Bedford Hills Soldier Receives Long-Awaited Bronze Star for Service

Updated, 5 p.m. Jan. 6:

Capt. Tabankin and Command Sgt. Maj. Stone received their awards along with well-deserved accolades at Camp Smith in Peekskill this morning. At the ceremony, Assemblyman Robert J. Castelli (R, C – Goldens Bridge) noted that between Jan. 2004 and Jan. 2005 Capt. Tabankin and CSM Stone led a platoon of 31 soldiers and NCOs with precision and expertise on over 300 combat patrols, resulting in the detention of eight insurgents and the destruction of 12 improvised explosive devices.

“On two separate enemy-seeking missions, Captain Tabankin was personally responsible for locating enemy rockets, potentially saving the lives of soldiers and airmen by destroying them before they could fire,” Castelli said. “CSM Stone’s field interrogation techniques were the key to identifying eight high-value targets, seizing several weapons caches, and capturing additional Anti-Iraqi Forces who were not even the original targets of the operations. These men's actions reflect great credit upon themselves, their unit, the Empire State, and the United States Army.”

Following their return from Operation Iraqi Freedom, Capt. Tabankin and Command Sgt. Maj. Stone received the support of Congresswoman Nan Hayworth in their appeal process for their awards. The award recommendations required four resubmissions due to administrative issues. The Army Human Resources Command recently issued the awards.

Both Soldiers are preparing to deploy again with the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team later this winter.

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Posted, 5:30 a.m. Jan. 6:

Capt. Shawn Tabankin is getting an Army Bronze Star medal today, eight years after being recommended for the merit award which recognizes his role in the war in Iraq, where he led over 300 combat patrols and helped locals set up a civilian government, build three schools and a water filtration plant.

"I'm happy that my chain of command followed up on it," he told Patch, explaining how the award was caught in limbo when his platoon demobilized back to New York in 2004.

After a long appeal process, supported by Congresswoman Nan Hayworth (R, NY-19) Tabankin, 37, will receive his award at Camp Smith in Peekskill at a mid-day ceremony, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Arnold Stone, Jr. Together they served with the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment in Iraq.

"I'm very appreciative and the award is not just for what I did—as leaders we get credit, but it recognizes what a good job the 43 guys in our platoon did," said Tabankin, a Pomona native who's lived in Bedford Hills with his wife and children for the past three years.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Tabankin took a leave of absence from law school to volunteer and deploy to Iraq. He was single then, and wanted to serve. He had already graduated from Florida International University's ROTC program and had been an enlisted soldier and combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division before he joined the Army National Guard.

He arrived in the Sunni village of Al Zourr, north of Baghdad, to conduct "full spectrum operations," which means he was trained to perform both combat and civilian work.

"We identify the enemy, remove the enemy and provide civil stability support," said Tabankin, who showed villagers how to set up a local council, how to get bids on projects to get roads paved and how to increase electricity, among other infrastructure projects.

How do you suss out the bad guys in a town of 15,000?

"We had to be detectives to find out who they were," he said. "We got to know them, found out who the leaders were and we'd have tea with them. You notice things—every Iraqi was allowed to have one AK47 and if we saw a guy with more than one gun, we'd arrest them and get them to inform us on our next lead."

Were you scared?

"The fear factor varies. It’s always in the back of your head when your base is getting mortared and rocketed," Tabankin said. "But you're trained to do the job and then you get the opportunity to go do the job. You practice, practice, practice and then the first game is the Superbowl."

Tabankin saw his share of firefights—his back was injured and he recieved a Purple Heart after an IED (improvised explosive device) blew up under his Humvee—and he saw one of his soldiers lose an eye. But he said the only time he felt real fear was before his platoon was sent north to the Battle of Samarra, which cleared the Iraqi city of insurgents in a four-day battle for control.

"I knew we were going into a fight," he said.

But he made it through that battle. And he and his platoon succeeded in wiping out three terrorist cells in Al Zourr, leading to a dramatic drop-off of enemy activity and a restoration of civilian life.

"We had a total local success story," said Tabankin.

Re-Deployment

After returning home from Iraq, Tabankin graduated from New York Law School and opened up his own law practice. He's also gotten married, to Jennifer Tabankin, and had two children, Addyson, 18 months, and Ethren, 6 months. 

He plans on being in the army full-time for another year—this time, in Kuwait on a security forces mission—then returning to the National Guard for one weekend a month and two weeks each summer.

He said he has mixed emotions about being home right now.

"The last time I volunteered, I was single. I never had an appreciation of how hard it was for military families. Everyone says thank you to the soldiers who return, but families don't get that recognition, and I know it will be much harder on Jennifer than it will be on me this year," he said, adding that a nightly Skype session helps to keep in touch.

For more on Tabankin's time in Iraq, read this story with the Tribeca Trib.

Check back with Patch later today for photos of the ceremony.