Anthony Jason Sellars

Conflicts & Campaigns

• Afghanistan

Significant Duty Stations

• Forward Operating Base, Salerno, Khowst, Afghanistan-OEF IV. (Pakisran/Afghanistan Border,Osama Bin Laden's hometown)
• 1/501st Arctic Parachute Regiment - Geronimo - Ft. Richardson, Alaska.
• 3/75th Ranger Regiment - Ft Benning, Ga.;1st Calvary - Ft Hood, Texas.
• Special Assignments:
• 8 months acting Company Commander as an E-5 (w Command Orders)
• Al Qaeda Prison Guard.
• Establishment of Standard Operating Procedure For entrance into Forward Operating Base, Salerno.
• Assigned to be a S2 Intelligence Analyst in Afghanistan.
• Jumpmaster.

Decorations & Citations

• GWOT Expeditionary Medal.; GWOT Service Medal; Afghanistan Medal; Army Commendation Medal(2); Army Achievement Medal (3); Combat Action Ribbon; Army Good Conduct Medal (2); National Defense Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Commandant's List); Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon (2) Expert Infantryman's Badge; Combat Infantryman's Badge; German Parachutist Badge.

Notes

Graduate of Cairo High School Class of 1998. Sgt Sellars Mortar Section was the first to fire in combat while in Afghanistan from the 1/501st Arctic Parachute Infantry Regiment making it the first to fire in combat since the unit's involvement in Vietnam. The units Forward Operating Base (FOB) was being attacked on Thanksgiving Day at Chapman Airfield, which was a small FOB with an airfield consisting of one squad from the 1/501st and a Special Forces unit. Sgt. Sellars action directly contributed to protecting the base preventing friendly casualties and capturing enemy combatants. Sgt. Sellars negotiated with local nomadic tribesmen a deal allowing for a food and water trade for enemy weaponry, resulting in a large amount of ammunition and large caliber weaponry while also acquiring key intelligence on enemy operations and illegal enemy actions in the local area. Sgt. Sellars also worked in the S2 Intelligence section while in Afghanistan, analyzing intelligence being gathered on the enemy. Sgt. Sellars carried 150lbs one his back while buddy carrying mortar ammunition up and down a mountain after injuring his L4/l5 and L5/S1 discs in his back. This injury was also simultaneous when his mortar section was set up facing the Pakistan border and came under attack when a rocket was launched from the Pakistani border aimed at his position. The rocket which was fired from inside Pakistan, impacted the mountain on the other side of gully at the height of the mountain finger where Sgt. Sellars mortar section was located. Sgt. Sellars was later medically discharged due to this injury per physician's request after refusing the option to perform non-light infantry related duties. Using a translator, Sgt. Sellars threatened the life of tribal leader to enforce his directions to the nomadic leader to allow a young boy around 8 years old to drink a full bottle of water that Sgt. Sellars had given him. The leaders routinely abused these children and they were often neglected while being used for their personal desires. (HUMOROUS)After being seasoned to Afghanistan and needing a shower really bad, Sgt. Sellars "finished his shower when the FOB came under a mortar attack. Upon finishing his shower, he then successfully made it into the safety bunker located nearby. Sgt. Sellars believed that it was not his time to go, and evidently that belief remained true, plus showers were really hard to come by when you were a sergeant. #### (Heartwarming) Sgt. Sellars was the only soldier from the 1/501st to make it back in time for his daughter's birth out of approximately 100 (+) Geronimo babies being born during the unit's combat operations.