Sears receives Bronze Star, Purple Heart
New Jersey Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Michael Sears, left, is awarded the Bronze Star by Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff, the adjutant general, at a ceremony April 17, 2013, at the State House in Trenton, N.J. On a single combat patrol in Afghanistan, Sears, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 177th Fighter Wing, defused two improvised explosive devices and made five trips across open terrain under heavy enemy fire to aid a wounded coalition soldier and to engage insurgent forces. Sears suffered shoulder injury and expended more than 190 rounds from his M4 rifle during the firefight. He was also awarded the Purple Heart. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)