This is Jockel podcast number 257 with Echo Charles and me,

Jockel Willink. Good evening, I go.

Good evening.

The president of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the silver star

to Sergeant First Class Ryan Michael Hendrixson, United States Army for exceptional

gallantry in the face of the enemies of the United States of America with exceptional

valorous conduct as the engineer sergeant of special operational detachment Bravo SF-ODB-7220

advanced operations based north special operations task force Afghanistan on 23 February 2016

during operation freedom's Sentinel in support of resolute support mission four.

On 23 February 2016 members of the fifth, eighth, and tenth special operations

can tactically advised by SF-ODA-7223 and SF-ODB-7220 conducted clearing operations

in order to deny a known Taliban safe haven.

Sergeant First Class Hendrixson led a team of national mine reduction group NMRG soldiers

ahead of the main effort to clear routes of improvised explosive devices,

IEDs clearing 15 IEDs in the process.

While conducting movement to the first compound of interest, a member of his element struck a trip

wire IED. The element immediately took cover, however there was no detonation.

Sergeant First Class Hendrixson's team was then immediately ambushed by heavy enemy machine gun

small arms and RPG fire from approximately 15 meters away.

Sergeant First Class Hendrixson immediately directed his NMRG team to place suppressive

fires on the enemy while providing detailed terminal attack guidance which enabled an F-16

close air support platform to conduct a strike on fortified enemy fighting positions

...