ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Staff Sgt. Christopher Barker, 3rd Security Forces Squadron K-9 handler, shows Jack, a military working dog, appreciation during a ceremony here Dec. 4. Sergeant Barker and MWD Jack received the Bronze Star for support they provided while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Barker and Jack were sweeping for a weapons cache in an Iraqi field in June 2006, when they discovered 2,000 pounds of explosives buried in eight locations. The cache was set as a trap with an armed anti-personnel mine. Finding this mine possibly saved the life of a Soldier. Throughout Sergeant Barker’s and Jack’s deployment, they conducted more than 350 hours of combat patrols, in which they located more than 3,000 pounds of explosives, 76 automatic weapons and 16 cell phones used for IEDs. The Bronze Star is awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. When awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award (including both combat and noncombat awards) in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Steffen)