A University of Hawai'i law professor has been recognized by the Army for volunteering time in Iraq, UH officials said.

Professor James H. Pietsch on Friday was awarded a Secretary of the Army public service award.

The citation notes Pietsch's "extraordinary contributions" to the Law and Order Task Force for Multinational Force-Iraq in Baghdad from June through August of 2007.

"In volunteering his time, he willingly subjected himself to the considerable threat present in the operational environment in Baghdad. His dedication, passionate commitment to the rule of law, and thorough professionalism made him an invaluable mentor and member of the task force team," the citation states.

Pietsch, a retired Army officer, was granted study leave by the law school after he was invited by U.S. officials to assist with the establishment of the Law and Order Task Force in Iraq, a university representative said.

Pietsch is a law professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law, an adjunct professor of geriatric medicine and psychiatry at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and director of the University of Hawai'i Elder Law Program, officials said.