http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20...100719-07.html
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, July 19, 2010) – Fifty-eight Soldiers of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) were honored in an awards ceremony at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School July 16 for valorous actions during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Maj. Gen. Michael Repass, commanding general of U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), presented 19 Bronze Stars for valor, 24 Army Commendations Medals for valor, and 18 Purple Hearts at a formation viewed by fellow Soldiers, Family Members and friends.
“They may not tell you about their exploits, but these are humble men of uncommon valor,” said Repass. “Each Soldier in front of us, in addition to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, has distinguished himself as a true hero, unquestionably deserving of our nation’s gratitude.”
In Afghanistan, 7th SFG (A) Soldiers were integrated into Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan to conduct operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. CJSOTF-A accumulated an extensive list of accomplishments from 2007 to 2010, including training of capable Afghan conventional and special operations units, conducting thousands of combat missions, bringing medical aid to countless civilians and neutralizing many thousands of enemy fighters.
Each and every Soldier agreed that their actions were not especially heroic, but were simply required for dealing with the situations they faced and an indicator as to the quality of the force as a whole.
“No one here considers themselves to be better than one another,” said Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Acosta, a 2nd Battalion, 7th SFG(A) Special Forces medic, who was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device for actions in support of his fellow Soldiers and against the enemy in Oruzgan, Afghanistan. “Medals we receive in the homeland reflect our actions as a whole in troubled parts of the world.”
List of Awardees:
Bronze Star with “V” Device
Staff Sgt. Michael Anderson
Master Sgt. David Armstrong*
Sgt. 1st Class Keith Batchelder
Maj. Christopher Cole
Staff Sgt. Martin Fields*
Sgt. 1st Class Steven Hill
Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Kenkel
Staff Sgt. Emmanuel Lenau*
Staff Sgt. Hans Peterson
Staff Sgt. Jacob Wilson
Staff Sgt. Matthew Acosta*
Sgt. 1st Class Jason Connors
Staff Sgt. Anthony Dechristopher
Sgt. 1st Class Spencer Evans
Staff Sgt. Michael Eynon
Staff Sgt. Michael Jones
Capt. Ryan Kortze
Master Sgt. Richard Rodriguez
Staff Sgt. Joshua Wathen
*Receiving both BSM W/Valor and Purple Heart
Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device
Staff Sgt. Timothy Carroll
Staff Sgt. Kenny Alicea
Staff Sgt. Patrick Aragon
Master Sgt. Deymos Borgen
Sgt. 1st Class Nathaniel Bowers
Sgt. 1st Class Victor Cota
Sgt. 1st Class Juan Cruz
Staff Sgt. Tovar Escalante
Sgt. 1st Class Harold Garcia
Sgt. 1st Class Juan GuzmanPerez
Staff Sgt. Christopher Hall
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Harrison
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Ingram
Staff Sgt. Robert Larsen
Capt. Thomas Ludwig
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Albert Merino III
Staff Sgt. Jose Montero
Staff Sgt. Alejandro Perez
Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Rodriguez
Staff Sgt. Joshua Tarsky
Sgt. 1st Class Emil Ulep
Master Sgt. George Valdez
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose Villareal
Purple Heart
Staff Sgt. Romulo Barbecho
Sgt. 1st Class Mario Barragan
Staff Sgt. Matthew Bium
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Carlton
Master Sgt. John Dupont
Sgt. 1st Class Ignacio Estrada
Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Gonzales
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Harris
Sgt. 1st Class Amon Murry
Staff Sgt. David Pavlick
Staff Sgt. Bryan Sykes
Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Warner
Staff Sgt. Jerry Edwards
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Levi Rodgers