5th CCG member earns Combat Action Medal Published Nov. 12, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A member of the 689th Combat Communications Wing's 5th Combat Communications Group has been awarded the Air Force Combat Action Medal. Staff Sgt. Alexander Yessayan was awarded the medal for protecting a five-vehicle convoy which was ambushed last November as it entered a small village in Afghanistan. Yessayan, who was serving as a machine gunner in the convoy, killed three insurgents, which allowed his team to escape with no serious injuries. He credited surviving the firefight to the combat training at Robins and additional training he received prior to deployment. It was the first time he had come under fire. "For me it was just adrenaline," he said. "I just remember doing what I had to do." Yessayan's convoy was headed into Mamuzi Village to establish communications to help citizens stay engaged with the local government. It had just crossed a stream when it came under attack. For his actions, Yessayan has been nominated for the Air Force's annual "Portraits in Courage" publication. The soft-cover book features stories about the heroic actions of Airmen under fire. Each command can submit five nominations. If Yessayan is chosen for the final publication, he would be the first Combat Communications member to be included, said Master Sgt. Robert Talenti, public affairs manager for the 689th Combat Communications Wing.