Sgt. 1st Class Chad E. Lawson of Cincinnati shakes the hand of Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, International Security Assistance Force and commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, after being presented the Silver Star during a ceremony Feb. 14 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Lawson, a communications sergeant, Operational Detachment Alpha 3116, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., deployed as a member of Special Operations Task Force – South, was awarded the medal for his valorous acts performed Aug. 4, 2010, during combat operations in Kandahar.