The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Chief Warrant Officer Four (CW-4) Charles A. Whitlock, United States Marine Corps, for heroic achievement in connection with combat operations against the enemy while serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), from 15 February 2006 to 15 September 2006 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Chief Warrant Officer Four Whitlock was instrumental in providing superior Explosive Ordnance Disposal support to units in the Al Anbar Province and superbly led his team on over 220 Explosive Ordnance Disposal missions, 30 Improvised Explosive Device responses, and 24 route clearance missions spanning over 3,000 miles. On 9 April 2006, with total disregard for his own safety, he personally dug into the ground and placed a disposal charge onto a buried armed rocket that had impacted the taxiway aboard Al Asad Air Base as a result of indirect fire from the enemy. On 16 May 2006, when a 40 millimeter grenade armed in his hand during disposal operations, he clutched the ordnance to himself, using his body to shield the Marines in the area until he could remove the ordnance to a safe distance for proper disposal. On 23 June 2006, during a route clearance mission on the main supply route BRONZE, he manually disrupted two Improvised Explosive Devices placed by Anti-Iraqi Forces. As a direct result of his actions, 200,000 items of coalition or captured enemy ammunition were destroyed before they could be used to harm Coalition Forces. Chief Warrant Officer Four Whitlock’s zealous initiative, courageous actions and exceptional dedication to duty reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. (Chief Warrant Officer Four Whitlock is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)