U.S. Army Col. Curtis Buzzard, commanding officer of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, pins the Bronze Star on U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Decker, an aviation observer, coach and trainer from the JMRC's Falcon team, was presente...
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Decker, an aviation observer, coach and trainer from the Joint Multinational Readiness Center's Falcon team, was presented The Bronze Star Medal during a ceremony at JMRC Falcon's Air Field, Hohenfels, German...
HOHENFELS, Germany -- U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Decker, an aviation observer, coach and trainer from the Joint Multinational Readiness Center's Falcon team, was presented The Bronze Star Medal during a ceremony at JMRC Falcon's Air Field, Hohenfels, Germany, March 27.
Decker was awarded The Bronze Star Medal for valorous achievements performed in conditions of high-threat during his deployment to Afghanistan in 2016.
Decker was attached to a U.S. Air Force training unit as an adviser with Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air (TAAC-Air), in Kabul, and was responsible for training the Afghan National Air Force to fly and maintain the MD-530 scout attack helicopter. Decker also helped in standing up the Afghan MD-530 training program and assisted all organization of sustainment assets for combat as a rotor-wing fight squadron.
Decker traveled alone with the squadron to Camp Amir, Kunduz, an area of north Afghanistan, to link the squadron with the German Air Force and the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC).
"At the time, there was a lot of Taliban movement up north," said Decker. "It was a strategic point to employ the squadron in securing Kunduz."
Merging with U.S. Special Operations Forces, and using other U.S. assets, Decker and the squadron helped ANASOC neutralize targets to secure the area.
"We commend Chief Warrant Officer Decker for his work and for his family's patience during his deployment," said Col. Mark Lent, commander of JMRC's Falcon team. "He did incredible job with our Afghan partners in an extremely high-threat environment."
According to the American War Library, The Bronze Star Medal was established Feb. 4, 1944. It is awarded by the Secretary of a military department or the Secretary of Homeland Security to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard of the United States, after Dec. 6, 1941, distinguishes, or has distinguished, herself or himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service.
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