Tyndall Airman receives Bronze Star for actions in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anthony J. Hyatt
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Master Sgt. Kory Duarte, 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron supply section chief, was awarded the Bronze Star during a ceremony June 23 in Hangar 2.

Sergeant Duarte earned the medal for his actions while deployed to a combat zone in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from May 2009 to May 2010.

"I am privileged to receive the Bronze Star medal and I want to thank my family and seven [of my] Air Force teammates, who I worked with during my year-long deployment to Afghanistan mentoring Afghan National Army soldiers," said Sergeant Duarte.

Colonel Craig Hall, 325th Maintenance Group commander, presented Sergeant Duarte the award.

While Sergeant Duarte was recognized for many accomplishments in the award citation, among the most noted were his performance as a mentor for the U.S. Army Transportation Company and the Logistics Officer at the 5th Kandak, 3rd Brigade and Camp Blackhorse. He was the Property Book Officer mentor, and for 41 days was assigned to Forward Operating Base Airborne as the Forward Logistics Element noncommissioned officer-in-charge. The master sergeant also fearlessly executed 171 combat patrols covering more than 3,600 miles outside the wire through austere and hostile terrain. He proved to be an invaluable asset during the NATO weapons transfer for the 3rd Brigade, when he inventoried and escorted more than 1,500 M-16 rifles valued at nearly $600,000 to Camp Blackhorse and safely escorted 37 tons of ammunition.

"I went on several humanitarian assistance and village medical operations, which provided food, medicine, school supplies, firewood and warm blankets to thousands of Afghans who desperately needed these vital essentials to survive," he said.

"How many Americans get to represent the United States of America? How many Americans get to advise a Coalition ally on how to build and develop their military forces?" said Lt. Col. Paul Kanning, 325th AMXS commander. "I don't know how many exactly, but Master Sgt. Duarte is among an extremely small, elite fraction of our nation and I am honored to serve alongside this superstar."

He is an outstanding American Airman and American Hero, Colonel Kanning added.

The Bronze Star medal is a United States Armed Forces military decoration awarded for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service. It is awarded to military members who distinguished themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement while engaged in an action against a U.S enemy or engaged in operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.