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 First Class Clayton James Brachtenbach, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Senior Communications Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3234 (ODA-3234), Special Operations Task Force-Northeast, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 17 January 2014. Under withering RPG, PKY, 37-mm. UGL and small arms fire, Sergeant First Class Brachtenbach continually exposed himself to additional danger in order to suppress enemy positions with his assigned weapon, killing multiple enemy and inspiring ALP to continue moving forward. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:
Sergeant First Class Clayton James Brachtenbach, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy of the United States as the Senior Special Forces Communications Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3234, Special Operations Task Force-Northeast, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On 17 January 2014, Sergeant First Class Brachtenbach was part of a ground force conducting an area reconnaissance of the Afghaniya Valley, Nejrab District, Kapisa Province, Afghanistan. While part of a dismounted force consisting of four Americans and three Afghans clearing through a riverbed in support of the mounted element moving along the road, the element was engaged by enemy positions from an adjacent village as close as 20 meters. Sergeant Brachtenbach fired and maneuvered multiple times exposing himself to enemy positions as the other dismount element advanced on the enemy. Sergeant Brachtenbach maneuvered the dismounted element into the enemy fighting position cluster, cleared through, and neutralized the enemy. The dismounted element then continued movement east along the riverbed, receiving harassing fire for the duration of the movement. While decisively engaged and pinned down by two enemy positions to the northeast and southwest, Sergeant Brachtenbach crawled into a position in order to engage three enemies, killing two and wounding the third. Those actions allowed for the remainder of the dismount element to engage the enemy positions to the northeast, suppressing the enemy and continuing movement. Just south of the Jarr village, Sergeant Brachtenbach and the dismounted element again were engaged by heavy volumes of effective enemy fire. Sergeant Brachtenbach, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, intentionally exposed himself to enemy fire in order to lay down a base of suppressive fire that allowed the rest of the element to reach cover. While pinned down in a small ditch, Sergeant Brachtenbach low-crawled 50 meters while intense 37-mm. UGL fire exploded within seven meters of his position in order to reach a position of advantage. Sergeant Brachtenbach occupied a position on a rooftop, providing suppressive fires on enemy positions, resulting in two enemies killed in action (EKIA), and allowing follow-on dismounted forces to continue engaging the enemy. Sergeant Brachtenbach then moved with the dismounted element north across the riverbed to a security position just southeast of Jarr village where he was once again engaged by intense and highly accurate SAF, PKM, and 37-mm. UGL fire. Once again, Sergeant Brachtenbach low-crawled down a small ditch until he reached a position of advantage in order to lay down suppressive fire for the rest of the element to maneuver. Sergeant First Class Brachtenbach’s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan, and the United States Army.