Staff Sergeant Jordon Jakubowski
Joint Terminal Attack Controller, 17th Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

In August 2010, Staff Sergeant JORDAN JAKUBOWSKI deployed to Afghanistan to serve as the primary joint terminal attack controller for the International Security Assistance Force Commander in Afghanistan. His job was to direct airstrikes against known enemies. During his deployment, Sergeant Jakubowski conducted 22 separate missions, ten of which were associated with firefights lasting more than 24 hours each.

Two of those missions are indelibly etched into his mind.On September 16, Sergeant Jakubowski’s assault force was engaged by the enemy when a rocket-propelled grenade landed on his team’s position. He was struck in the hand and leg by shrapnel, and two other members of his team were wounded. Despite his injuries, he continued to call in airstrikes against the enemy; nonetheless, they continued to advance. Sergeant Jakubowski engaged the enemy with his M-4 assault rifle while simultaneously controlling multiple Air Force A-10 Warthog attacks via the radio. With the pressing need for medical evacuation, Sergeant Jakubowski skillfully established a medical evacuation landing zone. His ability to multitask in extreme circumstances while injured kept the enemy from overrunning his team’s position, helped save the lives of three soldiers, and in part accounted for the neutralization of 33 enemy combatants.

Just two weeks later, Sergeant Jakubowski and his team came under enemy attack yet again. A mortar landed inside his team’s compound, killing one soldier and wounding 10 others. Despite the mass casualty situation, Sergeant Jakubowski remained calm, calling in airstrikes that included the dropping of multiple 2,000 pound bombs within “danger close” parameters of his team. With the cover of air support, he once again established a MEDEVAC landing zone. Over the course of this 30-hour fight, 35 insurgents were killed by close air support, due in large part to Sergeant Jakubowski’s skills as a JTAC.

Throughout his deployment, Sergeant Jakubowski displayed courage under fire numerous times. His focus and technical expertise helped clear enemy-held territory in both southern and northern Afghanistan. For his heroic efforts he was awarded the Purple Heart, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and was nominated for the Bronze Star with Valor.