Major Jamie McRae, a bomb disposal technician with the Australian Army, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

The citation for the award was signed by Lieutenant-General Lloyd Austin of the US Army and reads:

“For exceptionally meritorious service in a combat zone with exposure to risk of hostile action during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His outstanding duty performance during combat operations in Iraq contributed to the overwhelming success of the command’s mission. His actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, Multi-National Corps Iraq and the Australian Army.”

Major McRae was serving with Combined Joint Task Force Troy, a multi-national unit comprising personnel, military and civilian, from the US, UK and Australia.

“I’m an ammunition technical officer, basically a bomb technician,” he explained.

“I was a post-blast analysis team leader, working on bomb disposal and exploitation . . . a bit like crime scene investigation.

“Every time an IED - an improvised explosive device, basically a home-made bomb - was used against Coalition forces, we would investigate it.”

Major McRae spent more than eight months in Iraq from January 3 to August 13.

While this was his first operational deployment to Iraq, he has also served in East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

Major McRae was born in Armidale but his family moved to Gunnedah, where his father, Barry, is a school teacher.

Many of his relatives still live in the Armidale, Wollomombi and Guyra areas, including his grandfather, Jim, a former member of Dumaresq Shire Council.

Major McRae joined the Army in January 1995, completing officer training at the Australian Defence Force Academy, before attending the Royal Military College and then being allocated to Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps and trained as a bomb technician.