Hero's Award

A Quantico Marine was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device during a ceremony Thursday at the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
Gunnery Sgt. Christopher J. Clookey received the award for actions he performed while deployed to Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
“We recognize the achievements of those that are in the fight and that’s what we’re doing today,” said Maj. Gen. Robert B. Neller, president of Marine Corps University, before he pinned the medal on Clookey.
When awarded for bravery, the medal is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award, including both combat and non-combat awards, in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations. The Valor device identifies the award as resulting from an act of combat heroism
“All this hard work, I can’t take credit for it,” said a humble Clookey, who deflected attention away from himself and towards his “company commander, the way he led us, and the Marines who worked with me.“
Clookey’s Bronze Star citation reads that his actions “during the course of over 30 direct fire engagements with the enemy as well as three months of counterinsurgency operations in the company’s area of responsibility inspired his Marines and set an example for all to emulate.
“His tireless devotion to duty and care for the Marines under his charge carried his platoon through numerous life and death situations.”
According to the citation, on May 25, 2008, Clookey led a squadron of Marines in clearing a machine gun bunker. The action left three enemy fighters dead. The following day, actions taken by Clookey led to the destruction of an enemy squadron.
On May 29, 2008, Clookey identified the need for a safe landing zone for the evacuation of a wounded Marine. He led two teams of Marines in clearing a field and exposed himself to enemy fire in order to identify an enemy position and directed
return fire from his Marines and a light armored vehicle.
“Upon destruction of the enemy position, he ran to the center of the open field, again under fire, to mark the landing zone,” the citation continues.
“When you hear the words of the citation, this is a very powerful citation,” Neller said. “We all know that it doesn’t come close to capturing the reality of what happened, of all the stuff that led up to that and all the Marines that were around him.“
Clookey’s family was on hand for the ceremony, and the large number of Marines who were in attendance lined up to shake his hand following the presentation.