CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The 437th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight superintendent was recently awarded the Bronze Star for his exceptional meritorious achievement while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Col. Frank Jones, 437th Mission Support Group commander, presented the medal to Senior Master Sgt. Randal Williams after he retuned to Charleston in July from his deployment.
"This has been one of the greatest honors bestowed upon me during my military career," said Sergeant Williams. "It signifies a job well done in the area of responsibility."
Sergeant Williams spent 12 months deployed to Al Taji, Iraq, where he distinguished himself as the superintendent and senior enlisted advisor of the Coalition Air Force Training Team, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq.
Four years after his return from a deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Sergeant Williams felt it was his time to deploy again, except this time he wanted to go to Iraq.
His Bronze Star citation reads that, "while working in austere conditions outside Coalition defenses, and under frequent indirect fire, Sergeant Williams was a key action officer in the stand-up process and a founding member of the United States Air Force's only expeditionary training squadron."
As the 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron superintendent, Sergeant Williams led more than 85 Coalition members and 20 Iraqi linguists in establishing the Iraqi Training School, which encompassed the Iraqi Air Force Academy, Air Force Officer Course, Basic Technical Training, Basic Military Training and English Language Training.
Sergeant Williams also turned primitive working conditions and facilities into a functional training and education facility by organizing the unloading, set-up, assembly and maintenance of $5.3 million in new equipment and furniture.
He also stood up the Combined Commander's Support Staff, which supports two unique squadrons with diverse missions. The citation says Sergeant Williams tirelessly worked to meet the vision of the group commander by developing a central location for all administrative and personnel actions for more than 140 members.
While Sergeant Williams is proud to have accepted the medal, he feels there is someone who deserves it more than he does: Staff Sgt. Mary Williams.
"I will pass it on to my wife who is stationed at Beale AFB, Calif., she's been taking care of our children by herself for the last two years," said Sergeant Williams. "She is more deserving of this award than I am."