NARRATIVE SUMMARY
BRONZE STAR WITH “V” DEVICE
STAFF SERGEANT AMIER DODD
Son of Mary Beth
Davis Dodd ('79)
Grandson of Jack
('55) and Fran Shadburn Davis ('56)
On the 19th of August 2009 Staff Sergeant Dodd
distinguished extreme heroism above and beyond the call of duty as a
Squad Leader while engaged in active ground combat in the Ghorbond
District of Afghanistan.
On 19 August 2009 at 0130L, SSG Dodd was suddenly woken by the
firing of .50 caliber machine gun on guard. Immediately SSG Dodd
instructed two mortar men, SPC Hatfield and PFC Garcia. They
immediately grabbed the 60mm mortar tube with any rounds he had on
hand and moved to a hasty mortar firing position. For no regard of
personal safety, SSG Dodd began directing indirect fire rounds down
range with no body armor or protective gear. Within 30 seconds of
the warning, SSG Dodd directed SPC Hatfield to fire two rounds in
the general distance and direction of the enemy contact. Through
his technical expertise, SSG Dodd estimated a distance and direction
so that SPC Hatfield could fire two immediate suppression rounds in
direct lay from his 60mm mortar tube. SSG Dodd continued to provide
effective indirect fire on the enemy, delaying them from executing
their fire mission and facilitating the rest of the platoon to be
alerted and maneuver into their defense posture. In addition to
directing the mortar rounds in a hasty lateral spread to identify
any enemy positions, SSG Dodd was also taking in information from
the rest of the platoon and the directing his squad in order to fix
and finish any remaining enemy. Due to the clear and concise
guidance he gave over the radio and to the rest of his platoon, SSG
Dodd effectively multi-tasked himself, splitting his tactical and
technical expertise with the dismounts and the directing a mortar
system that he was untrained on.
As SPC Hatfield continued to fire illumination and HE rounds on the
suspected enemy sight, SSG Dodd realized that the illumination
rounds were not synchronized to maximize the amount of illumination
on the objective as they were firing HE rounds. Essentially, SSG
Dodd directed SPC Hatfield to time his rate of fire to create a
lateral spread which would assist in observing any enemy still in
their positions. In conjunction with the illumination rounds, SSG
Dodd coordinated with the platoon leader in order to combine
conventional illumination with the advanced optics that the platoon
possessed to pick up any dead space and observe any enemy
infiltration or exfiltraion routes. With only the visual
observations and situation reports from the platoon leader, SSG Dodd
made corrections with the mortars without the use of an FDC or
calculations. Due to his experience, leadership, and calm under
fire, SSG Dodd was able to effectively isolate the enemy from their
primary exfiltration route and disrupt their ability to place
effective fires on US forces.
FOR GALLANTRY IN
ACTION WHILE SERVING AS AN INFANTRY RIFLE SQUAD LEADER, IN SUPPORT
OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. STAFF SERGEANT DODD’S UNCOMMON
VALOR AND DISREGARD FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL SAFETY WAS A PIVOTAL FACTOR
IN THE DEFENSE AGAINST THE ENEMY. STAFF SERGEANT DODD STOOD HIS
GROUND AND FOUGHT THE ENEMY SAVING THE LIVES OF HIS COMRADES. HIS
ACTIONS REFLECT GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF, TASK FORCE GLADIUS,
COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE 82, AND THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
