Sgt. 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs received the Distinguished Service Cross, while Capt. Matthew Chaney and Sgt. 1st Class Michael Lindsay received the Silver Star during an award ceremony at the Special Events Center at Fort Carson, Colo., May 14.
The Special Forces Soldiers from Operational Detachment – Alpha 083, received the medals for their heroism in action Sep. 10, 2007.  Advising a combined assault element of Iraqi National Police on an intelligence-driven raid, their mission was to capture a high-value Islamic State of Iraq terrorist who was running a kidnapping and extortion ring.
Adm. Eric T. Olson, U.S. Special Operations Command commander, and Lt. Gen. John Mulholland Jr., U.S. Army Special Operations Command commander, presented the awards to the Soldiers with more than 700 present to witness the historic ceremony.
“You have listened to and read the account of that night on 10 September 2007, a mission that asked the best of some of our nation’s finest,” said Olson speaking to the guests in attendance.
“This was ODA 083, a Green Beret A-Team in action, under pressure, at risk,” Olson added.  “Sergeant Halbisengibbs exemplifies the spirit and ethos of these warriors.  He is a gifted team member and individual Soldier, one who raises the performance and morale of those around him.  Today we will also recognize two more of them, Captain Chaney and Sergeant First Class Lindsay, for their extraordinary courage in that action.”
During that raid, three team members, Chaney, Lindsay, and Halbisengibbs, demonstrated exceptional bravery and valor in close combat while they succeeded in eliminating a heavily armed and entrenched enemy force from within a fortified stronghold.   
At about 2 a.m., after infiltrating by air into an unplanned landing zone less than 30 meters from the enemy position, Chaney directed the assault force towards the targeted buildings. 
Facing “brown-out” conditions caused by the rotor wash of the helicopters and only 10 percent illumination, the assault force immediately came under enemy fire.  Undaunted, these three Special Forces leaders directed their Iraqi counterparts and initiated the assault on the array of buildings.
After clearing the closest structure, the assault element immediately came under enemy machine-gun fire from the furthest building, approximately 50 meters away, causing a dangerous pause in the momentum of the assault.   
Working in concert, these three leaders immediately redirected their assault element towards the most urgent threat, the third building.
Lindsay and Halbisengibbs killed three insurgents who were firing from the building as the force assaulted.   Chaney and Lindsay then placed themselves in a critical position at the breach point, while Halbisengibbs prepared to employ a fragmentation grenade. 
Before the assault force entered, the fragmentation grenade killed two of the enemy fighters waiting inside.
Within seconds of entering the building, the three killed two more enemy fighters.  While trying to acquire targets through the haze caused by the grenade blast, Chaney and Lindsay were strafed by intense AK-47 fire.   
Chaney was shot through the pelvis, hip, and buttocks while Lindsay received gunshot wounds to the throat and abdomen.  
Despite their serious wounds, they - along with Halbisengibbs - continued to engage the enemy inside until an enemy grenade exploded and wounded all three, propelling Chaney and Lindsay back through the door of the house and out into the courtyard.  The grenade blast sent Halbisengibbs to the floor and, hit with shrapnel, he sustained wounds to his firing hand and damage to his radio and night vision device.   
As Chaney and Lindsay lay wounded and exposed in the courtyard, the remainder of the assault force continued to fight insurgents in the other structures.   
Chaney, although suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, continued to exercise command, and while directing actions on the objective, killed another insurgent who was firing at him from an open door.   
As a result of the grenade blast, Lindsay had been thrown into the line of fire from another enemy position to the east of the main building but, ignoring his wounds, he continued to engage the enemy.   
With Chaney and Lindsay blown from the building, Halbisengibbs found himself wounded and alone inside the target building.  As enemy fire had destroyed his radio and damaged his night vision device, his vision was impaired and he was unable to contact the remainder of the assault force to request support.  Taking immediate and decisive action, Halbisengibbs leapt to his feet and quickly cleared the room.

Making his way out to the courtyard, Halbisengibbs immediately passed a verbal status report to his ODA indicating his status but that he could continue to fight.  During the course of relaying this message, he immediately came under small arms fire at close range from an enemy position not yet cleared by the National Police assault force.
As Halbisengibbs reacted to the threat, he was shot in the abdomen; the bullet traveled through his stomach and exited at his hip.  Ignoring this second debilitating gunshot wound, he engaged and killed the enemy within 12 feet of his position.
Halbisengibbs then took cover and rallied the remainder of the Iraqi National Police and assisted in securing the objective area.  Only when the enemy was eliminated and the objective was secure, did he reveal the seriousness of his wounds and accept medical attention. 
After the force was firmly in control of the objective, the three were evacuated to the Combat Support Hospital in Balad.  These three Special Forces leaders had led their Iraqi National Police counterparts in a highly successful operation during which time they had demonstrated immeasurable fortitude and valor.  Their personal example, which involved killing nine of the enemy in close combat, resulted in the death and capture of several enemy terrorists, including the intended target.
Chaney’s valorous leadership that night and unwavering dedication to mission accomplishment, despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, made a significant contribution to defeating al Qaida operations in the Samarra area. 
Chaney’s bullet and shrapnel wounds kept him in Balad for 24 hours where he received his initial surgery before transport to Landstuhl, Germany.  During the next eight days, he underwent two additional surgeries before final transport and care at Evans Army Hospital at Fort Carson.  Chaney has returned to duty, having recently returned from another deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and completing the Special Forces Combat Divers Qualification Course.
Lindsay demonstrated unparalleled valor in the face of a determined enemy and directly contributed to mission success that night.   
Lindsay’s bullet and shrapnel wounds were assessed in Balad, prompting immediate transport to Landstuhl where doctors removed almost two feet of his intestines.  His follow-on stay at Walter Reed lasted three weeks.  Since receiving these life-threatening wounds, Lindsay has undergone two more surgeries and still carries bullet fragments in his pelvis.  He has returned to duty and, like Chaney, has served another tour in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Halbisengibbs was responsible for singlehandedly killing six of the enemy on the objective and personally eliminating a high value terrorist.  
Surgeons in Balad worked to repair the wounds to Halbisengibbs’ hand and abdomen, during which time they removed 18 centimeters of his small intestine.  He was quickly transported to Landstuhl, and on to Walter Reed with Lindsay, where he stayed for approximately three weeks.  He has since received an additional surgery on his hand, has returned to duty, and is ready for the next deployment.  
It is the valor of these three Soldiers with their unparalleled courage under fire, decisive leadership and tenacity in close combat that led to the successful elimination of a critical terrorist cell.  Their quiet professionalism and modesty continues to radiate throughout the unit.
Col. Darsie Rogers Jr., 10th  SFG(A) commander, told the audience during the introduction, “The feats of these brave men will forever have a place in history alongside other Green Berets who have fought the wars before us.  These men, and many others like them, answered the call of their nation.  They have done so as quiet professionals, as is expected of our Green Berets and Special Operators, and we pay tribute to the courage of these magnificent Soldiers and their selfless service to our nation.”