Technical Sergeant Clint T. Campbell distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States near Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on 4 August 2010. On that date, while serving as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller attached to an Army Special Forces detachment, Sergeant Campbell, his team, and their Afghan partners conducted a 10 hour clearance operation in the village of Zharif Kheyl, Afghanistan. Throughout the day they were continuously harassed by enemy fire while Sergeant Campbell directed 22 airstrikes, including multiple danger close employments, resulting in 13 enemy killed. When the friendly force departed the village, they were ambushed by 45 insurgents with effective machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire. With the entire force pinned down and with reports of three urgent casualties at the southern position, Sergeant Campbell took decisive action. Without regard for his own safety, he ran 300 meters through a gauntlet of enemy fire. As rocket-propelled grenades exploded just feet away and tracer rounds passed within inches, Sergeant Campbell engaged enemy fighters with his rifle and killed one insurgent with a hand grenade at a distance of 15 feet. Upon arriving at the casualty collection point, he exposed himself to enemy fire to mark insurgent positions with a 40 millimeter smoke grenade and directed an F-16 strafing run to neutralize the threat and enable evacuation of the wounded. He then directed the decimation of the enemy with 10 strikes from OH-58 aircraft while coordinating with other air assets to vector the friendly force out of the kill zone. Sergeant Campbell's bravery in the face of withering enemy fire turned the tide of the battle, defeated the ambush, saved three teammates' lives, and prevented certain additional casualties. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Campbell has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

HURLBURT FIELD, Florida -- Jan 18, 2012

Air Force Combat Controller Tech Sgt. Clint Campbell was honored for his leadership and courage while fighting the War on Terror in Afghanistan.

Tech Sgt. Campbell was awarded the Silver Star- the 3rd highest military combat decoration- for saving the lives of his colleagues.

In August, 2010, while providing both air and ground support for an Army Seal team, Campbell's team was ambushed by enemy fighters at a remote Afghan village.

Campbell rescued several fallen commrades.

32 other airmen were given medals at today's ceremony- one Airman's Medal, six Bronze Stars with Valor, three Purple Hearts and 22 Air Force Combat Action medals.

                                                   

More than 100 Special Tactics airmen have earned medals during recent deployments. Twenty-five of them were recognized during a ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

The members of the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field received 33 medals, including a Silver Star, an Airman’s Medal, six Bronze Stars with Valor, three Purple Hearts and 22 Air Force Combat Action Medals.
Silver Star           Bronze Star with Valor                                 
Purple Hearts  AF Combat Action Medal                                     
TSgt. Clint T. Campbell









MSgt. Kenneth E. Huhman (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster)
TSgt. Chad W. Rosendale
TSgt. Stefan N. Jorgenson (1st Oak Leaf Cluster)
SSgt. Joshua M. Craig (1st Oak Leaf Cluster)
SSgt. Joshua M. Craig (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster)
SrA. Daniel R. Cutrell




 SSgt Colby S. Fisher
SSgt Kyle W. Klapperich
SrA Fabian A. Ramirez
MSgt Christopher A. Zachary
TSgt Ruben Reyes Jr
TSgt Chad W. Rosendale
TSgt Steven M. Schuyler Jr
SSgt Dathan A. Nordheim
SSgt Curtis W. Krenzke
SSgt Kyle C. Graman
SSgt Stephen J. Merlics
SSgt Colby S. Fisher
SSgt Jeremy R. Schlaubach
SSgt David T. Reifenberg		 SSgt Evan L. Bittick
SSgt Andrew P. Deahn
SSgt Kyle W. Klapperich
SrA Zachary T. Paul
SrA Daniel D. Gray
SrA John R. Stephenson
SrA Jonathan K. Beardsley
SrA Fabian A. Ramirez
SrA Brandon J. Schutz
SrA Daniel R. Cutrell
SrA Forrest B. Sibley

Lt. Col. Chris Larkin, commander of the squadron, said the ceremony was special because the citations gave the airmen’s families a peek into top-secret missions.

“They are all quiet professionals and they are not proven to boast about what they have done outside the confines of the team room with their teammates and a cold beverage,” Larkin said during the ceremony.

Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command, called the Special Tactics airmen America’s finest.

Fiel predicted that most of them would say they were just doing their jobs.

“But running 300 meters through a gauntlet of (enemy) fire without regard to one’s own safety, as Tech. Sgt. Campbell did, is more than just doing your job,” Fiel said. “Exposing one’s self to direct fire on three separate occasions … and personally engaging insurgents as Master Sgt. Huhman did, is more than just doing your job.

“Physically engaging forces with direct and lethal fire as Senior Airman Sibley did, again, is more than just doing your job.”

Fiel said the airmen had a devotion to duty and a commitment to the causes their country puts before them.

Tech. Sgt. Clint Campbell received the Silver Star and the Airman’s Medal for his actions Aug. 4, 2010, during combat near Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
He saved the lives of three teammates and was credited with turning the tide of the battle, defeating an ambush and preventing more casualties, according to the citation that accompanied his medal.

As predicted, Campbell said after the ceremony that he was doing what he was trained to do. He also said the award represented a team effort.

“We accomplished a lot, and this is just a reflection of some of the stuff that we did while we were deployed,” Campbell said. “At that point, it was ‘do whatever you need to do for your teammates.’ ”

His parents, Dwight and Sandy Campbell came from Jacksonville for the ceremony. They expressed their pride afterward.

“It’s what he does. It’s the kind of person he is, and we’re very proud of that,” Sandy Campbell said.

Larkin said it takes two years to become a Combat Controller. He commended those who chose the career path after 9/11 when the country was at war.

“I think all of the airmen in Special Tactics have incredible dedication and tenacity and desire to serve their nation,” Larkin said. “Sgt. Campbell is like most of our airmen when put in a position. They go out and do the job that we train them to do. Our training is very in-depth and very realistic, so that when it comes time to execute the mission it’s like their second nature.”