A Hawai'i Army National Guard member has received the Bronze Star for inventing a way to add armor to the underside of Humvees to protect them from roadside bombs.

Maj. Chris Slavens, a Castle High and University of Hawai'i-Manoa graduate, received the award Dec. 10.

Slavens, who is with the 29th Brigade stationed at Logistics Support Area Anaconda near Balad, Iraq, said the credit belongs to "all the welders and mechanics who figured out how to make an idea work. Otherwise, it would just be an idea."

Armor has been attached to the sides and undercarriage of 130 of the Humvees in Slavens' brigade. He said that while the Army does have armored Humvees, it lacks additional armoring kits to further protect vulnerable areas of the combat vehicle.

Slavens' family was happy to hear about his award.

The holidays have been a struggle to get through with him so far away from his wife, Kerri, and two children, ages 7 and 4. His parents even canceled their annual Christmas brunch, which traditionally features Slavens as an omelet maker for his 30 or so friends and family members.

Slavens is set to return home sometime this month after a year in Iraq.