PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan– Four 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers were inducted into the Order of Saint Michael on Bagram Air Field, April 21.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Shober, of Fayetteville, N.C., Chief Warrant Officer 4 Allen Letort, of Ocean Springs, Miss., Master Sgt. Lannie Harper, of Cameron, N.C., and Sgt. 1st Class Randall Crawford, also of Cameron, N.C., received the bronze Order of Saint Michael medal.
The award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the promotion of Army Aviation in ways that stand out in the eyes of their seniors, peers and subordinates.
Awardees must also demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and moral character, display an outstanding degree of professional competence, and serve the United States Army aviation or civilian aviation community with distinction.
The Army Aviation Association of America sponsors the award.
Col. T.J. Jamison, 82nd CAB commander, also awarded Army Commendation medals to Chinook pilots Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Shober and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Reginald Crowell, of Louisville, Ala., for meritorious achievement in support of a downed-aircraft-recovery mission.
Their tactical and technical expertise resulted in the recovery of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter worth about $30.7 million. The helicopter crashed in a remote and rugged portion of Regional Command-East, where altitude and terrain presented unique and complex challenges for the extraction team.
Jamison also presented nine Army Achievement Medals to the Downed Aircraft Recovery Team who assisted in recovering the helicopter. Since the Chinook sustained heavy damage and was no longer flyable, the team and pilots determined they could sling-load the body beneath another Chinook, and return it to a nearby installation instead of destroying it, saving the Army millions of dollars.
There were no injuries during the crash. The incident is still under investigation.