Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Utah Guard Soldiers Awarded Silver, Bronze Stars for Valor By Maj. Hank McIntire
                Utah National Guard
 Draper, Utah - Two Utah National Guard soldiers, 1st Lt. Tyler J. Jensen and Capt. Chad A. Pledger, were awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star, respectively, at a ceremony here on June 19. Jensen, a member of the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Provo, received the Silver Star for his actions on Jan. 27, 2007, while deployed with I Corps Artillery (Forward) as an embedded transition team mentor to members of the Afghan National Army. "In many ways it's a wonderful honor, but in others it's really hard," Jensen said at the ceremony. "So many of my fallen friends and Soldiers are not here." One of those friends and Soldiers absent was 2nd Lt. Scott B. Lundell, who died in a firefight with enemy forces in Afghanistan in November 2006. Jensen, Lundell and Pledger, who was awarded the Bronze Star, all deployed together to Afghanistan in 2006-2007 with the Utah Guard's I Corps Artillery to be trainers and mentors to members of the Afghan National Army. On Jan. 27, 2007, Jensen was on a combat reconnaissance patrol when his unit was ambushed by an estimated 100 enemy forces in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. In the confusion, the Afghanis in the patrol were cut off from nearly all their American counterparts and the frightened Afghani officer in charge fled. Instinctively filling the void, Jensen stepped in, took charge and led the patrol under enemy fire to rejoin the Americans. Then when another U.S. Soldier took a small-arms round in the leg, Jensen risked his own personal safety to rescue him. "First Lieutenant Jensen repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to save a fellow Soldier who was wounded," reads the award citation. "His courage, superlative combat skills and tactical leadership under overwhelming direct enemy fire were instrumental in preventing the enemy from overrunning his patrol." The Silver Star is awarded for "gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force," according to Army Regulation 600-8-22. The decoration is the third-highest medal for valor, after the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross. Pledger received the Bronze Star with "V" device for "exceptional gallantry and valor in the face of a determined enemy" for his actions on Nov. 26, 2006. As described on the certificate signed by Secretary of the Army Pete Geren: "Pledger's temerity and skill resulted in an effective counterattack against an entrenched enemy ambush that not only saved the lives of numerous ... Soldiers, but also enabled the recovery of a U.S. casualty." Ironically, that casualty was Lundell. His widow, Jeanine was on hand to see Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., pin the awards on her husband's friends. Each speaker at the ceremony spoke tenderly of Lundell and his wife, Jeanine, as well as the sacrifice of family members when their Soldiers answer their nation's call. "It's [for] all the Lundells out there who have served respectably and honorably," said Pledger, modestly acknowledging his decoration for valor. "[It's for] all the ones who keep our nation secure." Huntsman, who happened to be in Afghanistan visiting Utah Soldiers when Lundell was killed, spoke of the memorial service he attended near Kabul to pay tribute to the fallen Soldier as "my most memorable event as governor." "It is totally inadequate for [me] to stand up here after what we have just seen," Huntsman continued. "It's pretty cool to be a governor, but it's *exceedingly* cool to be able to pin on a Silver Star and a Bronze Star with Valor, knowing what that represents." In his remarks, Utah National Guard adjutant general Maj. Gen. Brian L. Tarbet praised Jensen and Pledger for their courage. "You are quiet, unassuming young men," he said. "Oh, how remarkable you are! And how you grace the uniform makes us all proud. "With such great heroes in my life," he added, "I would be completely ungrateful if I didn't serve."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 5 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 12 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 13 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil