Bronze Star with Valor Medals for Special Tactics Airmen

Five airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., recently received the Bronze Star with Valor Medal for their heroic actions in combat. They are: MSgt. Christopher Grove, his sixth Bronze Star overall; MSgt. Douglas Neville; SSgt. Christopher Martin, his second and third overall; SSgt. Sean Mullins, his second overall; and SSgt. Verne Patterson. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, presented these airmen with the medals during a ceremony. “Whenever I speak with a recipient of one of these awards, I always get the response, ‘Sir, I was just doing my job, just doing what I was trained to do,'” said Fiel. “But the reality is that all of you men do so much more than just ‘what you were trained to do.'” These five airmen were part of a larger group of 14 airmen from the squadron whom Fiel recognized during same ceremony. (Hurlburt report by Rachel Arroyo)