Major Gen. <PERSON>, commanding general, 1st Marine Division, awards the Silver Star Medal to <PERSON>. <PERSON>, former squad leader, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, during an award ceremony at the Camp San Mateo parade deck here, Aug. 2, 2013. <PERSON>, a native of Paducah, Ky., earned the nation's third highest military award for valor for his actions in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He led his squad of Marines to defeat a platoon-sized enemy force after more than seven hours of intense combat during a security patrol mission in the Sangin district of Helmand, July 10 through 11, 2011.