Star of Military Valour
- Awarded on: June 26, 2008
- Invested on: February 13, 2009
Rank: Master Corporal
Co-recipients:
Captain Jonathan Snyder, S.M.V. (deceasd)
Corporal Cary Baker, M.M.V.
Corporal Steven Joel Bancarz, M.M.V.
Captain Robert Peel, M.M.V., C.D.
Corporals Baker, Ball and Bancarz, and Captains Peel and Snyder were deployed to Afghanistan to serve as mentors to an Afghan company, when they were ambushed by Taliban insurgents on June 4, 2008. With little chance of survival, they exposed themselves to great peril and retaliated against the enemy while encouraging the Afghan soldiers to do the same. Captain Snyder seized control of the situation and ensured that the Afghan soldiers retrieved their wounded comrades. Corporal Ball led a two-man team across broken terrain to secure an extraction route that allowed for the execution of a fighting withdrawal by Captain Peel and Corporals Bancarz and Baker. Because of their dedication, leadership and valour, many Afghan and Canadian lives were saved.
