Photo By Spc. Amanda McBride | Spc. Guillermo Guzman with 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat...... read more read more
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By Pfc. Amanda McBride
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – A 3rd Infantry Division Soldier from the Vanguard Brigade was presented with a Purple Heart, Dec. 8, for wounds received during Operation Iraqi Freedom III.
Spc. Guillermo Guzman with 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received the award from Brig. Gen. Edward Cardon, deputy commander of Multi-National Division – Center.
During the battalion's last deployment to Iraq, 10 of the 1-76th FA's platoons were tasked with traveling to the U.S. Embassy every day for missions.
"The mission that day was to go up to Taji and pick up a bunch of graduates from the Iraqi police academy up there and bring them back to Baghdad," Cardon said.
Guzman received the medal for wounds he sustained in an explosively-formed projectile attack during the convoy.
"It was a pretty horrific EFP attack that day," Cardon said.
Cardon told the Soldiers in attendance it is always hard to conduct a Purple Heart ceremony.
"For me, personally, it's always hard, because what do you say? 'Congratulations, you got wounded,'" Cardon said. "I normally say 'don't get another one.'"
It took some time for Guzman to actually receive the award due to the battalion redeploying.
"The injury occurred as the battalion was redeploying from their last deployment," said Lt. Col. Dane A. Barksdale, commander, 1-76th FA. "Because the award wasn't submitted in theater, the award had to be processed by the Human Resource Command in Alexandria, Va."
After many requests for information and the commanding general's recommendation, the Purple Heart came through.
"I'd like to thank all of you for coming out today," Guzman said, further stating that he dedicated his award "to my section and my platoon, and to all my friends I lost in OIF III."
The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are wounded by an instrument of war by the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of the service member killed in action or by wounds received.
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2007 13:30 |
| Story ID: | 14939 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 243 |
| Downloads: | 199 |
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