Hanscom sergeant receives Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Tech. Sgt. William C. Boyden, a member of the 66th Security Forces Squadron, was recently awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious service during a seven month deployment earlier this year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He served as a Police Transition Team chief in the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron during his time in the Middle East. According to the narrative that accompanied the medal, his leadership and technical knowledge as squad leader contributed to the success in developing a competent and legitimate police force for the Iraqi people.

"After seven plus months of mission, mission, mission -- to come home and be awarded the Bronze Star medal is very rewarding," said Sergeant Boyden.

As his commander recognized, the Bronze Star is noteworthy.

"Anytime a Bronze Star is awarded, it's a remarkable achievement. It's especially remarkable when a technical sergeant earns one," said Lt. Col. Christopher Echols, 66th Security Forces Squadron commander. "Sergeant Boyden is a top notch troop and his leadership thought highly of him while performing 'outside the wire' patrol missions in Iraq."

Having deployed three times to Iraq, twice assigned to police transition teams, the opportunity to see the growth in the Iraq police force was an amazing opportunity for Sergeant Boyden, who was recently selected to be promoted to master sergeant.

"During this most recent deployment, we were together doing crime scene investigations," he said. "We were taking bad guys off the streets of Baghdad. We kept bomb making materials and weapon caches away from the enemy. The entire experience was very gratifying."

The Bronze Star is awarded to a person in any branch of the military who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Armed Forces, distinguishes himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service in connection with military operations against an armed enemy.

But the medal is not just for him. Sergeant Boyden also recognized the sacrifice of his family and the significance of this medal to them.

"I think it's also very rewarding for the families," he said. "To my father, it's like I was just elected president. To my children, it's like a smiley face on a well done homework assignment."