The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Scott D. Brooks, United States Army, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 82d Engineer Support Company, 65th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, in action on 25 June 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Specialist Scott D. Brooks, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States while assigned as a Heavy Equipment Operator to 618th Engineer Company, while attached to 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Forward Operating Base Summerall, Iraq on the morning of 25 June 2007 during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM V. On 25 June 2007, Specialist Brooks was attached to C Company when a Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) detonated at the wall of JSS Arvanitis-Sigua in Bayji, Iraq. His personal courage and gallantry prevented the enemy from penetrating a vulnerable perimeter. His actions on that day saved both coalition and Iraqi Security Force lives, and were directly responsible for protecting US and Iraqi Forces against one of the largest coordinated attacks executed by the Islamic State of Iraq and AL Qaeda. Woken up by the blast. Specialist Brooks immediately donned his IBA and helmet and headed to the roof because he heard enemy and friendly fire. He began engaging enemy targets that were making their way through the cloud of dust created by the explosion. The enemy, approximately 50 strong, was approaching from three different directions. Specialist Brooks reinforced the perimeter and began shooting at the enemy, taking down multiple enemies with his M4 fire despite the enemy’s firepower coming in on their positions. At this point, Specialist Brooks, a heavy-equipment operator and engineer, noticed a gap in the perimeter and blast hole approximately the size of an infield of a baseball diamond. Seeing that there were wounded and dead IP’s and wounded Americans, and seeing a fairly strong enemy approaching, Specialist Brooks made the decision to leave the roof and reinforce the perimeter. Running to the ground and finding an unarmored, civilian bulldozer, Specialist Brooks began moving toward the enemy fire, toward what was the perimeter. He moved thirteen destroyed Iraqi Police Chevrolet Silverado Pickup Trucks to close the gap in the wall that the SVBIED had created. His quick thinking and heroism allowed the Iraqi Police to push their wounded to American medical treatment and recover their dead without receiving direct fire. Even with the enemy engaging the rooftop positions and his vehicle from a higher vantage point, Specialist Brooks completely disregarded his personal safety and continued closing the gap in the wall. Eventually , the Battalion’s B Company quick reaction force platoon arrived to reinforce the northern perimeter. However, Specialist Brooks already had the perimeter closed. The firefight continued while Specialist Brooks began assisting the Iraqi Policeman in removing debris and recovering the bodies of their fallen comrades. He helped remove the debris from 17 bodies and assisted in directly saving the lives of five Iraqi Policeman, who were trapped in a gap created between a falling wall and support beam. He then stayed awake for the next forty-eight hours removing debris and rebuilding the perimeter. Specialist Brooks is truly an American hero whose willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission and protect his fellow paratroopers is indicative of his selflessness. He put himself in harms way of the enemy to rebuild the perimeter during a firefight. He directly saved the lives of five Iraqis and protected the entire JSS that day. His actions reflect great credit upon him, Task Force One Panther, the 19th Engineer Brigade, the 25th Infantry Division and the United States Army