LTC James R. Enos '00
2021 NININGER AWARD Recipient Announcement
The West Point Association of Graduates is pleased to announce that Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) James R. Enos, Class of 2000, has been selected to receive the 2021 Alexander R. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms, which will be presented on October 21, 2021, at West Point, New York.
On December 4, 2006, then Captain James Robert Enos displayed exceptional valor, courage, and leadership as the Company Commander for Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Dog Company was participating in an operation to attack and clear the insurgent stronghold of SOFIA and SAJARIAH. In the afternoon, one of his platoons came under fire and within 90 minutes his entire company was receiving heavy enemy fire. Captain Enos, himself under fire, directed devastating close air support, mortar, and artillery strikes onto identified enemy positions. At the same time, he continued to direct the tanks and the fires of his three platoons to suppress and destroy additional enemy positions. Under these covering fires, he directed the evacuation of four badly wounded Soldiers which saved their lives. The citation of the Silver Star he received for his actions on that day reads, “Throughout this entire action, Captain Enos demonstrated strong and calm leadership while directing a chaotic battle and personally under constant enemy fire. His leadership kept the company in the fight and the enemy was killed and driven from the battlefield that day.”
Enos was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on December 4, 2006. In addition, Enos has been awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device. Additionally, he is Ranger, Airborne, and Air Assault qualified; has earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Expert Infantryman’s Badge; and the Joint Staff Identification Badge.
Enos is currently an Academy Professor at the U.S. Military Academy (Department of Systems Engineering) serving as the Director of the Operations Research Center and teaches classes in Systems Dynamics and Lean Six Sigma.