Security forces NCO receives Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Robert Hicks
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Col. James Millburn, 7th Maintenance Group commander, presented the Bronze Star to Master Sgt. Benjamin P. Kunde, 7th Munitions Squadron first sergeant, received here Aug. 3 for his actions while deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq in 2006.

Sergeant Kunde was originally awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his actions while deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom.

The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to servicemembers who distinguish themselves by sustained acts of heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service.
However, the Commendation Medal was later revoked.

"When I had been notified by the Department of the Army that my Army Commendation Medal had been revoked, I was shocked, and tried to retrace things in my head to figure out who or what I had done wrong to have a medal revoked," said Sergeant. Kunde. "I had never heard of such a thing happening."

He later found out that the reason: the Army had upgraded the commendation to the Bronze Star.

The Bronze Star is awarded to servicemembers for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service, and may be awarded with valor for courage under fire.

"I am very humble," said Sergeant Kunde. "But I didn't think I deserved the medal."

"The Bronze Star is the fourth highest medal that can be received in combat," said Col. Milburn. "Sergeant Kunde represented Airmen extremely well, and because of people like him, Iraq is a much more stable place."

According to the medal's citation his professionalism, dedication and exceptional management skills were paramount in leading the way for the multi-service forces tasked to defend a camp comprised of more than 2,500 coalition forces and more than 8,000 detainees from external attack.

During a fire one day in the Theater Internment Facility Visitation Compound, the sergeant directed initial fire response until the fire chief and on-scene command element arrived at the scene. Although the building was lost due to heat and high winds, his evacuation efforts guaranteed the safety of visitation and contract support personnel.

In addition the first sergeant commanded on-site defense force security and surveillance of more than 1,200 Iraqi corrections officer candidates and host nation instructors during their in-processing movement and bed-down at Camp Bucca, the largest detainee internment facility in the world.

"I think I downplayed the entire thing," said Sergeant Kunde. "I didn't feel that I had done anything out of the ordinary while I was over there. I just did the things I thought needed to be done at the time God presented them to me. No special test of character, just doing the job I have been hired to do under my moral obligation to my God, my country and my family. My wife calls me a hero. I say I was just in the right place at the right time, and all the Airmen and Soldiers that worked alongside me are just as deserving of the medal bestowed upon me."