Airman earns Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett
  • 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Tech. Sgt. Andrew Adrian, native of Michigan City, Ind., received a Bronze Star from Col. Robert Evans, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson 673d Air Base Wing commander, at the Explosive Ordinance Disposal shop here Nov. 18.

"Explosive Ordinance Disposal is dangerous work, and there's probably nothing more important that doing that," Evans said. "Today we're honoring Andrew and to me that's a tremendous honor and I'm proud to be part of it."

During his Aug. 10, 2010 to Jan. 15, 2011 deployment to Afghanistan, Adrian served as EOD team leader for 1st Platoon, 309th Engineer Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division Forward and I Marine Expeditionary Force. He successfully disarmed 15 devices and led the destruction of more than 700 pounds of explosives, ensuring the freedom of maneuver of more than 30,000 coalition personnel in the regional command. His actions helped ensure the safety of more than 10,000 Marine personnel, spread across 16 forward operating bases and combat outposts. He led his EOD team on more than 90 combat missions and directly contributed to a substantial decline in the enemy's ability to conduct attacks on coalition and civilian targets with their weapon of choice, the Improvised Explosive Device.

"The reality is that there are parents and sisters and brothers that are grieving right now, that have lost loved ones to explosive devices," Evans said. "And there are parents and sisters and brothers that are welcoming their loved ones that came home alive because of what Andrew did. That's what it's all about."

On one occasion, Adrian led his EOD team in response to a victim-operated IED that blocked a mission-critical resupply convoy. His team worked remotely to safely disarm the device, preserved the evidence, and allowed the convoy to continue the mission without further incident.

"I've deployed several times," said Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Kimball, 673rd Air Base Wing Command "I've had EOD from every branch of service. We like to tease each other about our differences jokingly, but the enemy knows what you guys bring to the fight. They even put a bounty out on you because they know you are the guys that go out and find their IED's and disarm them. So the Army loves you."

"We supported the Marine teams there," Adrian said. "Where they went, we went. We were able to recover evidence out of 18 IEDs to turn in to try to prosecute the insurgents. That location is like their gateway where they bring some of their material from Pakistan over the border. So we were able to take care of some of the IEDs they brought in right away."

Adrian also identified a new method the enemy was using to increase the effects of home-made explosives on dismounted marines and immediately shared this advanced tactic with his peers, protecting more troops from this threat and enabling them to come home alive.

"These guys are unsung heroes," Evans said. "Think of the countless service members that are alive, whose families have them back because of what you did. And they'll never know your name, but you can be enormously proud of what you've done. I certainly am."

Adrian has deployed five times in support of combat missions, and three times on regular deployments. His tours include Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Egypt, Kuwait and many others. He is proud of what he's accomplished.

"I think they look highly on taking IEDs off the battlefield," Adrian said. "They've been the number one killer of Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen so they want them off the battlefield. Having us take them off the battlefield is one less weapon that they have."

Team members are a life-line, Adrian added.