October 2011 - United States Special Operations Command
October 2011 - United States Special Operations Command
October 2011 - United States Special Operations Command
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By Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Crisp<br />
USASOC Public Affairs<br />
Valor ceremony honors<br />
<strong>Special</strong> Forces Soldiers<br />
For the second time in seven months, a<br />
valor ceremony took place to recognize the<br />
heroism of Soldiers from Fort Bragg’s 3rd<br />
<strong>Special</strong> Forces Group (Airborne) Sept. 19.<br />
Thirty Soldiers from the group were<br />
honored Sept. 15 at the John F. Kennedy<br />
<strong>Special</strong> Warfare Center and School, as<br />
commander of U.S. Army <strong>Special</strong><br />
<strong>Operations</strong> <strong>Command</strong>, Lt. Gen. John F.<br />
Mulholland Jr., awarded two Silver Stars,<br />
seven Bronze Stars with “V” device, 10<br />
Army Commendation Medals with “V”<br />
device and 11 Purple Hearts.<br />
The ceremony showcased vignettes of<br />
the respective actions of the two Silver Star<br />
recipients, Capt. Matthew L. Golsteyn and<br />
Sgt. 1st Class Chad E. Lawson.<br />
Each Soldier braved enemy fire for<br />
hours; exposing themselves to danger in<br />
order to help their fellow servicemembers<br />
and Afghan counterparts.<br />
Golsteyn was awarded for his actions<br />
on Feb. 20, 2010, in Helmand Province,<br />
Afghanistan.<br />
“I had the trust and loyalty of my<br />
teammates,” Golsteyn said. “I owe this to<br />
them. Recognition like this doesn’t<br />
happen if you aren’t leading excellent<br />
people.”<br />
Lawson was recognized for his<br />
actions on Aug. 4, 2010 in Kandahar<br />
Province, Afghanistan.<br />
His former detachment commander,<br />
Capt. Aaron Baty, said Lawson was the “epitome of a<br />
<strong>Special</strong> Forces NCO.”<br />
Sgt. 1st Class Chad E. Lawson, 1st Battalion, 3rd <strong>Special</strong> Forces Group<br />
(Airborne), shakes the hand of the group’s Deputy <strong>Command</strong>ing Officer, Col.<br />
Matthew Karres, Sept. 15, <strong>2011</strong>, after being awarded the Silver Star medal for<br />
his actions in combat this past summer. Thirty Soldiers from the group were<br />
honored in a valor ceremony where they were awarded respectively: two<br />
Silver Stars, seven Bronze Stars with “V” device, 10 Army Commendation<br />
Medals with “V” device and 11 Purple Hearts. Photo by Spc. Patricia Caputo.<br />
Also receiving awards from the battle that garnered<br />
Lawson his Silver Star were Staff Sgt. Robert Bradford<br />
(Bronze Star with “V” and Purple Heart), Sgt. 1st Class<br />
Tip of the Spear<br />
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