Sounds like they should have put him in charge. Anyone of "them" over there that were resisting in any form or fashion towards our troops should have a trip out in the desert and a incendiary grendade set next to his head as well as up his butt!
He does deserve a Here's Welcome Home.
Nope...nothing heroic in this case. In fact kinda the opposite. He's just a soldier that made a poor decision and paid a price.