Bronze Star awarded for action ‘outside wire’

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Carolyn Viss
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A 7th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent was awarded the prestigious Bronze Star award in a ceremony here Tuesday.

Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Parker distinguished himself by leading 95 Airmen to secure Iraq’s busiest airfield while engaged in ground operations against the enemy at Balad Air Base, Iraq, from Sept. 26, 2004, to March 24, 2005.

Lieutenant Gen. Randall Schmidt, 12th Air Force commander, presented the medal to
Sergeant Parker and lauded his “outside-the-wire” performance overseas.

“To go out and do these jobs as they need to be done ... to lean forward the way Sergeant Parker did, to the point where he earns a Bronze Star, is a big deal. A huge deal,” General Schmidt said. “I couldn’t be prouder.”

According to the citation accompanying the award, Sergeant Parker’s “outside-thewire”
performances were many. He led 20 combat patrols into off-base insurgent operating areas and neutralized their ability to launch mortar, rocket and surface-to-air missile
attacks against wing personnel and resources. His actions reduced attacks from the southwest base security zone area by 80 percent and helped capture high-value anti-coalition forces and their weapon caches.

He completed the wing’s firstever installation security instruction to specify security requirements and protect two billion dollars of Air Force assets, which enabled security to transition from an expeditionary mindset to steady state operations.

He also Sergeant Parker completed a $180,000 fence and cable project to strengthen protection for the Air Force-controlled housing area, significantly increasing protection and reducing insurgent opportunities to employ vehicleborne explosive attacks against Air Force residents.

Finally, Sergeant Parker organized a team to expand the restricted area around the north-side hardened aircraft shelters. His team erected more than three kilometers of concertina wire and relocated entry control points three days ahead of schedule to meet future aircraft needs.

His response to the award was thankfulness and awe. “I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “It means a lot to get this award (and know) the people I work for think I did an okay job.

“I can’t think of any higher honor, other than the birth of my daughter,” he said. “My only goal when I got there was to keep our resources protected and make sure everyone came home safely.”

The deployment had some anxious moments, Sergeant Parker said. Once, the humvee he was riding in as part of a convoy slipped over a wet part of the earth and nearly flipped over.

“To come back with all our guys safe and a medal for what we did is just overwhelming,” he said.

According to the citation, “The exemplary leadership, personal endeavor, and devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Parker in this responsible position reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”

Check out next week’s DGW Feb. 10 issue for a story on Capt. Michael Arnold’s Bronze Star Medal.