Staff Sergeant Gilliam K. Decker (U.S. Army) and his family were in attendance at Syracuse University’s Sept. 4th football home opener against Rhode Island. At every home game, the Syracuse University Athletics Department and the Office for Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) honor a “Hometown Hero” and their family, recognizing their service and sacrifice to our nation and the Central New York community.
SSG Decker entered the Unites States Army in 2004 as a 19 Delta, Cavalry Scout. He proudly served with the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division for his first six years in the Army. SSG Decker has deployed to Iraq in support of four campaigns: Iraqi Governance, National Resolution, Iraqi Surge, and Iraqi Sovereignty.
The military accomplishment SSG Decker is most proud of was being selected over senior personnel within his unit to command an up-armored, gun truck, which he was responsible for driving over 200 military convoys across IED riddled roads in Iraq. For his combat performance, he was awarded the Combat Action Badge. In 2010, after Staff Sergeant Decker’s last deployment to Iraq, he became a U.S. Army Recruiter serving at Recruiting Command units in Wisconsin and Arkansas. He currently serves in the Syracuse Recruiting Battalion and resides in Baldwinsville, N.Y.