As Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark Badger and his team walked the streets of southern Afghanistan in search of improvised bombs last October, one went off just feet from him.

His first instinct was to ignore his concussion and let adrenaline take over to make sure the rest of the soldiers were safe.

It was a similar surge of adrenaline two days later that helped him save the life of a bomb disposal teammate and assist with the medical treatment of another.

Badger, 30, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, was awarded a Purple Heart Monday morning at Peterson Air Force Base. He also has received the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for performing combat lifesaver skills in response to detonations that occurred near the village of Hendu Kalacheh.

Badger was assisting the Army in a joint operation with the Afghan National Army when a detonation killed an Afghan soldier and injured another. Badger, only feet away from the explosion, pushed through his pain and helped conduct a post-blast analysis of the area.

Two days later, Badger was still suffering headaches from the blast. After clearing out five explosive devices, the team was preparing to leave the area where it was working when Senior Airman Daniel Johnson, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, stepped on a hidden bomb. The 40 pounds of explosives also hit team leader Tech. Sgt. Robert Butler, also from Vandenberg.

“That was the second time I was hit in two days,” Badger said.

Despite his own injury, Badger performed a combat lifesaver procedure on Johnson, and helped rush him to medical help. He then ran to help Butler, who had been hit with nuts and bolts from the explosion.

Butler survived, suffering a shattered clavicle and a punctured lung. Johnson died shortly after the incident.

After working closely together, losing Johnson was like losing a brother, Badger said.

“There’s not a single day that goes by I don’t think of it,” he said. “As soon as I got back from Afghanistan, my wife and I drove out to see his family — it was very important to me. All in all, it’s been very hard.”

Badger is receiving treatment for a traumatic brain injury that has inhibited his short-term memory and vision, but he feels fortunate that his injuries weren’t more severe. He said he may return to Afghanistan.

Badger is humble about the honors he received, saying he only did what was necessary to help his teammates.

“It feels good to get recognized, but that’s the least of my worries and that’s not what I was thinking when I was out there doing what I had to do to get my team out of there,” Badger said.

His two brothers are also in the Air Force, and their father Tim said it was pleasing to have Badger recognized. When the three graduated from basic training eight years ago, he knew they would one day be in harm’s way.

Like his brothers, Badger has an integrity for helping his teammates.

“He’s definitely a team player, and everything he does is basically to try and help out,” Tim Badger said.

Staff Sgt. Mark Badger receives a hug from former Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team member Stephanie Haugland as she holds her son Kieran, as Badger’s father, Tim Badger looks on. Badger was awarded a Purple Heart in a ceremony Monday morning at Peterson Air Force Base. He also earned the Army Commendation Medal. As an bomb disposal specialist with the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Badger saved the life of a fellow EOD team member while serving in Afghanistan. Photo by CAROL LAWRENCE/The Gazette