The exploits of Special Warfare Operators, such as the Navy SEALs, have been the subject of many a Hollywood movie – but reality is a far cry from what we can see on the big screen. Gerardo Sosa, a U.S. Navy explosive ordinance disposal chief, shared: “We’re not cowboys or adrenaline junkies. We’re not running around in bomb suits cutting wires and blowing stuff up. Our job is about exercising extreme caution, doing what we are trained to do and saving lives.”

And save a life, indeed, is what he has done, a feat that has earned him a Silver Star. A feature on The Orange County Register shared how Sosa saved the life of a Navy SEAL, on September 7, 2009. The Navy SEAL, who was not identified, had stepped on a land mine in Afghanistan. Sosa cleared two active explosives in the area, so that emergency medical personnel can give the severely injured SEAL with the medical treatment he needed.

At that time, Sosa was providing support for a Navy SEAL operation in Malmand Bazar, in the Kandahar Province in Afghanistan. The team leader had stepped on an active land mine, and lost both legs in the blast; it turned out that the team had been trapped in an active mine field, and Sosa was literally on his hands and knees as he cleared the path to the wounded SEAL. One of the two explosives that he deactivated had been very close to the SEAL. He also cleared the path for his team so that the injured SEAL could be carried to safety. His actions ensured that the injured SEAL would survive the ordeal.

Lt. David Bennett shared: “The work of EOD technicians often goes unnoticed… These are highly trained professionals who are truly experts when it comes to explosives. It’s the only EOD force that is trained to operate in the air, on land and under water.”

Sosa was awarded the Silver Star, the third-highest Navy honor after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, last Friday, in San Diego.