Action outside the wire earns Maxwell Airman bronze star Published Oct. 3, 2007 By Scott Knuteson Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The commander of Maxwell's 42nd Contracting Squadron recently received the bronze star for meritorious achievement during his deployment to Afghanistan from October 2005 to April 2006. Lt. Col. Cedric Wilson's job as commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency at Bagram Airfield required him to go outside the wire on numerous occasions to visit geographically separated offices under his command. Colonel Wilson's responsibilities while in Afghanistan included supervising the logistical support for forward operating bases of Combined Joint Task Force-76 and the Combined Joint Task Force in the Horn of Africa. Provisions were transported to these locations using varying methods, including airdrop. The colonel worked to ensure that 10 contracts valued at more than $785 million were successfully carried out. According to his citation, he provided efficient and effective combat support and combat service support to more than 22,000 coalition forces at five major locations and over 50 remote forward operating bases and provincial reconstruction team sites. The seven separate contingency contract administration services teams under Colonel Wilson's command were located throughout the region in three countries. Although he was able to travel by military aircraft some of the time, the colonel also logged many miles over land by convoy. He emphasized the constant risk that existed outside the air field, stating that folks who went outside the wire came to realize that there was an ever-present danger of the unknown. "You start to think about all the times you traveled outside the wire and nothing happened," Colonel Wilson said. "Then you think of all the people that went outside the wire and met with some kind of circumstance that prevented them from coming home from their deployment." "You just never know," he said.