News

OSS member receives Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Danielle Hill
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  Major Jean Havens, 14th Operations Support Squadron Director of Operations, was awarded the Bronze Star Jan. 31 by Col. Dave Gerber, 14th Flying Training Wing commander. 

The Bronze Star is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which is awarded for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service. 

Havens received this medal for her role in advising a squadron of Iraqi pilots. The Iraqi Air Force MiG pilots were beginning to fly operational missions again to support of their country. Their current missions are intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. According to Havens these missions include "patrolling the oil pipelines, surveying downed electrical towers and watching over areas where Iraqi or U.S. soldiers will do convoys or other missions. They then transfer the collected information to the newly formed Iraqi Air Operations Center, which allows senior Iraqi military leaders to make better decisions about overall military actions." 

"The role of an advisor is a very delicate one, because you should not do the job for the advisee, and you cannot really direct the advisee what to do, you must only advise. To find the exact meaning of that is rather an art. And it depends greatly on the relationships you build," said Havens. 

As the Bronze Star is one of the highest military decorations a servicemember can receive, there is no doubt that Havens is thankful. Her work with the Iraqi pilots was rewarding on both a professional and personal level. 

"It is a great honor, of course, to receive the Bronze Star. But an even greater honor is the words I received from some of the Iraqis when I told them I will return in June: 'Thank you Pyro for everything you did while you were here, and I am sure you are going to do the same when you come back. All the Iraqis have all the good memories, love for their sister, and respect for "Jenah" (which means paradise in Arabic, which sounds like my last name (Havens/Heavens), for the Iraqis)," she reminisced. "They also said, 'All your friends are very happy; we will wait the June patiently.' The Iraqis in Squadron 3 are all very proud men, and they risk their lives for what they do in support of their country. I am very honored to be able to work with them." 

Not only was Havens awarded the Bronze Star that day, she also pinned on Lieutenant Colonel. When reflecting on both of the achievements she said "It feels wonderful. Being a member of the United States Air Force is the best job in the world. There are so many different opportunities and so many ways to try to affect the world in a positive way."