The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Christopher G. Baradat, United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States in Sono Valley, Sheltan District, Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 6 April 2013. On that day, while attached to a United States Special Forces Team, Sergeant Baradat displayed extraordinary bravery and complete disregard for his own safety as he and his teammates responded as a quick reactionary force for a pinned down coalition element. Upon notification, Sergeant Baradat, his Special Forces Team and attached Afghan forces sprang into action entering the treacherous Sono Valley, a known sanctuary for Taliban and Al Qaeda militants. As Sergeant Baradat and his team moved through the tight valley on foot, they came under heavy enemy attack as they closed to within 800 meters of the pinned down element. Sergeant Baradat charged through a hail of enemy gunfire, engaging insurgent positions with 30-mm. gun runs from an A-10 aircraft before taking cover in a small compound with a handful of his teammates, approximately 400 meters from the pinned down element. Once in the compound, both ridgelines bordering the valley erupted in gunfire, attacking both Sergeant Baradat's location and that of the pinned down element. As he and his team hunkered down behind cover against the heavy onslaught of enemy firepower, Sergeant Baradat realized he could not effectively communicate with overhead aerial assets from his protected position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Baradat moved to the center of the compound into direct enemy fire in order to communicate with orbiting aircraft. Ignoring repeated shouts from his teammate to take cover, over the next three hours Sergeant Baradat calmly directed lethal engagements from A-10 and AC-130 aircraft onto 13 enemy fighting positions consisting of over 100 fighters, while ignoring enemy machine gun rounds impacting all around him, spraying him with dirt. When all friendly forces consolidated and egressed the valley, Sergeant Baradat once again showed incredible bravery when he purposefully jumped onto the running board of the vehicle where he was continuously exposed to enemy fire so he could maintain communications. With rounds again impacting all around him, he continued to control AC-130 and A-10 strikes to destroy the enemy attempting to cut off the coalition forces. Sergeant Baradat's heroic and selfless actions directly resulted in over 50 enemy fighters killed, while saving the lives of over 150 friendly personnel. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Baradat has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Airman to receive Air Force Cross for valor in Afghanistan

Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Baradat stood in an open Afghan courtyard as dirt kicked up by enemy bullets hitting the ground around him sprayed his uniform.

With members of the Special Forces team he was attached to shouting for him to take cover, Baradat instead zeroed in on the roughly 100 enemy fighters bearing down on his teammates with sniper fire, machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

Exposing himself to the hostile fire to better communicate with air crews overhead, Baradat orchestrated the supporting fire that would save the lives of his team and the allied forces they had been dispatched to rescue, synchronizing attacks from AC-130 and A-10 aircraft fighting back with their own barrage of fire, including 25 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm and 105 mm munitions and 500-pound bombs.
On April 6, 2013, Baradat’s actions were credited with saving the lives of more than 150 allies, both American and Afghan.

A year later, in a ceremony on Fort Bragg, he was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest award for valor.

But after a Department of Defense-wide review of valor awards from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Baradat is one of eight airmen who will receive an upgraded medal, according to the Air Force.

At a ceremony that has yet to be scheduled, Baradat will be awarded the Air Force Cross. The honor is reserved for those who show extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations against an opposing foreign force. It’s the second highest award for valor an airman can receive, short of the Medal of Honor.

Baradat, who separated from the Air Force in January 2016, was serving with Fort Bragg’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron during the 2013 deployment where his valorous actions took place.

Now living in California, he said he was humbled to receive the upgraded award.

“The men who have previously been awarded the Air Force Cross have done amazing things on the battlefield, and it is an honor to be a part of that group,” he said.

Baradat spent roughly eight years in the Air Force, deploying three times to Afghanistan and once as part of a special CIF, or “commander’s in-extremis force,” response force.

Looking back on the firefight, Baradat said he simply did what he was trained to do as a member of the Air Force’s elite Special Tactics community, which includes combat controllers, pararescuemen and other specially trained airmen.

“I do not think that what I did that day was heroic; I was completely focused on coordinating close air support as I was trained to do in support of my team,” Baradat said. “I witnessed many heroic acts from the Army Special Forces team, and I hope that they receive the recognition that they deserve. I also want to thank the A-10 and AC-130 aircrew that day. Without their support, the day would have turned out much worse.”

The upgraded medal adds to the legacy of the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, based at Fort Bragg’s Pope Field.

The squadron is the most decorated unit in modern Air Force history, with 10 Silver Stars and four of the seven Air Force Crosses previously awarded for service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The squadron’s higher command, the 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, said Baradat exemplifies the professionalism, courage and lethality of the Special Tactics community.

“Every day, Special Tactics airmen like Chris willingly put themselves in harm’s way to fight and win our nation’s wars,” said Col. Michael Martin, the wing commander. “He is an American hero who did an outstanding job under incredible circumstances, seamlessly integrating air power into a complex and dangerous ground mission.”

Baradat was deployed with soldiers from the 3rd Special Forces Group and was serving in Kunar province in April 2013.

He and his teammates, including dozens of Afghan troops, served as a quick reaction force for Afghan allies who were pinned down by enemy insurgents in the Sono Valley, a treacherous area known as a sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants.

Arriving in the valley for the rescue mission, Baradat and eight Special Forces soldiers set out on foot ahead of their convoy of armed vehicles, which were slowed by the narrow and restrictive terrain.

About half a mile from the allies they were sent to rescue, Baradat and his teammates came under fire for the first time in what would become a nearly three-hour battle.

The team sprinted the length of several football fields to reach safety in a small mud compound, where Baradat began to communicate with overhead aircraft to try to repel the attack.

Moving closer to their trapped allies, the intensity of the enemy fire increased.

Unable to communicate with overhead aircraft while hunkered down behind a wall, Baradat left his concealed position to direct the counterattack from the open courtyard, ignoring the warnings of his teammates.

With the help of six A-10s and two AC-130s, Baradat cleared the way for members of his team to reach their allies and leave the valley, then continued to direct the counterattack as the convoy left the valley.

“You never know what to expect going into any combat situation, but I do feel that the intense and diverse training that I received from some amazing members of the Special Tactics community set me up to handle the stress of the situation as best I could,” Baradat said. “I was only one piece of the puzzle that day; if it wasn’t for the extreme professionalism and fearless intensity of my Army Special Forces team, the mission could have turned out a lot differently.”








 The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Christopher G. Baradat, United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States in Sono Valley, Sheltan District, Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on 6 April 2013. On that day, while attached to a United States Special Forces Team, Sergeant Baradat displayed extraordinary bravery and complete disregard for his own safety as he and his teammates responded as a quick reactionary force for a pinned down coalition element. Upon notification, Sergeant Baradat, his Special Forces Team and attached Afghan forces sprang into action entering the treacherous Sono Valley, a known sanctuary for Taliban and Al Qaeda militants. As Sergeant Baradat and his team moved through the tight valley on foot, they came under heavy enemy attack as they closed to within 800 meters of the pinned down element. Sergeant Baradat charged through a hail of enemy gunfire, engaging insurgent positions with 30-mm. gun runs from an A-10 aircraft before taking cover in a small compound with a handful of his teammates, approximately 400 meters from the pinned down element. Once in the compound, both ridgelines bordering the valley erupted in gunfire, attacking both Sergeant Baradat's location and that of the pinned down element. As he and his team hunkered down behind cover against the heavy onslaught of enemy firepower, Sergeant Baradat realized he could not effectively communicate with overhead aerial assets from his protected position. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Baradat moved to the center of the compound into direct enemy fire in order to communicate with orbiting aircraft. Ignoring repeated shouts from his teammate to take cover, over the next three hours Sergeant Baradat calmly directed lethal engagements from A-10 and AC-130 aircraft onto 13 enemy fighting positions consisting of over 100 fighters, while ignoring enemy machine gun rounds impacting all around him, spraying him with dirt. When all friendly forces consolidated and egressed the valley, Sergeant Baradat once again showed incredible bravery when he purposefully jumped onto the running board of the vehicle where he was continuously exposed to enemy fire so he could maintain communications. With rounds again impacting all around him, he continued to control AC-130 and A-10 strikes to destroy the enemy attempting to cut off the coalition forces. Sergeant Baradat's heroic and selfless actions directly resulted in over 50 enemy fighters killed, while saving the lives of over 150 friendly personnel. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Baradat has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

"You will say you were just doing your job, but you were not just doing your job. You knew the dangers, and you did not back down," said Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, AFSOC commander and presiding official for the ceremony at Pope Field.
 
Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat received the Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest decoration for gallantry in combat, for his efforts in Afghanistan last year.
Above; Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, left, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat stand at attention as Baradat's narrative is read during a medal ceremony on Pope Field. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel will present the Silver Star, the nation's third highest decoration for heroism during combat, to Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat  for his actions in Kunar and Wardak provinces, Afghanistan, March 11 to April 6, 2013.

Baradat was part of a quick reactionary force that included Green Berets and Afghan forces who were deployed to rescue coalition troops pinned down by enemy fire on April 6.

Moving on foot through the treacherous Sono Valley, a known sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants, Baradat and others were attacked as they closed in on the pinned-down allies.

"We knew there were enemy fighters in that valley," Baradat recalled. "But our focus was on the rescue."

As enemy fire struck around him, Baradat said he was focused on doing his job.

"I just reverted back to my training," he said.

According to officials, Baradat charged through a hail of enemy gunfire to direct attacks from an A-10 aircraft before taking cover in a small compound with a handful of teammates.

Then, despite his teammates telling him to take cover, Baradat exposed himself to enemy fire to allow for better communication between him and overhead aircraft.

"Ignoring repeated shouts from his teammate to take cover, over the next three hours Sgt. Baradat calmly directed lethal engagements from A-10 and AC-130 aircrafts onto 13 enemy fighting positions consisting of over 100 fighters, while ignoring enemy machine gun rounds impacting all around him, spraying him with dirt," according to the citation.

Once all friendly forces were able to leave the valley, Baradat again showed incredible bravery, according to the citation, as he continued to call in airstrikes from the running board of a vehicle while under enemy fire.

Baradat was responsible for the deaths of more than 50 enemy fighters and saved the lives of more than 150 friendly troops, officials said.

He credited his teammates for allowing him to do his job and said their presence at the ceremony meant a lot to him.

"They were just as extraordinary," he said, saying he considers the medal a "team award."

Above;  Master Sgt. Delorean Sheridan smiles at his daughter Kinsley, while Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat and Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Whiddon look on during a 21st Special Tactics Squadron awards ceremony, presided by Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, who awarded Silver Star medals to Sheridan and Baradat and a Purple Heart medal to Whiddon, Jan. 10, 2014, at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Marvin Krause)

Baradat was with his Special Forces team as they went into a valley to help coalition forces escape an attack. While being shot at, for three hours he came out into the open to communicate with aircraft and guide them to attack the enemy forces. His own safety was afterthought he said.

"All I could think about was being able to do my job to help support the team and get them out of there," Baradat explained after the ceremony. "So I wasn't thinking about that at the time."