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FORWARD OPERATING BASE KUNDUZ, Afghanistan - The ISAF commander had the honor of pinning a Purple Heart on a first sergeant while he was visiting 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment at Forward Operating Base Kunduz, Afghanistan, Oct. 4.
The Purple Heart recipient, 1st Sgt. Robert Foster from Pittston, Maine, A Company, 1-87, was positioning his soldiers' vehicles near the Qurghantapa Bridge in the Imam Sahib District, Aug. 5, at 7:45 a.m., when a suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device drove into Foster's truck and exploded on impact, Foster said.
Foster was in front of his truck directing vehicles when the explosion happened and he flew 20 feet and landed on his shoulder. Foster's truck was positioned at the rear of the convoy and the blast disabled three of the ISAF vehicles.
"We were moving to the village to establish the first cordon and I was out of the vehicle repositioning vehicles when a suicide vbid approached from the rear," Foster said.
The first sergeant was thrown by the blast, which resulted in a concussion, a shoulder injury and he took shrapnel to his legs as well, Foster said. One of his other Soldiers was also injured and took shrapnel to the face. After the blast the Soldiers continued their job securing the area.
"We established security and evacuated the vehicles," Foster said.
During a meeting Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of ISAF, was asked if he wanted to pin the first sergeant's Purple Heart.
"It'd be an honor to do it," Petraeus said. "First sergeant's are looking young these days. This is a reward nobody wants."
The Silver Star was mentioned during a conversation after the Purple Heart presentation and Petraeus said he'd like to see a request for one to cross his desk.
"He hadn't had one across his desk yet," said Foster. "We're fighting so much daily that it's become like second nature. He didn't want us to forget to recognize what our soldiers are doing here."
The battalion is doing its best to stay aware of the good job the Soldiers are doing and recognizing them when the occasion presents itself. During this deployment, 1-87 has already recognized many soldiers with Purple Hearts and Army Commendation medals of Valor.
"We have one in the works, Sir," referring to a Silver Star recommendation, said Maj. Jacob Larkowich, executive officer, 1-87. "We have a young lieutenant who was pretty bold and did the right thing in a pretty trying situation. It was pretty impressive what he did, Sir."
The general went on to explain how the fighting today has changed from what it was in the past.
"You know what's happened is we've gotten to the point, it's probably a different war, where these guys are just in continuous combat," said Petraeus. "The places to the east and the combat outposts, just every day, like some of the fights we've got in the south. It's just become another day at the office. The rangers they're going out every single night doing incredible stuff and yet it's just another day for them."
With combat being an everyday occurrence now, Petraeus is hoping leaders aren’t overlooking soldiers who should get the recognition for what they have done.
"We've got to do a better job of capturing that and recognizing people," Petraeus said. "What you're doing is really historical stuff, there's not been battalions spread out like this. I've spent every single day deployed since 2001, it seems like. I don't ever remember a unit being spread out like this with independent platoons all over the place.
That's just extraordinary and so we got to try to capture that and make sure the folks back at the school house and back home really understand what it is you do."
The difference strategy during this deployment has stretched the battalion and has brought out many soldiers’ strengths to the forefront.
"I think the battalion is doing an outstanding job to cover the large area that we have here," Foster said. "It's hundreds of miles. To independently operate at that distance and have the success we're having, which goes to show the maturity and confidence of our young leaders and soldiers, it's just platoons out there on their own. There's not much oversight from Battalion."
Petraeus shook the hand of the first sergeant’s commander and found a coin in his hand.
"Company commanders are giving out coins now?" asked Petraeus. "Man, I'm telling you it's a brave new world."
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2010 11:10 |
| Story ID: | 58676 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE KUNDUZ, AF |
| Web Views: | 198 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
This work, International Security Assistance Force Commander, by PFC Cynthia Teears Van Cleve, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
