Tech. Sgt. Ronnie Brickey, Air Force Special Operations School force protection branch NCO-in-charge, poses for a photo with his family and Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command commander after receiving a Bronze Star with Valor March 22, 2013, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. This is the fifth Bronze Star Brickey has received during his 13-year Air Force career in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melanie Holochwost)
Tech. Sgt. Ronnie Brickey, Air Force Special Operations School force protection branch NCO-in-charge, poses for a photo with Chief Master Sgt. James Brewster after receiving a Bronze Star with Valor March 22, 2013, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Brickey said Brewster was his first mentor in the Air Force and that he wouldn't be where he was today without his advice. Brewster is now the Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal career field manager stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melanie Holochwost)
by Senior Airman Melanie Holochwost
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
3/23/2013 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- A Bronze Star with Valor was presented to an explosive ordnance disposal technician here March 22, making him only the fifth Airman to receive five Bronze Star medals..
Tech. Sgt. Ronnie Brickey, Air Force Special Operations School Force Protection Branch NCO-in-charge, said receiving this particular Bronze Star was humbling for him.
Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, AFSOC commander, presented Brickey this medal for his bravery during a mission in Afghanistan on June 1, 2011.
"Ronnie, your unmatched skills, courage, and selflessness epitomize what being a warrior is all about," Fiel said during his speech at the medal presentation. "You're an extraordinary example to us all."
Brickey said it all started while performing an IED post-blast analysis. He identified three additional IEDs and knew he had to render them safe.
Although this alone can be a normal day's work in the EOD business, things went downhill fast for this Air Commando.
Brickey said he was able to eliminate the first two threats pretty quickly; however, after he started working on the third IED, his unit came under direct fire from multiple positions.
Brickey protected his team of 20 U.S. soldiers, four Canadian soldiers, and two Afghan National Security Forces members throughout the 40-minute firefight by posting himself next to the IED to prevent accidental detonation. During this time, he repeatedly exposed himself to direct fire, returned fire on the enemy, and directed his team past the IED.
Finally, Brickey attached a render safe tool to the IED and instructed his team to disable it remotely. He also used his body to shield two soldiers from the potential blast.
Because of Brickey's efforts, his team was able to maneuver on the enemy without unintentionally detonating an IED. The joint force went on to lay lethal fire, which forced insurgents to retreat.
To date, Brickey has been on 500 combat missions and rendered 200 IEDs safe.
"I love being an EOD technician," he said. "I often felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I would walk down a dirt path in Afghanistan and identify a buried IED. Knowing that a life is saved every time I remove an IED from the battlefield is one of the greatest feelings in the world."
Comments
3/27/2013 7:27:30 AM ET Where are the LGBT stories Come on AF don't you guys know by now that you can't talk about the real AF anymore just the fantasy one where the only people who do anything good are women or LGBT members Man get with the program will ya
Mike, Florida
3/26/2013 7:19:09 PM ET If someone with any authority reads this please consider upgrading this medal it is unbelievable how someone of this caliper that clearly well deserves a promotion and at minimum a silver star for his level of performance and bravery receives yet another bronze star. Lets not hold back on one of our own. There is NO one in the Air Force that would have a problem with him receiving a silver star. Lets do what is right now.
Tony, Europe
3/26/2013 1:07:56 PM ET Great job Bo They need to make you MSgt Brickey
Jimmy Ruth, Kirtland
3/26/2013 11:32:32 AM ET Every time I turn around this guy is getting another BSM Good work Bo
Craig, Ramstein
3/26/2013 8:19:18 AM ET There are Airmen and then there are high-speed low-drag GI Joe-type Airmen who stare death in the faceslap it a few times and then say let's do that again. With 500 combat missions there is no doubt TSgt. Brickey is a real American hero. If this story isn't on the next issue of Airman Magazine then the AF needs to rethink what is a newsworthy article. Five hundred combat missions you know there has to be a great story somewhere in there. To our TACP EOD and all Special Ops brethren I thank you and salute you. YOU'LL ROCK
SSgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez, Grand Forks AFB ND
3/25/2013 3:40:11 PM ET Mike unfortunately STEP promotions are no longer used to reward excellence but rather to rescue those who do not test very well.
DC, MD
3/25/2013 7:48:01 AM ET If he doesn't already have a line number he deserves a step promotion. Excellent work..
Mike, UP WA
3/24/2013 5:06:01 PM ET Great Job Bo Good to see you and the family having fun in FL. Initial Success or Total Failure
