Two Bronze Star Medals awarded to Team Hill for meritorius actions

  • Published
  • By Lee Anne Hensley
  • Hilltop Times staff
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Two Bronze Star Medals were awarded Nov. 30 to members of Team Hill for their meritorious actions while engaged in missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tech. Sgt. Nicole D. Davis, of the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron here, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for her exceptional service as the convoy commander and squad leader within the 70th Movement Transportation Detachment of the 593rd Sustainment Brigade, 1st Sustainment Command, with the U.S. Army. Davis served in this manner from April 7 until Oct. 15 of this year.

Lt. Col. Anthony Maisonet, 75th Security Forces Squadron commander, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his exceptional service as the commander of the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group, of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, from Aug. 14, 2008, until Feb. 24, 2009.

The citation that accompanied the award reported the following meritorious achievements by Maisonet: "During this period, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Col. Maisonet led the standup of the largest contingent of security forces deployed to defend an air base in combat since the Vietnam Conflict. While under frequent threat of indirect and small arms fire, as well as improvised explosive devices, he integrated more than 750 security personnel into a cohesive team, resulting in an over 30 percent decrease in enemy attacks.

"In addition, Col. Maisonet's unit secured a 13-mile perimeter with 48 security towers and three fortress-like entry control points, conducting 87,000 pedestrian and 17,000 vehicle searches, providing airtight security for over 26,000 coalition personnel and the busiest aerial port in the Department of Defense."

The lieutenant colonel was also noted for leading a patrol that captured and destroyed hundreds of improvised weapons and explosives and the capture of 12 insurgents.

Maisonet also built a security plan for 22 Iraqi-based industrial zone initiatives with a projected annual economic stimulus of $17 million for Iraq.