The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 20 July 1942, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Colonel Michael R. Pent, United States Air Force, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, from 1 April 1997 through 13 August 2000. Colonel Pent came to Pacific Air Forces during a time of increasing international tension and while mission support and training opportunities were decreasing in part due to existing policies for the assignment and utilization of reserve forces. Colonel Pent initiated changes that greatly enhanced the capability of the Air Force to achieve mission effectiveness in the Pacific. He served as the Pacific Air Forces’ representative to the Air Force Reserve Joint Working Group that developed innovative criteria for the assignment and utilization of Air Force reservists in the Joint Service arena. He negotiated the first formal attachment to United States Pacific Command of a judge advocate reservist residing in the Continental United States. Through Colonel Pent’s advocacy and persistence, a program was initiated for the direct attachment of Continental United States-residing reservists to Air Force activities outside the Continental United States. During this same period, Colonel Pent continued a special assignment to United States Southern Command. He led a Joint Service team to Lain American countries for military-to-military contacts on the concept, organization and utilization of ready reserve forces. He was recognized as the 1998 recipient of the annual Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Department Thomas P. Keenan Award as the Air Force attorney who made the most notable contribution to the development of internal law or military operations law. He has also provided outstanding leadership for over seven years as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Executive Conference and Council and championed initiatives that have contributed immeasurably to the Judge Advocate General’s Executive Conference and Council and championed initiatives that have contributed immeasurably to the Judge Advocate General’s reserve program. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Pent culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.