comrade and was then hit in his thigh with a bullet. Upon regaining consciousness after being shot, Second Lieutenant Jackson alternated between returning fire and administering first aid to the Soldier. Second Lieutenant Jackson was hit again with machine gun fire as he helped carry his wounded comrade to safety, but he never faltered in his aid. Although his own severe wounds required immediate evacuation and surgical care, Second Lieutenant Jackson refused medical assistance until his wounded comrade could be treated. Second Lieutenant Jackson's selfless courage under extreme enemy fire were essential to saving another Soldier's life and are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service, reflecting great credit upon himself, Company A, Task Force 1-36 Infantry, and the United States Army.

Sgt Bellavia brings down the House

What else can I say? David Bellavia says it all.

Sgt Benjamin Marshall

Separated from his platoon and nearly surrounded by eight al Qaeda fighters, Sergeant Benjamin Marshall had a decision to make: run for cover, stranding his two pinned comrades; or sprint across enemy fire and assume a position to shoot back. Marshall chose the latter, in what he would later call the defining moment of his life.

July 7, 2006, during a mission in Tharthar, Iraq, Marshall, two fellow soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter entered a farmhouse; one of several they had been searching all day after receiving intelligence on a possible al Qaeda training camp in the area. After Marshall and one of his comrades, Staff Sergeant Christopher Schroeder, cleared the first room, an unknown man darted into another room, pointed his rifle out the doorway and blindly sprayed 7.62 rounds at the soldiers from his AK-47. Schroeder was hit twice. The two men on point, the wounded Schroeder and Sergeant Williams Wills, quickly sought cover in an adjacent room as a tremendous wall of automatic weapons fire began coming down on all three soldiers.

The interpreter got out of the house but Marshall knew his soldiers could not get out unless he was able to take up a firing position outside. Looking back, he said "I don't know how, but they never saw me." Marshall remembers he had to run right by the terrorists in an effort to get outside, only to find a position in a dilapidated chicken coop. The terrorists attempted to close in on Wills and Schroder's position, but Marshall's expertly aimed shots stopped them.

As the battle wore on, it became apparent to Marshall that these were well-trained and determined fighters. As the gunfire continued inside the house, Marshall could hear the fervent chanting of the al Qaeda fighters, but the fate of his men remained a mystery. After hearing a volley of grenades near his soldiers' last location, Marshall feared the worst. When he heard the thunderous clap of a flash bang grenade exploding near the insurgents’ position, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

As the platoon leader’s Humvee approached, Marshall shouted out the status of his injured brothers-in-arms to the vehicle’s gunner. His communication was critical, but it alerted the insurgents and drew fire onto his position. Round after round of machine gun fire ripped apart his thin cover, nearly taking his life. Yet becoming the insurgent's target was exactly the diversion Marshall had hoped for to take the pressure off his fellow soldiers. This maneuver enabled the injured soldiers to signal to the four U.S. gun trucks. A Humvee, now at Marshall’s position, provided him with cover to then pull up alongside the building to evacuate the other two American soldiers.

Not a day goes by when Marshall does not think of that life-changing experience in Tharthar. In a split second he made the decision to save the lives of his fellow soldiers rather than run for cover. He picked "the hard right over the easy left," and because of that was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device for exceptionally meritorious heroism in July of 2007.                    

Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Gerald M. Flores

A key component to success in Iraq is enabling an expertly trained Iraqi army and police force. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Gerald M. Flores’ role as a combat advisor has been instrumental in this task.

During Flores’ second Iraq tour, from December 2006 to December 2007, he was placed with various brigades in the Iraqi Army in Ramadi, one of the most dangerous cities in Anbar province. Once considered a "lost province" because of a fervent insurgency, Anbar needed a well-trained Iraqi force. To achieve improved security and lay the foundation of a lasting peace required a cultural diplomat in a Marine uniform – Gerald Flores.

Taking charge of some 100 Iraqi troops, the hardened Marine learned how to balance the Corps’ grueling training schedule with local customs, like repeated daily prayer. His leadership helped the two cultures "meet in the middle" and he turned a mix of "old army" and green recruits into a combat-effective unit.

In one harrowing operation, Flores was brought in to advise a disorganized and fatigued Iraqi company. The company came under fire, taking many casualties and becoming combat ineffective. Flores took charge in the face of enemy machine gun, small-arms, and sniper fire and rallied the unit. He organized an effective defense, allowing the Iraqis to resist the attack and emerge from the battle with newfound skill and confidence. During later operations in the Malaab district of Ramadi, Flores reinforced an "overwhelmed" Iraqi force and aided in the "clear and hold" mission in this former insurgent enclave.

For accumulating over 250 combat patrols as an embedded advisor in Iraqi units, directly training over 300 Iraqi troops, and his able command under fire, Flores was awarded the Bronze Star.

Back in the United States "looking at the big picture," Flores considered the contribution made by his team of Marine combat advisors as "awesome." The security gains made by Iraqi and Coalition Forces due to the troop surge and "Sunni Awakening" were like "night and day" he said. Exemplifying the character of a Marine, he reflected: "We were all out there as a team… As a team, we did a whole lot."