LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
As fellow defenders looked on, Tech. Sgt. Matthew Loiselle, 633d Security Forces Squadron Standardization Evaluation section, received the Bronze Star Medal in a ceremony at Herron Hall March 18.
Col. Kenneth D'Alfonso, 633d Mission Support Group commander, presented the decoration to Sergeant Loiselle, which he earned for courageous duty organizing and leading convoys and providing security while deployed to Camp Victory, Iraq, April 23, 2009 to April 17, 2010.
"These missions are extremely dangerous, and Matt excelled," said Lt. Col. Scott Foley, 633d Security Forces Squadron commander. "He is a combat-ready leader, talented communicator and mentor who epitomizes what it means to be an Airman. I am extremely proud and humbled to be his commander. His efforts are pivotal to the continued success of this squadron."
Sergeant Loiselle distinguished himself by meritorious service as a personal security advisor assigned to Headquarters United States Forces-Iraq's Air Component Coordination Element. He risked his life to defend the lives of senior military leaders from sniper fire, explosive formed projectiles and roadside bombs on more than 35 occasions. His bravery and expertise enabled the completion of approximately 275 key leader engagements and more than 300 successful convoys throughout the Baghdad area. Finally, he planned and executed reconciliation meetings which led to the safe release of an allied nation contractor who had been captive for 31 months.
Sergeant Loiselle credits his mission accomplishments to four previous deployments, training and teamwork.
"We had great teams assigned to us. They picked up on the training and were able to run full-speed missions in a short time, he said. "Their support helped me remain calm and make tough decisions on the fly."
After Colonel D'Alfonso presented the award, he asked the Airmen in attendance to understand the magnitude of Sergeant Loiselle's accomplishments and how integral security forces Airmen are to mission success.
"Sergeant Loiselle epitomizes what it is to be a defender," said Colonel D'Alfonso. "Most Airmen don't fully understand what it takes to defend a base, its assets and its personnel. They look to security forces personnel to bear arms and keep them safe. They look to Airmen like Sergeant Loiselle."