Department of the Navy Civilian Jonathan Covington was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, NATO Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal at Bagram Airfield Sept. 6 for exceptional service to Area Support Group Afghanistan (ASG-A).

Covington was assigned to ASG-A on a one-year deployment through the Department of Defense Expeditionary Civilians Program, which deploys personnel to support military operations. Before redeploying to the United States in September 2018, Covington served as the site manager of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lightning, home to Task Force Southeast HQ and Security Force Assistance Brigade 1 HQ, in the Paktia Province.

ASG-A provides standardized services, facilities and infrastructure to the Joint Expeditionary Force at Lightning and other FOBs throughout Combined Joint Operations Afghanistan. This includes everything from billeting, laundry and food service to public works and quality of life support to more than 35,000 personnel--U.S. military, DOD Civilians, Contractors and Coalition Forces--who are contributing to Resolute Support.

Resolute Support is the NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, who assumed nationwide responsibility for Afghanistan's security following the conclusion of the previous NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission. Its purpose is to help the Afghan security forces and institutions develop the capacity to defend Afghanistan and protect its citizens in a sustainable manner.

Covington's service awards were presented by ASG-A Commander Col. Jacob Peterson at ASG Headquarters on Bagram. Covington called his yearlong assignment the most rewarding of his career. "It was very humbling to take care of the troops that are going outside of the wire every day to accomplish this mission. And every day, I tried to give them the very best the ASG had to offer."