JBER Airman proves rank isn't everything

by Air Force Staff Sgt. Blake Mize
JBER Public Affairs

3/11/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- "You're punching above your weight class." "You're too low on the totem pole." "That's higher than your pay grade."

Junior enlisted military personnel often hear these phrases in some form or fashion throughout the early part of their careers. The extent of their responsibilities is limited by a lack of stripes or chevrons, time and experience.

But sometimes our young Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors must step outside their ranks and perform duties usually reserved for the more seasoned. One Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson civil engineer did just that while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

And when he got back, he was recognized with a decoration to match his higher-level performance.

During a recent ceremony on JBER, Air Force Col. Anthony Ramage, 673d Civil Engineer Group commander, presented the Defense Meritorious Service Medal to Senior Airman Andres Fossi, 673d Civil Engineer Squadron engineer technician, for his service in Afghanistan from November 2012 until June 2013.

According to the Air Force Personnel Center, the DMSM is awarded for non-combat meritorious achievement or service that is incontestably exceptional and of a magnitude that clearly places the individual above his peers while serving in one of the assignments for which the medal has been designated.

While deployed, Fossi acted as chief of operations and linguist manager for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.
Among his many accomplishments, Fossi, who was an airman first class at the time of his deployment, managed the framework for the execution of $2.1 billion in infrastructure and sustainment projects. He also managed 12 Afghan interpreters who translated mission-critical documents from English to Dari and vice versa. He was responsible for the translation of more than 500 documents, including military-related technical manuals, laws, government relations, engineering policies, technical specifications and legal documents.
"I wasn't doing those things to get something out of it," said Fossi, a Hackensack, N.J., native. "The way I see it, I was just doing my job. So it feels good to get the recognition and know the things I did actually mattered."

Although Fossi's goal was not to garner recognition, his leadership thought enough of his efforts to award him the third-highest Department of Defense-level honor. Other than federal-level awards, such as the Medal of Honor and Silver Star, only the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal are higher in precedence than the DMSM.

"At first, I thought it was just another medal," Fossi said. "You always see people deploy and come back with a medal - I thought that was the case. Once I did the research and I realized what gets you that type of medal, it was touching."

Fossi said he appreciated the recognition because it validated his role in the fight, but also because it showed those around him the spoils of hard work.

"It motivates not only the person getting recognized, but also [his peers]," Fossi said. "They say, 'I've seen this guy and the types of things that he does and it pays off, so maybe I should step up and do things the same way.'"