Four Airmen receive Bronze Stars

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Four members of Team Hill were recently awarded Bronze Stars for their actions while deployed. 

The explosive ordnance disposal Airmen assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron received their medals from Maj. Gen. Kevin Sullivan, former Ogden Air Logistics Center commander, and current deputy chief of staff, installations, logistic, and mission support, at Headquarters USAF, Pentagon, during a ceremony June 15. 

The four Airmen were Staff Sgt. Evan Knight, Staff Sgt. Bradley Kline, Staff Sergeant Steven Overstreet and Staff Sergeant William White. 

"These guys (were) saving lives everyday," said General Sullivan. "Not just one or two lives, but hundreds of lives every day because of what they do and how they do it." 

Sergeant Knight's team was responsible for responding to the busiest area for improvised explosive devices in Iraq, covering an area of 500 square miles including Baghdad and the surrounding area. He and his team responded and safely cleared 68 EOD incidents. 

Sergeant Kline led his team on a 120-hour mission to clear 45 kilometers of Iraqi roadways, during which they cleared seven IEDs. Also, while on a mission, his team and security element came under sniper fire. Sergeant Kline positioned his vehicle into a blocking position, giving the security unit time to position themselves to engage and subdue the threat. 

Sergeant Overstreet participated in more than 134 combat missions under constant threat of insurgent attacks. During his time in Iraq, he and his team safely dealt with 30 IED incidents along critical supply routes. He also led missions that collected more than 3,000 pieces of ordnance. 

Sergeant White's team was responsible for one third of the multinational division north's workload, which ensured the safety of more than 41,000 individuals. On one instance a member of Sergeant White's team was knocked unconscious by an IED. Sergeant White quickly took control of the vehicle and then made sure his team member wasn't critically wounded.