Malmstrom NCO awarded Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Terry Nelson
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs office
MALMASTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Retired Brig Gen. Carol Elliott presented Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Aylward, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron, with the Bronze Star Medal during a ceremony held here Sep. 10. 

Sergeant Aylward received the medal for his exceptional meritorious service as a convoy commander for the 424th Medium Truck Detachment in support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom from Aug. 26, 2008 to March 16, 2009.
As convoy commander, Sergeant Aylward completed 12 convoy missions; personally traversing more than 14,000 miles while commanding nearly 682,000 total miles. During these operations he led 13 Airmen and 12 Soldiers while escorting more than 492 commercially contracted transports loaded with mission-critical cargo to the warfighters. 

His team successfully protected 400 foreign national contract operators embedded within the convoys. 

"It was a great honor and I am very humbled to have received the Bronze Star Medal. None of this would have been possible if not for the sacrifices made by the nine-member team that deployed with me. These Airmen and NCO's embodied the Airman's Creed and Warrior Ethos," said Sergeant Aylward. "They are a true testament to what the 341st Missile Wing brings to the fight at home as well as in the [area of responsibility] and I couldn't be more proud of these warfighters." 

Sergeant Aylward also transported 27 truckloads of cargo for the 730th Quartermaster Corps and the 236th Military Police Company to Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Despite hearing about numerous insurgent attacks in the area, the crew completed 100 percent of their tasked missions without losing a single asset while traveling the hazardous highways from Kuwait to northern Iraq. 

Following the ceremony, General Elliott spoke about how honored she was to present the Bronze Star to Sergeant Aylward and the importance of Air Force NCOs. 

"One of the things I remember vividly during my career were conversations I had with my counterparts in foreign air forces; they were amazed at the capabilities and professionalism of our NCOs and stunned with the level of authority and responsibility we entrust in them," said General Elliott. "I think the narrative you heard earlier of Sergeant Aylward accomplishments highlights the fact that when you are given the authority to protect people's lives it, doesn't get any better than that." 

Sergeant Aylward said he could not have made it through this deployment without the love and support of his wife, Staff Sgt. Melanie Aylward, from the 341st Force Support Squadron, and their daughter, Ava.