Master Sergeant Dennis Wallace is the first Idaho Air National Guardsman to receive the third highest military award the president can give.

"Citation to accompany the award of the Bronze Star Medal with Valor to Master Sergeant Dennis L. Wallace ... For heroism 20 January 2003 to 15 June 2003..."

As Brigadier General Gary Sayler presented the award, and members of Wallace's own 124th Air Support Operations Squadron congratulated him ... Wallace became emotional thinking of his supportive wife, Stacey.

"It's quite humbling to get this award," Wallace said. "It's very prestigious, and I'm very honored by having it."

In his six month tour, Wallace was responsible for keeping track of all the people on the ground in his unit, the aircraft, and the munitions effects.

"When we're getting either rocket attacks, mortar attacks or I-E-Ds, you have to keep track of where everybody's at and maintain safe distances and everything to keep ground personnel safe," Wallace said.

"He was driving a vehicle, he maneuvered his vehicle through the ambush and then took up a position where he could return fire against the enemy so that the rest of the individuals could get through the ambush without being harmed," General Sayler said.

Another reason Wallace received this high honor was for discovering a shoebox filled with names and addresses of Taliban members.

"Always willing to step up and volunteer," Sayler said. "He was one of the first guys in the unit to volunteer to go to Afghanistan."

He's hoping this will be good for morale for the troops overseas but at the moment Wallace himself says he'd rather stay right here at Gowen Field.