 Confronting
the challenges presented by the
unconventional war in Iraq, Air
Force Technical Sergeant Shawn Foust
was assigned to Joint Logistic Task
Force 1144, becoming a Convoy
Commander for the 424th Medium Truck
Detachment. In 212 missions during
his second tour of duty, Foust
encountered various obstacles and
challenges while amassing over
507,000 cumulative miles on the
dangerous roads of Iraq.
Convoy mission 57-459 would present
the greatest challenge, earning
Foust praise for his ability to
overcome such a daunting task. As
his convoy was approaching Forward
Operating Base Al Asad, a roadside
bomb detonated, wounding the driver
and passenger of the third truck,
and leaving the vehicle partially
disabled. A possible full-scale
ambush was upon them as scattered
mortar and small arms fire landed on
their position. The intermittent
insurgent fire raised the threat
level for the entire convey and
Foust knew he had to remain calm and
professional.
He immediately
moved the convoy past the kill zone
and went back for the wounded men.
Foust organized his Airmen into a
defensive posture, and prepared to
repair the damaged truck. Working
tirelessly and on constant guard for
six hours, throughout the night,
Foust and his fifteen man squad
replaced each of the damaged 250
pound tires until the vehicle was
operational. Foust successfully
completed this mission all those
before and all those that followed.
In the six months he spent in
Iraq, he exhibited a sense of
service, devotion to duty, and
commitment to the overall success of
his unit that went above and beyond
what was expected, earning him the
Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally
meritorious service. |
