Local man earns Army’s Legion of Merit

L.A. SHIVELY for the Van Wert independent

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Army Command Sergeant Major Donald Freeman was awarded the Legion of Merit during a May 23 ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

The award for exceptionally meritorious service was presented to Freeman as the 502nd Mission Support Group command sergeant major, the senior noncommissioned officer leading an organization of more than 1,500 personnel. Freeman served with the 502nd MSG for nearly three years.

The 502nd MSG maintains more than 100 partner organizations throughout the Fort Sam Houston community.

“His leadership, selfless dedication to duty and untiring commitment to improving Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis are directly responsible for the success of all those that live and work on the installation as well as its transformation into a joint base,” wrote Army Lt. Gen. William Caldwell IV, commander of U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston for Freeman’s citation.

Joint Base San Antonio is the largest base organization in the Department of Defense, comprising three primary locations at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Lackland and Randolph and more than 200 mission partners.  JBSA services more DOD students than any other installation, more active runways than any other installation, houses the DOD’s largest hospital, supports more than 250,000 personnel including 425 retired general officers and interfaces with 1,000 civic leaders of San Antonio, 20 smaller communities, four counties and four Congressional Districts.

Freeman’s wife, Marlene, and daughter, Jasmine, attended the ceremony. A native of Van Wert, Freeman said he still considers the area his hometown, where his parents David and Karen Freeman, still reside in the community, as well as brothers Robert, Michael, Matthew and Patrick Freeman.

The command sergeant major will be moving to Fort Irwin, Calif., where he will be serving as the 916th Support Brigade’s senior noncommissioned officer.