Lt. Col. Michael Mentavlos, Air Force Office of
Special Investigations, left, recognizes Martinez
as an honorary Special Agent at Bagram Air
Field in Afghanistan
STEWART GUARD BASE – A member of the New York Air National Base
at Stewart Airport has been honored by the Air Force Office of Special
Investigation.
Tech. Sgt. Flavio Martinez, a member of the 105th Base Defense Squadron,
part of the 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh, was recognized for the actions
he took to care for the wounded and secure the area following a suicide
bombing attack outside Bagram Airfield on December 21, 2015.
Martinez and two other Air Force security forces airmen have been made
honorary Special Investigations agents in recognition of their actions
that day.
Six airmen, including two from the 105th Airlift Wing – Staff Sgt.
Louis Bonacasa and Tech Sgt. Joseph Lemm, were killed when a suicide bomber
on a motorcycle attacked their patrol. The other four airmen killed were
Office of Special Investigations agents.
Lemm and Bonacasa were credited with moving to prevent the attack and
save the lives of other airmen on the mission. They were awarded the Bronze
Star with V device posthumously.
Martinez and two other airmen reacted “heroically” following
the attack, according to the Office of Special Investigations.
In his civilian life, Martinez works for the Westchester County Department
of Corrections.
