Photo courtesy Dyess PAO DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas-Colonel Robert F. Gass, 7th Bomb Wing commander at left, presents the Bronze Star medal to Col. James D. Milburn, 7th Maintenance Group commander, August 27, for distinguishing himself by meritorious service in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. This will be Colonel Milburn's second Bronze Star Medal in his 28-year career, which is denoted by the Oak Leaf Cluster.

The ceremony was in keeping with military tradition, and few were words spoken as Col. James Milburn, 7th Maintenance Group commander, was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for the second time in his 28-year career in the Air Force at Dyess Air Base on Wednesday.

Friends and family looked on as Col. Robert Gass, 7th Bomb Wing Commander, saluted Milburn and presented the medal to him, along with an Oak Leaf Cluster.

Milburn served as commander of the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Group in southwest Asia from June 2007 until June 2008. He oversaw the maintenance of five different types of aircraft in the Air Force's largest air refueling, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance wing in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gass praised Milburn for not only his work on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week job but for fulfilling his mission for many weeks and months without letting up on the enemy.

A base official reviewed Milburn's achievements.

"His dynamic leadership was critical to successful execution of more than 4,300 KC-10 and KC-135 combat air refueling missions," the official announced at the ceremony. He was responsible for delivering 325 million pounds of fuel to more than 24,000 coalition aircraft, the official added.

His wife, Melanie, and daughter Emily, 2, looked on as Milburn had his medal pinned on by Gass.

"I find pride in individual accomplishments," Gass said after the ceremony. "I find pride in the Air Force, and I am proud to be on the same world-class team with men like Colonel Milburn."