First Sergeant William Howard saving the world
First Sergeant William Howard of Hotel Company, 1st Battalion, 222nd Aviation Regiment at Joint Base Langely-Eustis was awarded the Soldiers Medal for his actions in Afghanistan on July 3, 2014, according to af.mil. Howard reacted to a rocket attack on a hangar on the Kabul Air Base;
Fearing the safety of those inside the hangar, Howard quickly entered a vehicle and sped toward the attack site. Upon arrival, he confirmed the second floor of the building was clear, but heard shouting from fellow Soldiers, indicating personnel trapped on the first floor.
As Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kevin Huggins and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Moran called on Howard for help and Larry Hottot, he heard shouting and banging from a nearby door, behind which was a prayer room for Afghan soldiers.
“The doors were locked from [both sides] and warped from the heat,” said Howard. “We started using anything and everything we could to pry open those doors before someone brought us a heavy duty pry-bar.”
Once the doors were opened, two soldiers emerged under their own power followed by a cloud of smoke and heat, but three others remained inside, incapacitated.
“We just went in there without thinking,” said Howard. “We needed to get them all out no matter what.”
The Virginian Pilot quotes the hulking First Sergeant;
“I didn’t do any of that for a medal; it wasn’t about that for me,” Howard said in the release. “The memory of those guys, before and after, is more of reward then anything I can receive. I did it for them, not for anybody else.”
Thanks to Chief Tango for the link.
Category: Real Soldiers
Congratulations to the brave First Sergeant!
BUT – – – ,
What’s going on in the United States Army these days?
This is the second report in about as many weeks where a Soldiers Medal is awarded for heroism in combat.
Can anybody explain this oddity?
Was wondering about that myself
I’m guessing that it’s because it wasn’t heroism under enemy fire. I’ve been reading a bunch of Vietnam Era Soldiers Medal citations that were similar. Buildings that were burning as the result of enemy fire, and folks rescuing children from the inferno, but not as the enemy was firing.
Yeah-I think a combat award would have been warranted as well.
However, a smart commander might have written a Soldier’s Medal for such an action with an eye to a financial reward for his soldier as well as the recognition that comes with an award.
Apparently there is a clause somewhere in the federal code that adds 10% to a service pension for an award for valor, including the Soldier’s Medal (if it meets certain criteria). However, as near as I can tell, this is not true of the Silver Star or lower valor awards for combat. I think the Silver Star would have been as high as could have been awarded for the 1SG, and well deserved, but I wonder if the Soldier’s Medal might not work out better for him this way.
See U.S. Code TITLE 10 > Subtitle E > PART II > CHAPTER 1223 > § 12739
(b) If a person entitled to retired pay under this chapter has been credited by the Secretary concerned with extraordinary heroism in the line of duty and if the highest grade held satisfactorily by that person at any time in the armed forces is an enlisted grade, the person’s retired pay shall be increased by 10 percent of the amount determined under subsection (a). The Secretary’s determination as to extraordinary heroism is conclusive for all purposes.
@ 68W58:
Thank you for that explanation, which sounds downright reasonably canny.
Now THAT’S what being a true HERO is all about. Not for the bling. Not for the award. But for the brothers (and sisters)-in-arms beside you.
Take THAT, all you posers!!
Word
Not only a hero, but a guy who looks like someone you would NOT want to mess with.
I call it the 1SG glare. It says so much without a word being spoken. Makes Pvts run and 2nd Lts shit themselves.
Andy11M…You noticed the “glare” too eh. I know it well. I always knew it meant, “shut up and heads up”. Congratulations and well done to First Sergeant Howard!!!
First off, congratulations 1SG. Well done!!
Secondly, be careful which direction you point that 1SG’s glare. There is an E-8 to the north of you at Fort Meade, MD that may be offended if you happen to look up that way.
From his outstanding physical look, he seems like the type of Soldier to always have on hand for anything.
BRAVO ZULU Sgt Howard. Glad to know we have guys like you on our side. Many Thanks
We all served in the company of heroes…
For that, I am proud.
Yes, I also remember the First Sergeant glare and how I got the look on more than one occasion…
OUCH !!!!!
Worked with him in the 10th CAB. Great guy. Yes, that is how he looks when he is happy. That is also how he looks when he is awake. Not a lot of emotional range displayed for that dude, but I always got a kick out watching him work.
And as for why just that medal, it’s because in most Aviation I have seen that unless you save the president’s life personally, you don’t get anything. 20 years of service, every deployment with the unit, and I retire and I get an AAM… Seriously. In other units I see SSG and above get Bronze Stars just sitting on a cot for a deployment…