Fort Bliss Soldier From Florida Receives Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device

Army chief of staff honors two young Fort Bliss soldiers as heroes 
Army chief of staff pins medals of valor for their actions during an ambush in Afghanistan
El Paso Times
By David Burge
POSTED: 05/27/2015

Rudy Gutierrez—El Paso Times
Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, left, the 38th Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army pins the Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device to SPC Robert Gillespie, center, and PFC Nile Clarke, right, during a ceremony on post. The two soldiers were cited for their actions on March 13, 2014 when the convoy they were riding in was ambushed by insurgents in Afghanistan.

FORT BLISS
Two young Fort Bliss soldiers say they were just doing their jobs as infantry men, but the Army says they are heroes.

Spc. Robert Gillespie, a 21-year-old from Bartow, Fla., and Pfc. Nile Clarke, a 20-year-old from Norwalk, Conn., were each given the Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device during a ceremony at Fort Bliss on Wednesday.

They were recognized for their actions when the unit they were with in Afghanistan was ambushed on March 13, 2014, in the Zabul Province. They both exposed themselves to enemy fire, returned fire and allowed a six-vehicle convoy they were riding in to free itself up. No American soldiers were killed or wounded in the incident.

Making Wednesday's ceremony even more memorable, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who was visiting Fort Bliss for the day, pinned the medals on the two soldiers.

"They represent what we are about" as soldiers, Odierno said. "They care about the mission, they care about each other, about who they are and what they represent."

"War is a very personal business, especially on the squad and platoon level," Odierno added.

"It's about taking care of each other."
read more here

Fort Bragg Soldiers Honored for Bravery

Colonel's bravery, leadership recognized in Bronze Star ceremony
The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer
By Amanda Dolasinski
Published: April 5, 2014

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Enemy fire intensified as the July day grew hotter in the mud hut village of Shewan, Afghanistan.

Col. Brett G. Sylvia stayed focused, scanning the horizon for Taliban insurgents.

Suddenly, his soldiers saw Sylvia's head snap back and his body fall forward to the ground.

A medic ran over. Soldiers said Sylvia was briefly knocked out.

But the colonel said the bullet had hit his helmet and caused only bleeding from his forehead. He was bandaged and moved to the front of the battalion to order soldiers to return fire and push forward.

"For him to get back up, that redefined the entire mission," said 1st Sgt. Joe Macavinta, who was fighting alongside Sylvia as part of Operation Southern Swarm II in July 2013.

Sylvia, at the time the commander of Fort Bragg's 307th Engineer Battalion, earned a Bronze Star for valor for his actions during the operation. The honor, which he received Friday, is the Army's fourth highest award for acts of heroism.

Five men, including Macavinta, also were honored for their actions on the operation during a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan. Macavinta, Pfc. Brendon Bartz, Sgt. Alejandro Tristan, Sgt. Trent Pontes and Sgt. David Chalifoux all received Army Commendation Medals for valor.
read more here

Fort Bragg Special Forces honors 8 heroes with Silver Stars

UPDATE

The Silver Star recipients are, from left, (1st row) Sgt. 1st Class David Blish; Master Sgt. Charles Ritter; Chief Warrant 2 Jason Myers; Chief Warrant 2 Robert Hinsley; (2nd row) Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Drew; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Brown; Staff Sgt. Robert Ashwell; and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Lavery. They received the awards Thursday at Fort Bragg, N.C..
(Sgt. Enoch Fleites / Army)

Read more on Army Times Special Forces soldiers honored for valor in Afghanistan

NC Special Forces soldiers who risked their lives to get valor awards
Fayetteville Observer
Drew Brooks
March 27, 2014

In one case, a soldier is being honored for catching a grenade in his hands and throwing it away before jumping on an Afghan soldier to shield him from the blast.

In another, a soldier physically pushed another away from danger and then stepped in front of him to shield him from bullets.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — They risked their lives in Afghanistan to save their fellow soldiers, and now they'll be honored among their peers on Fort Bragg.

Soldiers of the 3rd Special Forces Group will receive dozens of medals during an award ceremony Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Charles Cleveland, commanding general of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, will present eight Silver Stars, 28 Bronze Stars for valor, 36 Army Commendation Medals for valor and 27 Purple Hearts to soldiers in the 11 a.m. ceremony, according to officials. The Silver Star is the military's third highest award for valor in combat.

The eight soldiers receiving Silver Stars are

Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Brown

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason W. Myers

Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan B. Drew

Sgt. 1st Class David A. Blish

Warrant Officer Robert A. Hinsley

Staff Sgt. Nicholas C. Lavery

Staff Sgt. Robert B. Ashwell

Master Sgt. Charles P. Ritter

Myers and Ritter also will receive Purple Heart medals for being injured in Afghanistan, officials said.

Brown will also receive an Army Commendation Medal for valor and two Purple Hearts and Lavery will also receive a Bronze Star for valor and three Purple Hearts.
read more here