Coins of the Coalition - Spc. Santiago [Image 4 of 11]

IRAQ

05.15.2020

Photo by Spc. Angel Ruszkiewicz 

Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve   

Challenge coins are traditionally given to individuals to signify membership in an organization or commemorate an outstanding achievement. While it is not uncommon for service members to receive more than one coin in their career, many only carry the one that is most important to them.

“Working here at the post office, we had a lot of backlogged mail. When we got the huge rush of mail, I — with a couple of my peers — took lead and helped get it pushed out very quickly. The 1st TSC ended up having more mail than usual, so what we ended up doing was aiding them and moving it to their mail room and organizing it to get it to Syria. Whether it would be sending it through 630th or Gimlet, we coordinated with those units to help 1st TSC get their mail to Syria. After that, they insisted on giving someone a coin. When they had the idea of giving it to a lower ranking specialist who’s here, my name got brought up for a few of the bullets, the reasons why. They came in a couple times and I helped them out a few times, so they immediately gravitated towards me. They were like, ‘Hey, Spc. Santiago does a great job, is it possible that we can give him a coin?’ A couple weeks later their chief and command sergeant major came by one day, really quick, and presented me with this coin. It was my first coin, so it actually means a lot more that it’s my first coin and I got it out here on deployment.”

U.S. Army Spc. Alexander Santiago, postal clerk

• Date Taken: 05.15.2020
• Date Posted: 05.22.2020 01:26
• Photo ID: 6218742
• VIRIN: 200515-A-JD648-1010
• Resolution: 5803x3868
• Size: 10.94 MB
• Location: IQ