An ISU professor was awarded a military decoration this month.

Cmdr. David Asjes, assistant professor of naval science and executive officer of the ISU Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. He was awarded the medal on Sept. 4 for exceptional service during his latest tour in Iraq.

Just after the beginning of the 2007 fall semester he was deployed to Iraq for seven months. He served as an individual augmentee to a command and control staff. His job was to coordinate air support in Iraq and Afghanistan. His superior officer felt Asjes’ efforts warranted recognition, so Asjes was awarded the Bronze Star.

Since joining the Navy, Asjes has been deployed on multiple occasions. He was deployed to the Middle East shortly before Operation Desert Storm, but returned just before the conflict. In 1997 he was deployed to work in the Adriatic Sea. He was deployed again, to Kosovo, in 2001 for peacekeeping duties.

Growing up in Kansas City, Mo., Asjes said he dreamed of one day flying planes. He knew the path to his dream would be difficult, but he also knew not to give up.

Asjes graduated high school and moved to Annapolis, Md., to study systems engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Then the unexpected happened — Asjes’ eyesight went bad and he could no longer achieve his dream of flying.

“I started at 20/20, but by the middle of my sophomore year, I began to grow near-sighted,” Asjes said. “These days, someone interested in becoming a Navy pilot can get certain types of laser eye surgery done to correct back to 20/20, but in the early ’80s I didn’t have an option like that.”

However, Asjes persevered and decided to attend flight school in Pensacola, Fla.

“I became a naval flight officer instead, and was eventually trained to become a radar intercept officer, flying in the backseat of F-14s,” Asjes said.

After 20 years in the Navy, Asjes said he needed a change of pace. In spring 2005, Asjes joined the ROTC faculty at Iowa State.

Commander Asjes currently teaches Naval Science 220: Leadership and Management, and he will be teaching Naval Science 212: Sea Power and Maritime Affairs this spring.