Illinois Guardsmen recognized for role in base defense, Taliban defeat

Story by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer, Task Force White Eagle Public Affairs, Illinois Army National Guard

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PHOTO #1 Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Buttram of Byron, Ill.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN (09/26/2013)(readMedia)-- Four Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers were recognized by senior military leaders Sept. 15 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan for their role in defeating a Taliban attack on their Forward Operating Base (FOB) Aug. 28.

Sgt. Maj. Lester Edwards of Mechanicsburg, Ill., and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Clemens of Burbank, Ill., were presented the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor and the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor, respectively, by Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, Commander of International Security Assistance Forces and U.S. Forces - Afghanistan at a ceremony at FOB Ghazni.

Both Soldiers are part of the Bilateral Embedded Staff Team (BEST) A11, a team of approximately 20 Illinois National Guard Soldiers who deployed in February with Polish forces.

"It is a proud day for all of us, but I am especially proud of the unity of effort displayed by Polish, U.S., and Afghan Forces in the defeat of Taliban aggressors," said Col. Christopher Lawson of Chatham, Ill., the Deputy U.S. Commander of Task Force White Eagle.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 28, the Taliban planned to use several vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire to breach the FOB's perimeter and cause as many coalition casualties as possible said Lawson.

"They were able to initially breach the east perimeter with a truck laden with several thousand pounds of homemade explosives and initiate the first phase of indirect fire," said Lawson.

Although U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis of Staten Island, N.Y., and a Polish Soldier were killed during the attack, Lawson said the rest of the raid "was a nightmare for the Taliban."

He said a Polish sniper team put in place earlier that week to protect specific historic sites was able to stymie a simultaneous attack on the west side of the FOB.

Edwards and Clemens were among the first seven Soldiers to respond to the attack. Armed only with their pistols, and without body armor, Edwards and Clemens stopped five suicide bombers from entering the FOB through the breach in the perimeter wall created by the initial blast.

Of the estimated 50 Taliban attackers, 24 were killed by U.S., Polish and Afghan forces.

"I haven't seen an attack like this in Ghazni. This was one of the most resourced and coordinated attacks in southern Afghanistan,' said Afghan National Army (ANA) Brig. Gen. Ahmad Zia Yaftali, commander of the 203rd ANA Corps.

After quelling the attack, the coalition immediately began recovery efforts. Capt. Tristan Myers of Chatham, Ill., Task Force White Eagle's U.S. battle captain worked with his Polish counterparts to coordinate air weapons teams, medical helicopters to evacuate the wounded and place quick reactionary forces to secure the base. At the same time, Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Buttram of Byron, Ill., a contracting and retrograde noncommissioned officer worked through the night, under the threat of a second attack, to repair the breach in the perimeter wall.

Task Force White Eagle commander, Polish Army Brig. Gen. Marek Sokolowski praised the efforts of the Polish and U.S. military personnel who fended off the attack and regained security of the FOB.

"I am proud of my Soldiers, this includes my Illinois Soldiers. We did our job. We fight together. We work together and we recover as one," said Sokolowski.

The BEST All mobilized in February and are expected to return home in December.

"This has been a challenging and rewarding deployment for all of us," said Lawson. "The Illinois Army National Guard should be proud of the bonds and achievements these Soldiers have cultivated with their Polish and Afghan partners."

PHOTO #1 CAPTION: U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer /Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Buttram of Byron, Ill., contracting and retrograde noncommissioned officer for the Bilateral Embeded Staff Team A11 deployed to Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Buttram worked through the night under threat of a second attack to secure a perimeter breach after an attack on his Forward Operating Base Aug. 28. The team deployed in February and is expected to return in December.

PHOTO #2 CAPTION: U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer /Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Clemens of Burbank, Ill., was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device for valor Sept. 15 for his efforts to defend his Forward Operating Base from a Taliban attack Aug. 28. Clemens, armed with only his pistol and without body armor kept five suicide bombers from entering the base after the perimeter was breached. Clemens is deployed with the Bilateral Embeded Staff Team A11 to Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The unit is expected to return home in December.

PHOTO #3 CAPTION: U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer / Sgt. Maj. Lester Edwards of Mechanicsburg, Ill., was presented the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor Sept. 15 for his efforts to defend his Forward Operating Base in Ghazni Provence, Afghanistan after it was attached by Taliban forces Aug. 28. Edwards is deployed with the Bilateral Embeded Staff Team A11.

PHOTO #4 CAPTION: U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Spreitzer / Capt. Tristan Myers of Chatham, Ill., was recognized for his efforts to coordinate medical helicopters to evacuate the wounded after an attack on his Forward Operating Base Aug. 28. Myers is deployed with the Bilateral Embeded Staff Team A11 to Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The team is expected to return in December.

**EDITORS NOTE** The Illinois National Guard Public Affairs office is working to make these Soldiers be available for telephone interviews from Afghanistan. Please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office if interested in participating in the telephone interviews.

For high resolution photos, please contact the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office at ng.il.ilarng.list.staff-pao@mail.mil

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