Kirtland officer receives Bronze Star Medal

  • Published
  • By John Cochran
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  An officer assigned to Kirtland AFB received a Bronze Star Medal in a ceremony on base Jan. 19.

Lt. Col. Brandon Deacon, 512th Rescue Squadron director of operations, was recognized for his accomplishments during a year-long deployment to Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

The award citation highlights his achievements.

Lt. Col. Brandon W. J. Deacon distinguished himself by meritorious achievement as Combat Air Advisor and Director of Operations 721st Air Expeditionary Squadron, 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Taji Base, Iraq, while engaged in ground operations against an opposing armed force, from May 5, 2010 to May 4, 2011. During this period, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, he deftly led a squadron of 31 United States personnel to execute 2,521 combined combat sorties spanning 6,349 flight hours, training, advising, and assisting the Iraqi Army Aviation Command to employ and maintain a rotary wing inventory of 40 aircraft encompassing four weapons systems.

Moreover, as senior military advisor to an Iraqi wing commander and four squadron commanders, he mentored Iraqi leadership to organize, train, and equip more than 750 Airmen providing direct support to ground combat operations.

In this capacity, Deacon enabled Mi-17 rocket employment; performed safety investigation officer duties after a fatal Mi-17 mishap; refined Iraqi combat command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; fielded helicopter defensive weapons systems; and forged United States and Iraqi collaborative potential to destroy high-value targets, ensuring organic capacity after the departure of United States forces. Additionally, Deacon expertly managed training for 90 students, increasing aircrew qualifications by 87 percent for UH-1s, 82 percent for T-407s, and 63 percent for Mi-17s, fulfilling vital counterinsurgency requirements. The exemplary leadership, personal endeavor, and devotion to duty he displayed in this responsible position reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Col. James Cardoso, 58th Special Operations Wing commander, presented the medal.

"It's a great thing to have this type of individual here at the 58 SOW at Kirtland Air Force Base. It's a good thing to recognize him so people can see the level of excellence and warrior spirit we have here. To stand up here with an individual who has done such great work in the field is a great honor. Fortunately, I get to do it quite a bit, because of the caliber of people we have here," he said.

The Bronze Star Medal, authorized by Executive Order No. 9419 on Feb. 4, 1944, is awarded to a person in any branch of the military service who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States on or after December 7, 1941, shall have distinguished himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy.