7 Charleston Airmen receive Bronze Stars

Published Feb. 2, 2007
By Tech. Sgt. Paul Kilgallon
437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Seven Charleston AFB Airmen were presented Bronze Stars Jan. 29 here by the Air Mobility Command commander in front of their families, friends and several hundred military members.

Gen. Duncan J. McNabb said these individuals embody the heart of the nation.

Awarded the Bronze Stars were:

-- Capt. John Clagnaz, the 1st Combat Camera Squadron officer in charge of the Combat Operations Flight, for his performance as OIC of the joint camera operations for the Multinational Corps in Baghdad from May 7 to Sept. 10. Captain Clagnaz led 74 Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen at 17 forward-operating bases across Iraq in accomplishing documentation of 935 coalition missions for 5th Corps Artillery, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division and Marine Expeditionary Forces.

-- Senior Master Sgt. Lex Gibson, the 437th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent, for his actions as the 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron security forces manager and operations battle NCO assigned to the 785th Military Police Battalion at Camp Bucca, Iraq, from Oct. 4, 2005 to March 25, 2006. Sergeant Gibson co-authored the Theater Internment Facility Voting Plan for the Iraqi Parliamentary Elections. He compiled lessons learned, prepared a comprehensive contingency plan and aided in the placement of voting stations. Sergeant Gibson's plan was so effective that more than 5,800 detainees were allowed to vote during the historic elections.

-- Master Sgt. Christopher Nolan, the 1st CTCS NCO in charge of a Videographer Flight, for his combat camera support for three divisions through the Multinational Corps Iraqi Theater. He oversaw the documentation of more than 480 combat missions, capturing images at four forward-operating bases for the 10th Mountain Division, 4th Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division and the 10th Special Forces Group. Sergeant Nolan led a combat camera team on a successful raid in the town of Al-Bayaa, Iraq, capturing the leader of an assassination cell and finding cases of anti-coalition paperwork and al-Qaeda publications. This footage was used in a commercial to show the Iraqi people how the Iraqi National Police are leading raids to rid their country of terrorism.

-- Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Lock, a 1st CTCS combat aerial still photographer, for his performance while assigned to the Multinational Corps, Joint Combat Camera Team at Forward-Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq, from May 18 to Sept. 18. In charge of a two-person team attached to the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat team, Sergeant Lock participated in more than 92 missions occurring "outside the wire" resulting in more than 2,350 of the highest quality still images used in direct support of highly successful information and psychological operations campaigns.

-- Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Wagner, the 437th SFS Squadron NCO in charge of the combat arms training section, for his performance as the NCO in charge of the Base Defense Unit Advisory Support Team and Coalition Military Assistance Training Team from Aug. 3, 2005, to Aug. 3, 2006. Sergeant Wagner's technical and tactical skills assisted in the timely deployment of coalition blocking forces at critical areas during a coordinated attack by enemy forces attacking multiple areas of the perimeter. His calmness under fire aided the base in quickly developing a coordinated defense thereby denying the enemy the opportunity to breach the perimeter.

-- Staff Sgt. James Harper, a 1st CTCS combat aerial still photographer, for his performance while assigned to the Joint Combat Camera Management Team with the Multinational Corps in Baghdad from September to Jan. 5, 2006. Sergeant Harper was the team leader of a three-man team that captured more than 3,219 photos and 37 minutes of video from more than 27 combat missions. His imagery was used in print media Web sites and broadcast media throughout the world as proof of a larger voter participation and excellent security participation provided by Iraqi security forces.

-- Staff Sgt. Richard Rose, a 1st CTCS combat aerial still photographer, for his performance as a Joint Combat Camera photographer with the Multinational Division in Baghdad from May 18 to Sept. 18, 2006. Sergeant Rose contributed more than 1,000 images transmitted to the Joint Combat Camera Imagery Management team in Baghdad where they were disseminated throughout the command and the Department of Defense.

The Bronze Star is awarded to any person serving in any capacity with the military of the United States who distinguishes themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement or service for engaging in actions against an enemy of the United States.