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Combat control instructor recognized with Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Tech. Sgt. Adam Malson, 334th Training Squadron, was presented the Bronze Star Medal, first oak leaf cluster, during an 81st Training Group parade Sept. 16.

Sergeant Malson, who's served in the Air Force for nine years, was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service as a staff sergeant serving as a joint tactical air controller with Special Forces.

The narrative describing his actions said "he constantly displayed expertise, professionalism, excellent communication skills, and an uncompromising commitment to the U.S. Special Forces Soldiers he was assigned to support."

Sergeant Malson, a staff sergeant at the time, conducted more than 36 close air support missions in critical support of combined joint combat operations.

During one operation, he controlled more than a dozen different air platforms, simultaneously de-conflicting airspace and clearances for artillery and mortar fires without a single incident.

On one occasion, Sergeant Malson's patrol was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and small arms fire from insurgent forces. He was in the "kill zone" receiving fire from multiple, well-fortified insurgent positions. Alongside his Special Forces comrades, he aggressively maneuvered to close with, fix and destroy a six-man 82mm mortar and recoilless rifle element by directing close air support.

Another time, an insurgent cell, using a mobile cache on a truck, was placing improvised explosive devices along the SFODA's patrol route. The insurgent personnel were poised along the route to conduct a hasty ambush synchronized with multiple IEDs.

Sergeant Malson orchestrated Predator and A-10 reconnaissance of enemy forces massing to block the detachment's movement. He assumed terminal control of the air platform and controlled the engagements on multiple insurgents, resulting in the confirmed kill of more than 12 insurgent combatants and destruction of six IEDs and the mobile cache platform.

Sergeant Malson came to Keesler 18 months ago as a combat control instructor.

"I went through air traffic control school here in early 2002 as part of the training pipeline for combat control students," he said.
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