Medic's training pays off in combat

Photo By Sgt. Shantelle Campbell | Seven Soldiers from 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, Kan., were given awards during an award ceremony at Forward Operating Base Bernstein, Nov. 13. Six Combat Action Badges and one Combat Medic Badge were awarded during the ceremony.  

TUZ, IRAQ

11.13.2009

Story by Spc. Shantelle Campbell 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

TUZ, Iraq — A 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Soldier from Fruitland, Idaho, was the first in her brigade to receive the Combat Medic Badge for her actions since deploying to Iraq this year.

Private Brandi Hunter, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4-1 BSTB, 1st Inf. Div. out of Fort Riley, Kan., was among seven Soldiers who were presented awards Nov. 13 for saving lives, Oct. 11.

On that day, a 4-1 BSTB convoy was hit by a RKG-3 anti-tank grenade. As the truck filled with black smoke, Hunter and the rest of the Soldiers in the vehicle quickly sprung into action, ensuring that everyone in the vehicle was OK and tending to wounds suffered as a result of the attack.

At first, it was a little cloudy, said Hunter. However, they quickly pulled the gunner out of the turret of the Mine Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicle. While the squad leader, Staff Sgt. Andre Gonzales, was asking everyone if they were OK, Hunter said they noticed he was bleeding. That's when they tended to his wounds and continued.

"Everything that I'd learned was running through my head," she said.

The "Wolverine" battalion commander, Lt. Col. Eric Moore, said that he feels confident about going out on missions because he has Soldiers like Hunter who know how to execute their duties to standard.

Combat Action badges were awarded to the six other Soldiers. After the award ceremony, Hunter remained humble saying, "award or not, it's still fulfilling."

"It's my job," she said. "That's what I'm trained to do and that's why I'm with them to do exactly what I did."

CAB Awardees are as follows:

Spc. Jeffrey Fugitt, a military policeman
Pvt. Kasey Huff, a military policeman
Pfc. Daniel Meyers, a military policeman
Spc. Arabelle Isaac, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear specialist
Pfc. Shawn Proctor, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear specialist
Pfc. Meghan Raulston, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear specialist

• Date Taken: 11.13.2009
• Date Posted: 11.18.2009 08:12
• Story ID: 41721
• Location: TUZ, IQ