Four from base EOD unit honored with medals

Four airmen from the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) unit at Mountain Home Air Force Base were awarded Bronze Stars at a ceremony on base Monday for their efforts while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom last spring and summer.

Capt. Stephanie Root, TSgt. David Fitzgerald, SSgt. Michael Pray and SSgt. Sijon Higgins all received Bronze medals for their actions while deployed and Sgt. Fitzgerald also received the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for his life-saving actions last June.

Fitzgerald and his team were returning to base last June 14 after disposing of an improvised explosive device (IED) when an armored vehicle in his convoy flipped over and landed in a water-filled canal.

With water rapidly filling the crew compartment, Fitzgerald was the first person to jump in the canal to help free the four airmen trapped inside the vehicle.

After all the members were safely rescued, Fitzgerald was able to remove some vital equipment and critical information and then secured the vehicle for several hours until an official recovery team could arrive at the scene.

His actions were credited with ensuring the safety of numerous coaliton forces in the area at the time.

Capt. Root personally led 23 EOD operations and under her leadership more than 9,000 ordnance items, almost 60,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, 192 IED components, and 3,800 pounds of homemade explosives were destroyed, significantly hindering anti-Iraqi forces from conducting attacks against coalition forces.

TSgt. Fitzgerald was able to pull other team members from a vehicle that suffered damage from two enemy rockets, while ignoring injuries to his arms and legs as he removed explosives from the vehicle and performed a post blast analysis before seeking medical attention during one of his many dangerous missions.

SSgt. Michael Pray, while serving as team leader and carrying 115 pounds of equipment, marched more than two kilometers under constant threat of sniper, mortar fire and IED attacks into an area with high concentrations of insurgents to disarm charges placed in a canal on one particular mission.

While in a hostile environment, SSgt. Sijon Higgins was recognized for one mission in which he spent 48 hours in enemy territory as part of a counter-IED operation. Higgins was able to locate, clear and destroy six enemy weapon caches despite ongoing enemy engagements during one of his numerous missions.

The Bronze Star medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service.

The Army Commendation Medal is a United States military award that is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Where such performance was in direct contact with an enemy force, the medal is awarded with a valor device.