Technical Sergeant James Howard: Security Forces Specialist 

Technical Sergeant James Howard was a Police Transition Team squad leader in Iraq. During his third week of a year-long deployment, he had already performed more than 20 combat patrols on the day his sister squad struck an improvised explosive device.

Sergeant Howard instinctively directed his 18-member team out of the kill zone. He jumped into action, rendering combat medical aid to three Airmen wounded in the attack. After stabilizing the wounded Airmen, he began establishing a security cordon. Sergeant Howard sprinted from building to building, shouting instructions to his team members to “take cover” and “hold the line” in an effort to prevent further injuries to the hundreds of Iraqi civilians and coalition forces operating in the area. Once the cordon was established and the perimeter secure, he directed the team to evacuate more than 70 civilians within the cordon where fire from the blast was producing toxic fumes.

Two months later, Sergeant Howard was tasked with leading a combined team to collect intelligence and evidence in a case involving the murder of several Iraqi civilians. Joint intelligence warned that insurgents were continuing to terrorize and destabilize the district by killing local residents. His human intelligence-gathering efforts yielded more than 300 pieces of evidence; with his investigative skills proving crucial in the arrest of three murder suspects and the prosecution and conviction of two confirmed insurgents. Sergeant Howard’s ability to lead tactical teams in an uncertain and fluid combat environment was renowned within the Coalition community.

Iraqi policemen who worked with him still ask newly-assigned security forces personnel, “When is Sergeant Howard coming back?”