Photo By Darriel Swatts | (Left to right) Command Sgt. Maj. Sammy Sablan, Lt. Col. James Posey, Spc. Olivia...... read more read more
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By: CW2 John Gaffney
40th CAB
Camp Taji, IRAQ – Three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers from Kentucky were presented the Purple Heart medal in a June 9 ceremony for combat injuries they sustained during an insurgent mortar attack here.
The soldiers, assigned to 8th Battalion, 229th Attack Reconnaissance Regiment, and based at Fort Knox, Ky., deployed to Iraq in February in support of Operation New Dawn under Task Force Condor, headed by the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade of the California National Guard.
The soldiers honored include:
Spc. Olivia R. Samples of Louisville, Ky., an automated logistics supply specialist with the battalion’s aviation maintenance company. Samples is a full-time member of the unit, having joined in March 2008.
Spc. Mitchell Seekman of Radcliff, Ky., an Apache helicopter crew chief with one of the battalion’s flight companies. Seekman joined the battalion in February 2006, and when not deployed works full time as an automotive body repair technician.
Spc. Nathaniel Lovewell of Oldham County, Ky., an aircraft hydraulic system repair technician in the battalion’s aviation maintenance company, joined the battalion in March 2008 and is a full-time student at Eastern Kentucky University where he is enrolled in the ROTC program.
The soldiers were performing their regular duties on the airfield flightline just prior to sunrise as part of the third shift, or overnight shift, maintenance team when mortar rounds began impacting the airfield. They immediately took cover, along with other members of the team.
“We could hear the rounds coming closer and closer,” Samples said.
One mortar round landed close enough to injure the three soldiers with shrapnel and blast pressure. Following the attack, they were transported to the base medical clinic for evaluation and treatment of their injuries.
For Lovewell, there was some added drama following the attack.
His brother Steven also is a member of the unit, and both brothers were told that the other was unaccounted for after the incident. They ran towards each other’s location and were relieved to find each other on the way.
Samples and Lovewell remained at Taji following treatment, but due to his more significant injuries, Seekman was transported to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany for more advanced care.
During the ceremony, Brigade Commander Col. Mitch Medigovich praised the three as great soldiers who were willing to place themselves in harm’s way for the good of their country. He also specifically complimented the soldiers for their conduct following the incident.
“Their grace and dignity makes us proud and they really are the epitome of the Warrior Ethos,” he said.
Battalion Commander Lt. Col. James O. Posey Jr. summed up the gratitude of all present that the toll from the attack was not higher.
He said, “The enemy controlled what was going on that morning, only God knew what was going to happen.”
During the ceremony, Seekman also was awarded the Combat Action Badge. Samples and Lovewell had been presented their badges at an earlier ceremony that occurred while Seekman was in Germany.
Following the ceremony, Lovewell said, “This is an honor. You know, I told my mom I wasn’t going to get wounded over here.”
Seekman added, “I guess I paid my price. I didn’t want to earn this medal, but I got it. I thank God for my life.”
Samples echoed that sentiment, saying, “We are so lucky; we are blessed in so many ways.”
The soldiers were truly honored by the ceremony, and to receive the noteworthy medal in front of their peers. However, they also had other things on their minds as Samples and Lovewell were just hours from departing Taji to head back to the United States for regularly scheduled R&R leave, and time with family and friends. They have quite a story to tell.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2011 04:21 |
| Story ID: | 72399 |
| Location: | CAMP TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 545 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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