Officer starts commission with Bronze Star, Combat Action Medal

Maj. Gen. Stephen Miller, LeMay Center commander and Air University vice commander, pins the second of two medals on 2nd Lt. Anthony Florentine during a ceremony Tuesday at Officer Training School. Lieutenant Florentine was presented with a Bronze Star and a Combat Action Medal for his deployment to Baghdad as an enlisted Airman. (Air Force photo by Sarah Blake)

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Officer starts commission with Bronze Star, Combat Action Medal

Published Sept. 25, 2008
By Scott Knuteson
Air University Public Affairs

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- An Air Force officer trainee who previously served as an enlisted Airman was awarded a Bronze Star and a Combat Action Medal Tuesday, one day before earning his commission from the Air Force's Officer Training School.

Second Lt. Anthony Florentine was an Air Force staff sergeant deployed for about six months to a Signals Intelligence Terminal Guidance Team in support of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Multinational Corps-Iraq, in Baghdad.

While deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he participated in 65 combat missions that resulted in the capture of 110 suspects, the rescue of three hostages and the discovery of numerous weapons caches.

His experience and contributions "are exceptionally significant and we are very proud of him," Maj. Gen. Stephen Miller, LeMay Center commander and Air University vice commander, told officer trainees and their families during an event that is part of graduation proceedings held over two consecutive days. General Miller presented the medals at the beginning of the ceremony.

"The kind of award he has received today represents the special skills our Air Force enlisted personnel are bringing to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan today," the general later added. "The fact that this young man is going to become an officer and take these skills, personal courage and valor into the units he becomes a part of will have effects we cannot begin to measure."

"I didn't know he was getting [the medals]," Florentine's mother, Karen Graczyk, said after the ceremony. "It's amazing - very awesome. I didn't know he did all that while he was out there."

"I'm really proud of him," his father, Ken Florentine, said, adding that he too was surprised.

None of Florentine's guests, except for his girlfriend, knew about the awards before Tuesday.

"He doesn't overhype things," Sarah Vales, Florentine's girlfriend, said. "I had to go out to [the Internet] and find out what these awards really meant. It's a great accomplishment."

Lieutenant Florentine, who will soon begin pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, spoke about his feelings regarding the medals.

"I think of all the people who have come before me," Lieutenant Florentine said. "I think of the lives who have been lost and the people who are still over there."

"I think this was probably the first time in OTS we've seen a Bronze Star presented," said Col. Laura Koch, commander of Air Force Officer Training School. "Normally, a medal is awarded in the combat zone or the unit where they were when they earned it. This was a great event."

About 35 percent of officer trainees have records of prior service in the enlisted corps, according to Colonel Koch.

Lieutenant Florentine's flight commander, Capt. Mark Mallory, said it is during field exercises that prior experience shows.

"You can tell when you get someone who has some experience being outside the wire," Captain Mallory said. "That really shows up in peer leadership in subtle ways."