Marine Corps Capt. Receives Top Intelligence Award Posthumously at Stewart Air Guards Base

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Capt. Trevor Yurista

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURG, NY (08/30/2011)(readMedia)-- Stewart Air National Guard Base will host the presentation of the National Intelligence Medal for Valor to the family of a Marine Corps Captain who was raised in Dutchess County and killed in action in Afghanistan on Oct. 27, 2008.

Captain Trevor Yurista, of Pleasant Valley will be honored with the Medal for Valor in recognition of the work he did from September to October 2008 while serving as a targeting officer for the Fore Reconnaissance Platoon of the Second Battalion 7th Marines in Helmand Province.

Yurista identified the location of a bomb-making factory that was producing IEDS used against United States forces and coalition partners . He accompied the raiding team on the operation and successfully identified targets for air attack which destroyed more than 1,00 pounds of stored explosives. He was killed during the operation, which took place 25 kilometers behind enemy lines, while trying to protect other Marines.

The award ceremony will take place at the headquarters of the United States Marine Corps Aircraft Group 49 here because it is the Marine Corps location nearest Capt. Yurista's hometown.

Who: Lt Gen Clapper USAF (Ret.), The Director of National Intelligence (DNI); Brig Gen Stewart, HQMC Director of Intelligence; and the family of Captain Trevor Yurista .

What: Presentation of the National Intelligence Medal for Valor to the Yurista family

When: 2. p.m.Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Where: At the flagpoles at Stewart Air National Guard Base, 1 Maguire Road, Newburgh, NY

For access to this secure military facility members of the press must contact New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Halloran at 845-563-2076

Background:

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) established the Medal for Valor in 2008 to acknowledge the extraordinary accomplishments of Intelligence Community (IC) professionals. It is second only to the Intelligence Cross in IC awards for bravery. The Marine Corps is a member of the Intelligence Community (IC) and any Marine nominated for an ODNI IC award must be approved/submitted by the HQMC Director of Intelligence. The award is then reviewed and approved by the DNI. ODNI IC awards are currently not authorized for wear on service uniforms.

Lt Gen Clapper USAF (Ret.) is the current DNI and along with BGen Stewart, HQMC Director of Intelligence, will present the medal to the Yurista family on 31 Aug. FYI: Director Clapper is a former enlisted Marine. The family will receive a framed medal w/citation and also a separate medal, which Director Clapper usually pins on a family member during the ceremony.