The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Airman’s Medal to Staff Sergeant David E. Kiedaisch, United States Air Force, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on 27 November 2000. On this date, Sergeant Kiedaisch was participating in a military free fall parachute operation when he rendered a life-threatening situation safe. During the jump, Sergeant Kiedaisch and another jumper exited the aircraft at 12,500 feet above ground level. Sergeant Kiedaisch maintained positive control of and kept the jumper stable during descent. When the jumper lost altitude awareness at approximately six thousand feet, Sergeant Kiedaisch assisted the jumper by physically placing the jumper’s hand on the main ripcord handle. As Sergeant Kiedaisch and the jumper passed through and below minimum pull altitude, the jumper’s hand and arm were locked in position on the ripcord handle and he would not activate the parachute. Sergeant Kiedaisch demonstrated exceptional abilities when he activated the jumper’s main canopy by exerting tremendous force in removing the jumper’s locked grip from the main ripcord handle at approximately twenty-three hundred feet and simultaneously kept the jumper stable. Sergeant Kiedaisch then stayed with the jumper to clear a pilot chute hesitation malfunction and to ensure the jumper had a good canopy before turning his attention to his own safety by tracking away by 1,500 feet and deploying his own parachute by approximately 900 feet. The exemplary courage and heroism displayed by Sergeant Kiedaisch reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.