Seth Leonard

PROUD FATHER-IN-LAW SHARES STORY OF BRAVERY
Gary Owen, a Geologist at the CMO for 29 years, wanted to share this story which appeared in the Tuscaloosa News about his son-in-law, Seth Leonard. Gary's daughter, Mary Elizabeth married Seth in 1999. Seth is a career Marine and has served two tours of duty in Iraq. He was recently awarded a Bronze Star medal for disarming thousands of improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
"I served as an MP in Vietnam," says Gary. "I know I couldn't wait to get on that 'Freedom Bird' to fly home when my tour was up. I can only imagine how many soldiers Seth saved for their safe flight back home."Tuscaloosa native Seth Leonard, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, has received a Bronze Star medal for disarming thousands of improvised explosive devices in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“He received a Bronze Star with a combat action device [on March 23 at the Explosive Ordnance Disposal facility at Camp Elliot in California] for exceptional bravery in a combat environment," said Lance Cpl. Scott McAdam with the public affairs office at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, Calif., where Leonard is stationed.

“He went way above and beyond his duty," McAdam said.

According to a Marine Corps news release Leonard led explosive ordinance disposal teams with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, Marine Wing Support Group 37 and Aircraft Wing on 167 missions in Iraq to dispose of explosive devices from Feb. 11 to Sept. 1, 2006. Leonard’s officer-in-charge, Chief Warrant Officer Charles Whitlock, called the bombs the greatest threat to U.S. troops then and now.

“I’ve been disarming bombs for three and a half years," said Leonard, 29.

“When we arrive on a scene we try to negotiate objects remotely, but if we can’t, we have to do it with our hands," he said.

On March 13, 2006, Leonard said he was called to Husaybah, Iraq, to help clear explosive devices from a rubble-strewn area where the Talon robots typically used to remove explosives, couldn’t be used.

“The first robot slung a track, and the second couldn’t get through to the entrance," Leonard said in a press release.

“We were having a bad day," he said.

Upon approaching the suspected improvised explosive device, Leonard said he placed a two-block excavation charge near it and detonated it, ending the threat.

Staff Sgt. Seth L. Leonard disposed of more than 85 tons
of explosives while deployed in Iraq.

“Every single [improvised explosive device] is different," Leonard said. “They’re put everywhere. I’ve been in deserts, houses, highways, all sorts of places. And they’re not always buried, either."

“This is what we live for: to deal with that type of problem," he said. “It’s not a rush, but it’s a cool job."

Leonard, a 1995 Tuscaloosa County High School graduate, said he’s honored to have received the Bronze Star but didn’t do anything special.

“I didn’t do anything that no one else here wouldn’t have or hasn’t already done," Leonard said.

Leonard’s mother, Debra, said she couldn’t be more proud of her son.

“We’ve always been proud of him," Debra said.

“It’s always scary when you have a child in a situation like that, but you always hope that they do the right thing and the best thing, and to know that he did what he did is no surprise because I have that much faith in him."

“He’s a good and special man," she said. “We love him very much."