Military Times Foundation’s Soldier of the Year is a Stud
Dockery’s first Silver Star came during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a fresh infantry platoon leader assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, part of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was deployed immediately after arriving at Carson, joining an experienced platoon a few months into their deployment. His unit moved into Kapisa Province in late September 2012, Dockery said in a 2017 podcast interview. Days later, on Oct. 2, 2012, his life changed.
Dockery’s platoon and a platoon of Afghan National Army troops were maintaining a security perimeter around the provincial governor’s compound during a high-level meeting when Taliban fighters attacked with machine guns, grenades and RPGs. The lieutenant gathered half his troops and counterattacked, but as they continued to press their advantage, his weapons squad leader, now-retired Staff Sgt. Eric Mitchell, was wounded. That set off a close-quarters firefight in a compound where Dockery and a team of four killed several fighters. But a Taliban counterattack with a series of grenades and RPGs wounded all of the Americans.As the dust settled, according to his Silver Star narrative, Dockery realized that one of his NCOs, Sgt. Jack Hansbro, was missing. The officer charged into a nearby alleyway and killed two Taliban fighters who were dragging away an unconscious Hansbro. “[That day] was a very harrowing event,” Dockery told Army Times. “For several years, I thought about it every single day.”
After completing his platoon leader time and a tour as a company executive officer, Dockery deployed as a combat advisor, where his work along side Special Forces troops solidified his desire to become a Green Beret. Following selection and his training pipeline, Dockery deployed again to Afghanistan with 7th Special Forces Group, with whom he would earn a second Silver Star. The second valor award came from a fight in which about 250 Taliban fighters attacked a combined U.S.-Afghan force, and the then-captain’s decisions and rapid response were credited with blunting the attack. More than 110 enemy fighters were killed.
Air Force Times via Yahoo News
First he gets a Silver Star, THEN goes SF and goes out and gets another. Reminds me of Connie Shokner, the bad-ass con in “The Longest Yard who killed several people with his bare hands – and then learned karate.
Some small editing within the text box for brevity.
Category: Army, Army News, Green Beret, None, Purple Heart, Real Soldiers, Silver Star
‘C’ device?
It’s been awhile since I’ve cracked open AR 600-8-22, I guess DAPAM 420-69 could’ve altered it and changed Infantry over to gender neutral pronouns.
Wonder how Mister fancy hat above feels about that?
Yeah, there’s “C” (combat) and “R” (remote) devices for certain awards nowadays. I’m still in for a very short while, but I’ve yet to see one of these on someone’s uniform.
My CIB says more than enough, as my brothers and I know what we did to earn it. Unfortunately, even that badge is tainted by the thousands of unearned awards given via blanket orders or for indirect fire. The regulation is clear, but officers are going to officer. MAJ Dockery seems to be a legitimate stud, but he’s at that point of his career where politics take precedence over leadership. He’ll probably get a battalion, but as he pins LTC and matures in that rank, he’ll need to tread carefully if he wants a brigade command. Hopefully he doesn’t forget his roots as a combat leader.
Darn overachievers, I thought the silver thing on my AAM was sufficient.
Welcome aboard, David. How do we distinguish you from the “other” David? Dave vs. David? You may need a nickname – like a fighter pilot. Maybe you could be ‘Rooster’ and the other Dave can be ‘Cockpit.’
Well, Hardin is Dave. If by ‘ other David’ you mean that other incessant daily commenter, no need – one and the same. Apparently Ed, Dave etc. had a mental lapse and let me on board.
David wrote:
“and has won Army awards for his work with foster children (no mention of kittens or puppies – no doubt an oversight.”
Reference the above statement. From the Army Times article:
“Dockery also received the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for his work to help foster children.”
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/07/12/soldier-of-the-year-2022-is-only-army-officer-with-two-post-911-silver-stars/
Yes, Virginia. The Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Award (MOVSA) DOES exist.
We have one. We did not “win” it. We did not ask for it. A Chain of Command submitted a DA FORM 638 for a recommendation that one of us become the recipient of the MOVSA.
😉😎
Welp, he is quite a combat stud. And he served or is serving with my last AD unit, the 10th SFG(A). He also has my same combat patch, the 4th ID. Although, he served as a platoon leader in the 2nd Bn/12th Inf; whereas, I was a company commander in 3rd Bn/12 Inf, 4th ID.
Wow…
Thank You for sharing that info with us about what you have in common with him..
Yep. Agree 100% and more..He is indeed a Combat Stud.
Please never forget what you did as welk, rgr769.
We recognize your handle. Your Class Number.
And you are the real deal with what you did in Vietnam.
That is why we cringe/still shake our heads at someone who claimed a Bullwinkle Badge when he never earned it. We found old newspaper articles where he gave reporters the idea that he served in Combat with the 101st in Vietnam..As in Combat where one receives a CIB. That he had a desk job in Saigon, but insisted the Army send him to fight combat in Vietnam.
He wore Blue Infantry Cord. A Beret BEFORE the days of the Black Beret. Unauthorized Awards and Qualification Badges.
All articles were written before the creation of the TAH Blog.
Thank You again for sharing.
Hardcore! Nothing like being “in the sh^t” right after arrival in country.
“More than 110 enemy fighters were killed.” If he hadn’t taken that smoke break he mighta got the other 140 bastards.
Thanks, David.