Staff Sergeant Gary Horn: Aerospace Medical Technician 

In March 2008, then-Senior Airman Gary Horn, was deployed to Afghanistan on a Joint mission with the Army as part of a police mentor team responsible for training members of Afghan National Police on combat medical techniques and battlefield medicine.

During a patrol, an Afghan National Police truck struck an improvised explosive device. The driver suffered a severely broken leg, and the passenger a partially amputated ankle with a shrapnel wound to his upper leg, causing arterial bleeding. Sergeant Horn immediately grabbed his medical gear and, despite the danger, treated the wounded policemen. He put his combat medical training to use, and with advanced battlefield care, stabilized the wounded until they could be safely evacuated. Because of his actions, both men survived.

Only 1 month later while on night patrol, Sergeant Horn’s team was ambushed by Taliban fighters. Sergeant Horn was driving the rear truck, which took a direct hit from a rocket propelled grenade (RPG). Disregarding his injuries and under direct small arms and machine gun fire and with multiple RPGs exploding all around, he successfully maneuvered his HMMWV through the kill zone to higher ground and safety. In the end, Sergeant Horn sustained glass wounds to his left arm and shoulder, a ruptured ear drum, a concussion and traumatic brain injury. By training the Afghans, his medical techniques will become force multipliers as the Afghan National Police use the skills he taught them.

Sergeant Horn’s dedication and courage on the battlefield resulted in zero casualties for his fellow U.S. and Afghan comrades.