U.S. Army Col. Matthew McFarlane, left, the commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division pins the Soldier's Medal on the uniform of Sgt. 1st Class John L. Kerns, during a ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Nov. 21, 2013. Kerns was awarded the Soldier's Medal for his selflessness and bravery while heroically risking his own life to save another person's life by extracting an impaled driver from a burning vehicle in 2010. Kerns, a civil affairs Noncommissioned officer in charge, was assigned to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.