The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Staff Sergeant Stephen E. Tomat, United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States, while serving with the 22d Air Support Operations Flight, 18th Air Support Operations Group in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, near Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, from 25 October 2001 to 15 December 2001. During this period, Sergeant Tomat and the Special Forces team he was assigned to, accompanied host nation forces in the vicinity of Mazar-e-Sharif. The enemy launched an artillery barrage in an attempt to prevent their passage. Without delay, he determined the enemy position, positively identified the locations of all friendly forces, and called in close air support, destroying one ZSU 23-2, five personnel trucks, a bunker, and numerous enemy personnel. This action opened the Kuh-e-Al Borz Pass allowing friendly forces to push north and facilitate the situation, locate targets, and prepare the battlefield for the host nation assault through the Darya Suf Valley. While under fire, he called in close air support destroying all observed targets while simultaneously protecting the host nation forces allowing them to capture the town of Bai Beche. This attack resulted in the death of a key enemy commander, the capture of another, and the destruction of 150 enemy troops, preventing the enemy from further actions in that area of the operation. On 10 November 2001, Sergeant Tomat and the team entered the city of Mazar-e-Sharif to conduct a Direct Action mission on a hard-line enemy stronghold containing nine hundred enemy soldiers. They stated that they were unwilling to surrender and would fight to the death. Just 380 meters from the enemy position, while under direct small arms fire, Sergeant Tomat calmly highlighted the friendly location and called in close air support. Sergeant Tomat’s expert control obliterated the enemy while keeping the friendly forces well inside of danger close safe from harm. The direct action mission resulted not only in the destruction of the enemy compound and over eight hundred Taliban personnel, but it also finalized the liberation of Mazar-e-Sharif. Sergeant Tomat’s actions ultimately contributed to the liberation of six northern provinces and over fifty town and cities across more than one hundred square miles of extremely rough terrain. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Tomat has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.