Photo By Aimee Fujikawa | Mary Cheh, District Councilmember representing Ward 3, presented a Ceremonial...... read more read more
WASHINGTON, DC (March 30, 2016) — The Executive Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia recognized the first female Purple Heart recipient belonging to the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) for her service in Iraq, here.
City officials presented Antoinette Scott, a former DCNG Soldier with the 547th Transportation Company, with a reading of a Ceremonial Resolution that officially recognizes her receipt of the distinguished medal previously awarded for her combat service in Iraq.
Scott, a mother of four daughters and grandmother of a 3-month-old granddaughter, expressed humility and tremendous gratitude for those who came out to the event.
“I always want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, because that day was very tragic for me. I think about it often and in my thanks and in my gratitude I found many ways to give back to veterans.”
Scott gives back by advocating for veterans as a member of the Mayor’s Office Advisory Board on DC Veterans Affairs and as a Zumba instructor.
Mary Cheh, District Councilmember representing Ward 3, presented the award to Scott before a small group of attendees gathered in the hallway of the John A. Wilson Building in downtown Washington, DC.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor the spirit of Women’s History Month than to celebrate the service and tenacity of women who have served in our military and in our Armed Forces generally,” Cheh said.
Staff Sgt. Anthony McKinney, a former DCNG member who served with Scott in the 547th Transportation Company in Iraq, recounted the events that led to her being awarded the Purple Heart.
“On one of Spc. Scott’s missions, she was hit by a roadside bomb, an improvised explosive device,” he said. “She took it pretty well, I must say before she was (medically evacuated) over to Landstuhl, Germany, where she was cared for.”
About four months later, McKinney received a call from Landstuhl asking to speak to their commander or our first sergeant about Scott wanting to return back to the war zone.
He informed them she will not be coming back to the war zone.
“We had only two months left and we will meet her at our reception station when we return,” he said.
McKinney said Scott served with the 547th Transportation Company from 2003 to 2004 and carried out several missions while serving in Iraq.
McKinney, a National Guard Bureau protocol officer and DC honor guard Soldier, presented Scott with an award from the 82nd Airborne, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“It a pleasure and honor to finally present her with this award that she never had a chance to get because she was sent home early,” he said.
Scott received the Certificate of Achievement for outstanding achievement while supporting the 82nd Airborne, 2nd Brigade Division from June 2003 to July 2004.
Scott welcomed the idea of her daughters signing up to serve their country because of the benefits and life experience that comes with joining the military.
“I am 100 percent in support of women joining the military,” she said. “I would love to see one of [my four daughters] them just dabble, even if it’s just the Reserves or National Guard," she said. “I am proud that my daughters are proud of me.”
| Date Taken: | 03.30.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2016 14:19 |
| Story ID: | 194550 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 209 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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