Warren member earns bronze star

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daryl Knee
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo. --  Pictures of his family and friends share a smile with him every time he enters his office. A photograph of President George W. Bush expresses "best wishes" as he sits in his chair.

Tech. Sgt. Cayle Harris, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, has returned from Iraq from doing his job as an explosive ordnance disposal team-leader. He has returned with a Bronze Star Medal.

Sergeant Harris toured Iraq as part of the Army's 79th Ordnance Battalion. He and his team scanned the roads in search of improvised explosive devices. It was his job to make the grounds and roadways secure for transportation.

"It's scary," Sergeant Harris said. "You know someone's watching you, and they want to kill you."

Sergeant Harris earned a bronze star for his efforts in safely disarming and destroying 21 IEDs while in Iraq. However, he received the medal before his tour was over. Upon completion of his tour, the sergeant had helped secure at least 54 explosive devices.

An Army commander awarded Sergeant Harris the medal. The Army doesn't award a Bronze Star easily, Sergeant Harris said. With the IED threat as widespread as it is, it seems the Army feels this job warrants it, he added.

"IED is an everyday household acronym now," Sergeant Harris said. Decades ago, the term "IED" only appeared in text books. Now, it's not uncommon for an EOD troop to be directly involved with an IED his first time deployed, he said.

Sergeant Harris has been deployed six times, but this was his first tour to Iraq. The Department of Defense treats EOD as a community, Sergeant Harris said. They don't separate the forces. It's not "we need a Soldier here, a Sailor here and an Airman here;" it's "we need EOD here, here and here."

"I see the grand scheme of things now," Sergeant Harris said. "The enemy has realized a way to slow us down, [but] EOD keeps us going. They are putting IEDs out, we take care of them."

Although the job puts his life at great risk, Sergeant Harris is optimistic.

"It makes a tough life, but we do what we can," Sergeant Harris said. The support from family and friends has helped with performing the dangerous job, he added with a glance to the pictures on his wall.