Bringing the product to the customer is considered good merchandising. But when that customer is in the middle of a war zone, under potential fire 24/7, customer service takes on a whole new meaning.
That is exactly what U.S. Army Major Jorge Concepcion and Sergeant First Class Edward Morales did in Iraq when they made contact with numerous Army units ... to determine science and technology issues that would enhance soldier performance and readiness, not to mention making them safer. And it was accomplished, while working in austere environments and conditions of personal danger.
For their actions, the two Woodbridge residents, were awarded the Bronze Star Medal at a Fort Belvoir ceremony on Feb. 12, by Major General John C. Doesburg, Commanding General, U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command .
"War in any form and now making the peace is dangerous work. What you need is smart people and smart programs. In many cases the things that keep others alive is technology. Today, we recognize two of the soldiers who made a difference," Doesburg said in pinning the medals on the two recipients.
He also noted, "It was not the higher ups who recommended them for this honor. It was the folks they supported and who benefitted from their efforts that nominated them for this award."
In response, Concepcion said, "All we hope is that we made a difference while we were out there. We had the opportunity to travel around the country [Iraq] and find out what the troops really need. We were very aware it was force protection, force protection, force protection."
Morales reinforced that evaluation saying, "It was very good to get out there and talk first-hand with the soldiers. They are doing their job everyday. Just getting out there and talking with them makes the job worth it."
THAT JOB IS determining science and technology issues that enhance combat performance and readiness as well as making missions safer. Upon the duo's first hand observations, "issues were immediately reported to RDECOM's Field Assistance in Science and Technology [FAST] Headquarters so resources could be focused from across RDECOM to solve urgent operational needs."
Among the projects undertaken by Concepcion and Morales were ways to provide extra armor for Humvees, and countermeasures to deal with improvised explosive devices. To accomplish this they had to travel throughout the war zone where there are no front lines.
The Bronze Star Medal was created in 1944. Its purpose is to honor military personnel who distinguish themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force.
Concepcion, a 20-year Army veteran, is currently on loan to RDECOM's Agile Development Center serving with the Terrorist Device Analysis Cell at the FBI laboratory in Quantico. Seeing first-hand what the "improvised explosive devices are doing to our soldiers ... will allow him to go full circle from detection, exploitation and now analysis of the devices," according to RDECOM.
With 19 years in the Army, Morales has been assigned for two years to the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, Ground Combat Systems Division, Fort Belvoir. It is part of RDECOM's Communications-Electronics research center located at Fort Monmouth, NJ.
BOTH WERE JOINED at the ceremony by their wives and family from whom they had been separated during their Iraq tour which stretched from September to February. "As a former active duty soldier myself and now a member of the Reserve, I feel very honored by this recognition for him," Morales' wife Rosalinda said.
She was joined in that praise by Concepcion's wife Ednaline. "They worked very hard and many hours and I'm very glad they were recognized. I'm also very glad they are home." That was seconded by his son Antonio and daughter Linmarie.