Kadena major awarded Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tara A. Williamson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A major from the 18th Communications Squadron was awarded the Bronze Star Medal April 11.

Major Daryl Pelletier, 18th Communications Squadron deputy commander, was presented the medal by Brig. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, 18th Wing commander, for exceptionally meritorious service while deployed with a joint task force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn from August 2010 to February 2011.

"My team was in charge of assessing and establishing systems for both the Mid-Euphrates Operations Center Military Transition Team and the Mid- Euphrates Operations Center," the major said. "We worked closely with our Iraqi Army counterparts while teaching and training their communications personnel."

"Major Pelletier was awarded the Bronze Star for his service to his nation for his actions in Iraq during the closing days of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the beginning of Operation New Dawn," said Army Col. David Greenwood, Mid-Euphrates Operational Partnership Team Chief, Contingency Operating Site Echo, Iraq. "He served in a key position as the Mid-Euphrates Operational Partnership Team Communications Advisor. In this capacity he conducted numerous missions to Karbala, Iraq to conduct Key Leader Engagements with his Iraqi counterpart. On two of those missions, the vehicle he was riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device."

"The Army and the security detachment we were riding with were very professional, always astute and always aware," Major Pelletier said. "If they asked me to return with them, I absolutely would."

Colonel Greenwood said Major Pelletier was also awarded the Army Combat Action Badge "for being personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement."