On the night of July 20, Tech Sgt. Esteban Ochoa III lead a convoy to Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq, as the convoy commander. The convoy team he commanded consisted of 14 Airmen, operating seven military-series tractor/trailer combinations and nine Soldiers, providing gun truck support in three military designed up-armored utility vehicles. Also in the convoy were about two dozen third-country national contracted tractor/trailer drivers with one operator per vehicle. Approximately six miles from logistics support area Anaconda, a pressure plate improvised explosive device detonated the lead vehicle of the convoy.
The truck was severely damaged and set ablaze; nevertheless, Sergeant Ochoa never lost his composure. He quickly and accurately began going through recovery and security actions and directed the lead gun truck to go right while he and his driver went left through the fiery haze. After rolling through the fire, Sergeant Ochoa and Airman 1st Class Ronie Rankins saw the driver of the damaged truck, Airman 1st Class Joshua Collins, lying in the median.
When they pulled up to him, Airman Rankins assessed that both the driver of the truck and the lead vehicle commander, Staff Sgt. Michael Stewart, were injured. Airman Rankins stopped the truck and immediately rendered first aid while Sergeant Ochoa began collecting the information needed for emergency medical evacuation. He then directed the other two gun trucks into position to secure the location.
Once the pertinent information was collected, he tried to reach the quick reaction force on the convoy net. Unfortunately for the convoy, the attack took place in a location where communications were blacked out and they were unable to contact anyone until a southbound convoy appeared. After making contact with their “Little Bird” escort, Sergeant Ochoa passed on all information to evacuate the two injured Airmen. After they were evacuated, the QRF secured the attack location, and Sergeant Ochoa led his convoy back to LSA Anaconda. Two days later, Sergeant Ochoa led the convoy on its way with Sergeant Stewart back in the lead vehicle, and successfully completed the mission.