Bronze Star Medal
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Lt. Col. Marc L. Cherry receives a Bronze Star Medal Sept. 14 from Lt. Gen. Glenn Spears, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) commander. Colonel Cherry was awarded the medal for his accomplishments while deployed to Southwest Asia, as 609th Air and Space Operation Center, Combat Operations Division deputy director, from July 8, 2008 to July 1, 2009. During this period, Colonel Cherry led the largest Combined Air and Space Operations Center division, in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. He was responsible for synchronizing over 74,000 sorties providing close air support and actionable intelligence for the surge in Iraq and the increase of kinetic activity in Afghanistan. His team provided continuous coverage for a 64-hour troops-in-contact engagement in Afghanistan which utilized 48 aircraft to deliver 60 weapons that were vital to ground forces gaining the initiative following an ambush. Colonel Cherry also orchestrated a massive security umbrella of 400 sorties responding to 83 troops-in-contact engagements, eliminating 90 insurgents while protecting a generator designed to provide electricity to 2 million Afghans. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero)