An airman with ties to the Central Coast received a Silver Star Medal for his courageous work during an operation in Afghanistan.
Tech Sgt. Michael Perolio, a graduate of Nipomo High School, was given the Silver Star Medal at JBSA Lackland in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday. The Silver Star Medal is the United States Armed Force’s third-highest decoration for valor in combat.
According to NBC-affiliate WOAI in San Antonio, Sgt. Perolio tended to three wounded comrades and called air and ground support after his team was ambushed in Afghanistan with incoming machine gunfire. Sgt. Perolio directed airstrikes, which took out 12 of the attackers. His wife, Brooke Perolio, says the mission in which he received an honor for happened in January 2018 while serving as a special force joint terminal attack controller.
Sgt. Perolio enlisted in the airforce after he graduated from Nipomo High School in 2007. Following enlisting, he spent 2.5 years at Vandenberg Air Force Base in security forces, followed by 1.5 years at Hurlburt Field in Florida. After his time in Florida, Sgt. Perolio was stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. Periolio says her husband has served three tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq since enlisting in the United States Air Force.
Sgt. Perolio is currently stationed in San Antonio in special operations and selection course and won’t deploy for four years.
