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Approximately 250 SEALs, combat support Sailors, and civilians were on hand at Naval Special Warfare Group TWO Friday moming, Jan. 11, to see one of their own receive one of the military's highest awards for heroic actions on the battlefield, the Silver Star Medal. Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (Sea, Air, and Land) Douglas, an East Coast-based SEAL, received the award for heroic actions in the Fallujah area while his SEAL Team was supporting OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM in April 2007.

The fact that the SEAL Senior Chief was able to receive the award personally is miraculous enough considering he was shot 17 times, struck by a fragmentary grenade, and his body armor stopped an additional 11 shots while assaulting a target with known enemy operatives inside. He undergoes his next, and hopefully final, round of surgeries next week.

In uniform and ready to get back to work, Senior Chief Douglas was humbled by the support of his teammates and family, not only in today's ceremony, but throughout his long recovery process.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank a few people very important to me. To the guys who got me off that target alive and to the hospital for treatment. I wouldn't be alive today without you. And my wife and daughters for taking on a whole slew of responsibilities wives and daughters should never have to do, including regularly changing the dressings on gunshot wounds, thank you," said Douglas.

The commander of his Task Force in the al Anbar region while he was deployed, an east coast-based SEAL Cmdr., was on hand to present the award. He pointed out that while they were honoring Senior Chief Douglas, it's important to acknowledge the entire Task Unit involved since they are significant contributors to the much more secure environment Iraqis are enjoying throughout the al Anbar region today.

"When this deliberate operation took place, there had recently been multiple coalition force helicopters shot down which claimed the lives of numerous servicemen, many often carrying humanitarian aid and other logistic supplies. This operation successfully targeted the terrorist cell responsible for these attacks and led to future operations against other cell members," Cmdr. Ricco explained.

He went on to add, "lt would not be an exaggeration to state that many of the positive trends we're seeing in this province today, including the building of their Iraqi security forces'capacity, capability, and confidence, can be directly attributed to the actions initiated during this Task Unit's deployment."

The successful operations did not come without a high cost however, as Special Warfare Operator Second Class Joseph C. (Clark) Schwedler and an Iraqi Scout lost their lives during the assault. Petty Offrcer Schwedler's parents traveled from Michigan to be on hand for the ceremony.

"Some may consider being shot 20 something times as unlucky. I disagree, getting up and walking away from that is about as lucky as you can get," said Douglas. "Although I was willing to, I did not have to pay the ultimate sacrifice Clark did...(Mr. and Mrs. Schwedler), you were before and will always be part of our SEAL family."

Despite receiving the Silver Star for his heroic actions, which included eliminating three enemy personnel without wounding the women and children in the immediate vicinity, Douglas described his actions as par for his brother SEALs.

"We all do this job because we love it. I have worked with many great guys who I consider ordinary SEALs who are considered extraordinary by those outside the community. I am an ordinary SEAL put in an exceptional situation and performed as any other SEAL here would have," Douglas said.

"To all of you ordinary SEALs, continue to perform, train and operate to the level that makes other people consider you extraordinary. Always prepare for what's on the other side of the door," he concluded.

His Task Force and Task Unit commanders surprised Douglas by presenting him with a shadow box with his Silver Star and Purple Heart medals, pieces of bullet fragments pulled from his body armor plates, captured comments from his Task Unit teammates, and the body armor plates which "saved his life and allowed him to fight another day".

(Story provided by LT David Luckett, Public Alfairs Olfcea Naval Special Warfare Group TWOI