Maj. Mark Slusher, a Marine advisor to Iraqi forces, has earned the Bronze Star medal with a combat-distinguishing device for his role in guiding Iraqi troops on a three-week mission to rid the area near the city of Basra of insurgents and weapons caches last August. Slusher, the deputy operations officer for the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, received the medal during a Jan. 12 ceremony at Camp Lejeune, N.C. His role in the mission reflects the effort to transfer control and responsibility for security in Iraq to the Iraqi military, the Marine Corps says. "It’s fire-in-the-belly courage and leadership," said Brig. Gen. Juan G. Ayala, commander of the 2nd MLG, during the ceremony. "It’s because of American advisors putting their lives on the line that the Iraqi army is on its feet." During the operation, Slusher repeatedly put himself in harm’s way, according to the medal citation and eyewitness accounts.
