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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Utah National Guard Lt. Matthew Cousins has been awarded the Bronze Star for the discovery by him and his team of a homemade bomb in the middle of a road outside Baghdad.
The team closed the road and called in the experts.
"There was some close calls -- that was one," said Cousins, who has returned to his home at Eagle Mountain and is back at work as a linguist at Camp Williams.
A member of the 142nd Military Intelligence Unit, Cousins led 70 missions from January 2003 until he returned in March. There were no injuries among his crew of 12.
Cousins said the award is a great honor, but he was just doing his job.
"I am just a guy that is doing my duty," he said. "I am not much for awards; I don't look for these things."
Sgt. Scott Faddis, a Utah National Guard spokesman, said the Bronze Star is given for distinguished service or heroic activities. It is the 10th-highest award a soldier can receive.
"It is a fine achievement and a big deal because it means they did something outstanding," he said.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
