Tech Sgt. Earl Covel Covel

Attached to a special operations unit, Covel's team took heavy fire, immediately sustaining four casualties while trying to arrest a high-value individual.

Few unclassified details exist for the mission, but Covel's supervisor, Master Sgt. Chistopher Spann, explains how Covel saved lives by establishing a medevac landing zone to fly out the wounded, including the unit commander.

"Technical Sergeant Covel displayed extremely heroic behavior when he took control of an out-of-control situation," Spann said.

Once friendly forces cleared the area, Covel directed an AC-130 gunship to pepper the enemy with rounds followed by an A-10 that destroyed the target with four 500-pound bombs.

He earned a Silver Star for his actions in Iraq and was getting selected as the Air Combat Command NCO of the year.

Back at Fort Lewis, Wash., Covel reduced the Combat Mission Ready Training Program by more than four months while maintaining the level of training.

Covel is a volunteer at home, too, mentoring mentoring underprivileged students at Walker High School.