 During the two-and-half years he led the team he had worked hard to remain in personal contact with its members despite their geographic dispersion, and on occasion while visiting advisors in outstations he had become involved with clashes with the enemy during which his courage and leadership "contributed to the success of operations".Serong declined a formal presentation of the award.From 1965 to 1967 he was senior advisor to the South Vietnamese Police Field Force.