JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Master Sgt. Derek Thompson from the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron was presented a Bronze Star August 28 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Thompson earned his meritorious achievement as the aerial port superintendent for the 443rd Air Expeditionary Squadron while deployed to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq from Oct. 6, 2017 to April 10, 2018.
Col. Scovill Currin, 62nd Airlift Wing commander, presented the award to Thompson and commeded him on receiving a Bronze Star during his six-month deployment.
“It is a big deal,” said Currin. “It's incredibly hard to deploy away from loved ones, the people we care about, and go forward and fight, but those bonds that we make while we're gone are something that you will cherish forever."
While deployed, Thompson led a distinctive squadron comprised of 163 Airmen from 30 different Air Force Specialty Codes.
His efforts enabled 435 combat strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria targets, the elimination of over 525 enemy fighters, and the destruction of 583 insurgent vehicles and buildings, resulting in the liberation of 19 Iraqi villages from ISIS.
Thompson cultivated a consolidated joint logistics effort among movement control teams from thirty units including British, Danish and Australian forces. Specifically, Thompson led 14 aerial port members supporting the forward deployment of six MQ-1 Predators and four counter-rocket artillery mortar systems to Afghanistan to support Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
He anchored aerial port operations that moved $500 million in combat support equipment, resupplying and sustaining 5,000 coalition personnel.
Recognizing critical deficiencies within the Logistics Contracting Augmentation Program, Thompson assumed contracting officer duties for the U.S. Army, certifying compliance with the movement control team’s $500,000 contract.
His dedication to service ensured that the aerial port loaded and transported more than 12,000 tons of cargo and 13,000 passengers on 800 quick turn missions, amassing the most tonnage moved during the previous decade of rotations at Al Asad Air Base.
"In the six months you were there, you all set a decade-long record," said Currin.
After Thompson was presented the award he said a few words to the audience.
"I really want to take a second to thank everyone that was back there with me,” said Thompson. "This is as much for you guys as it is for me.”