Meritorious achievement and service. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit and meritorious service. The lesser degree than that required for the award of the LM, must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction.
The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces. It is awarded for gallantry in action:
While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
Actions that merit the Silver Star must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations but do not merit award of the meet Medal of Honor or a Service Cross (Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross).
It is exactly what the bronze star is for. I don't think the SEAL team he was assigned to would have put him in for it if he was just punching a time clock, as those guys are definitely combat oriented.
He wasn’t on the battlefield taking fire, along with the SEAL’s he gave advice too that were actually performing the mission. I guess you could call him the unit’s mascot, so he got a Bronze Star too, while he was safely back at base camp waiting for his atta’ boy.