Liberty Wing captain to receive Lance P. Sijan Award Published Jan. 19, 2012 By Staff Sgt. David Dobrydney 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Capt. Gilbert Wyche, 48th Security Forces Squadron officer in charge of logistics and resources, has been selected to receive the 2011 Lance P. Sijan USAF Leadership Award in the Junior Officer category. The Sijan award annually recognizes Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. "We're extremely proud... this is a huge award," said Lt. Col. Paul Cairney, 48th SFS commander. While deployed to Afghanistan, Wyche took command of a perimeter sector during a three-hour ground attack. He placed his team into defensive positions and stayed on the line directing their actions during the fight. Despite being wounded from an enemy hand grenade, he displayed heroic action, engaging 19 enemy forces with small arms fire at extreme close quarters. His team is credited with killing nine enemy forces and quelling the main enemy assault. "What's amazing, and this really shows Captain Wyche's character, is whenever he is congratulated he is quick to deflect it to highlight his team," Cairney added. The Lance P. Sijan award was first presented in 1981. It is named in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Captain Sijan was shot down over Vietnam on Nov. 9, 1967, and evaded capture for 45 days despite severe injuries. He later died while in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp and was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.