Retiring chief honors father: Bronze Star Medal presented after 40 years

  • Published
  • By Capt. George Tobias
  • Air Force Space Command Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Following 27 years of service, an Air Force Space Command chief master sergeant used the occasion of her retirement ceremony to take care of one last troop.

The troop was the chief's father, who was finally presented the Bronze Star Medal he earned more than 40 years earlier.

At her retirement ceremony June 13, Chief Master Sgt. Nancy Geisler, then AFSPC Command Contracting Superintendent and Functional Area Manager, recognized her father, retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Porter, by coordinating with the Army to present him the medal he earned for his service in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 with the 4th Infantry Division, currently located at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

For Chief Geisler it was important to recognize her father's service. She had originally intended to present him a small shadow box with his Bronze Star Medal and citation in it.

"My father told me while I was young that he had received a Bronze Star," Chief Geisler said. "So I kept that in the back of my mind, and with my upcoming retirement I wanted to present a shadow box to my father of his Bronze Star and his citation, but he told me that the Army never presented him his Bronze Star."

Chief Geisler then decided that at her retirement ceremony, her father should be presented his Bronze Star Medal. While they had the orders that showed Sergeant Porter earned the medal, no records of the citation could be found.

This prompted the 4th ID to regenerate the citation, allowing Army Col. Timothy Coffin, the deputy commander of Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Strategic Command, to present it and the Bronze Star Medal to Sergeant Porter.

"Now is the time to make history right," Colonel Coffin said as he presented the medal to Sergeant Porter.

Colonel Coffin said service members today enjoy great support from the nation, but "that was not the case back in 1969 and 1970 during the period of time that Sgt. 1st Class Porter was in Vietnam.

"The 4th ID is still today overseas serving in Afghanistan, serving in combat operations," he said. "We have young Soldiers today doing the same things that, 41 years later, Sergeant Porter has been recognized for."

Chief Geisler also commented on the disparity of support that service members enjoy today compared to the Vietnam conflict and was happy to see her father's service recognized.

"I am so happy, because he was hurt that (the Army) never presented (the Bronze Star Medal) to him," the chief said. "It is very rewarding to me to see that he finally got recognized for his service."

Her father was very pleased when he heard he would finally be presented his Bronze Star Medal, Chief Geisler said. "He said he was so proud and told all his friends where he lives that the Army finally did him right."