The battalion spent six months last year providing security and training Afghan forces in the volatile Hellmand Province.

Sgt. Lian Flynn received his Bronze Star for leading his squad through a sweep under heavy fire that took 72 hours.

Cpl. Tyler Pawlak received his medal for rushing into enemy fire to help a wounded Marine.

Lt. Col. Christian Cabaniss lead the battalion through the deployment. He says he's proud of these two Marines.

"Our core values: honor, courage, and commitment, to a lot of people they're just words. But they lived them, they really lived them. The actions that they took throughout the period you just look at it and you go, these are great young Americans, they are our next greatest generation."

Cabaniss says the Marines performed these heroic acts in 140-degree temperatures.

Fourteen Marines from the battalion died during the deployment.

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