Bronze Star with V Device, for a submariner

DoD
There is rarely a break for those chosen to be part of a personnel security detachment (PSD) team – the individuals charged with providing security and transportation for military leaders on the ground. The task requires a state of readiness 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and it requires a keen awareness on the battlefield, since any senior military leader is a high-value target for insurgents.

Chief Taggart, a submariner, was sent to Iraq in the summer of 2003 as a communications specialist. When he arrived, however, Taggart found that his background in law enforcement made him an obvious choice to take over as the Coalition Military Assistance Team’s PSD commander – a job that required him to form, train, and deploy the PSD forces. And a job that required versatility in widely diverse settings: patrolling busy streets, scouting dangerous roadways, and securing the sites before and after high-level meetings, whether in a municipal building or a palm grove.

Taggart quickly formed two five-man teams, which completed more than 200 missions stretching from Iraq’s border with Turkey and Syria down to Kuwait. Their duties were often dangerous: twice the teams encountered roadside IEDs, which forced them to clear the area, set up security, and wait for the explosive ordnance disposal teams to declare the area safe before they could move on. In one incident, Taggart was injured by an IED but refused to leave the area until the mission was complete. He was also involved in four separate firefights with enemy forces.

While it is quite unusual for a sailor to perform what would normally be considered a soldier’s job, Taggart was eager to gain the experience. “Throughout my military career, I volunteered to go many places. . . . I’ve been trying to do something different than just submarines.” For his leadership and work, Taggart received the Bronze Star with Combat “V” on March 4, 2005.

Navy
Senior Chief Electronics Technician (SS) Jason D. Taggart made his log entry into the Submarine Force history books, when he received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” March 4 at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Conn.

Currently a crew member aboard USS Dallas (SSN 700), the Wellsville, Ohio-native earned the award during his tour as the Coalition Military Assistance Team’s (CMAT) Personnel Security Detachment (PSD) team commander from August 2003 to March 2004 in Iraq.

During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Mark W. Kenny, commander, Submarine Group 2, praised Taggart for his work overseas.

“Our (Submarine Force) record of success comes from the ideals that our submariners all embody courage, commitment, innovation and initiative in the face of new missions and challenging environments,” said Kenny. “Senior Chief Jason Taggart represents all of these ideals, and today, we add his unique chapter to our story.”

Taggart said he was sent to Iraq because his experience as a communications specialist was something the military needed. Eventually Taggart’s expertise would play even further when the need arose for more security detachments.

“They (military leaders) looked and saw I had law enforcement experience and offered me a job to take over as Personnel Security Detachment team commander,” he said. “I accepted the job and started the first of my two five-man teams.”

As team commander, Taggart was responsible for the formation, training and deployment of the PSD Teams. He completed more than 200 missions from Iraq’s border with Turkey and Syria all the way to Kuwait. During these missions, Taggart twice discovered roadside Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), cleared the area, set up security and waited for Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams to declare it safe. In one incident, Taggart was wounded by an IED and continued his duties, refusing to leave the area until the mission was complete. Taggart was also involved in four separate firefights.

For most submariners, getting into firefights, securing areas around roadside bombs and logging thousands of miles across Iraq are not something they envision doing while patrolling the seas. But for Taggart, this experience was expected.

“That (experience) was a goal,” said Taggart. “Throughout my military career, I volunteered to go to many places. When I was on shore duty, I went to Japan and Korea; and I once completed two NATO operations on Chilean submarines. I’ve been trying to do something different than just submarines.”

While earning the Bronze Star is a very rare experience, especially for a submariner, Taggart’s humility illustrates his complete focus on the mission, and not accolades.

“I was going there to do the job I was assigned to do,” said Taggart. “It was quite a surprise when I learned about the award.”

Since September, Taggart has been spending his days aboard Dallas as the 3M coordinator.

According to Dallas Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Gard Clark, and Dallas Chief of the Boat, Senior Chief Fire Control Technician (SS) John Jors, neither are surprised Taggart earned the award.

“Based on my experience working with him, I wasn’t really surprised to find out he was getting the award,” said Clark. “He’s just an overall great example of the U.S. Navy Sailor and a senior chief petty officer. He was in a leadership position over there, in combat, and (what Taggart did) meshed with my picture of who Senior Chief Taggart is. I’m very impressed.”

“From the day he stepped aboard Dallas,” said Jors, “he was a real go-getter. He takes the tasks and sees it through until it’s done. It doesn’t matter if it’s small road bumps or big mountains, he plows through them.”

While working tirelessly aboard the submarine, training junior Sailors, and soaking up every bit of experience along the way, Taggart said he would jump at the chance of returning to his days in the sand.

“I’ve been trying since I got back to re-deploy,” said Taggart. “I would love to go back and work. The ladies and gentlemen I worked with are outstanding, well respected and highly professional, and I believe in what we’re doing over there.”