Brig Gen Fountain Awarded Bronze Star

  • Published
  • By SSgt Annie Edwards
  • 151 ARW/PA
11 January, 2014 --  Brig. Gen. David R. Fountain was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement during his deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, on January 11, at the Utah Air National Guard Base.

Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, The Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard, presented the award. Burton expressed gratitude for everything that Fountain had done. He also praised Fountain's accomplishments during the deployment as well as the work he has done in the Utah Air National Guard.

"Everywhere he goes he does something very significant," Burton said. "He has a fantastic attitude about everything he does."

The Bronze Star Medal is the fourth highest award that can be given to an individual military service member. It is awarded for acts of heroism or meritorious service in combat. Fountain, who is the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Joint Task Force Headquarters, Utah Air National Guard, was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar from March 28, 2013 to January 8, 2014.

Fountain served as the Director of Mobility Forces, United States Air Force Central Command. Under his leadership during this time there were 19,608 combat airlift sorties, delivering more than 308,000 passengers, 3,000 aeromedical patients, 128,000 tons of cargo, and 182 airdrop missions.

"General Fountain was directly responsible for repositioning air refueling assets, which decreased response time, flying hours, fuel costs, and saved over 41 million dollars and immeasurable lives on the ground," read the award citation. His work also included reducing the number of C-130s while still meeting area requirements.

Fountain additionally worked with all branches of the military to provide the logistics necessary to reduce the number of personnel and equipment in Afghanistan to meet the February 1, 2014 deadline set by President Barack Obama.

"The most difficult piece that I had to work on was the dignified transfer of human remains," Fountain said. While deployed he worked to streamline the process for notification and communication during Fallen Hero and Dignified Transfer operations. "The process is now working and we have been able to support the families back home, and that is really what it is all about."

Fountain said that one of the biggest challenges as well as one of the most gratifying parts of the deployment was the opportunity to do something that hasn't been done before.

"This was the culmination of so many things I have done in my career and an opportunity to be part of history," said Fountain.