Explosive ordnance disposal technician Senior Airman T.J. Brantley, Tech Sgt. Kristopher Parker and Staff Sgt. Kyle Bushey were ordered to clear a cave system in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, that was suspected of containing IEDs, ammunition and supply caches for insurgents on May 21, 2014. Within 100 meters of the cave opening, a fierce firefight erupted.
Brantley and Parker fought through injuries from RPGs and a thrown IED that detonated within meters of their position and rescued a wounded Army lieutenant.
Brantley even shielded the lieutenant with his own body, despite dehydration and a traumatic brain injury. Bushey provided suppressive fire on the entrance of the cave to allow troops to evacuate the injured lieutenant. Due to their actions, no American troops were killed that day.
Brantley received the Air Force Combat Action Medal and Purple Heart. Brantley and Bushey have been submitted for the Bronze Star with Valor, and Parker was submitted for the Silver Star.
The three are among 24 airmen honored for heroism in the Air Force's latest Portraits in Courage volume.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
