Photo By Sgt. 1st Class JaJuan Broadnax | U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Commander Lt. Col. Erik Andreasen pins a lapel onto U.S....... read more read more
FORT BENNING, Ga. – In an auditorium of Soldiers from units across the Army, he was recognized during one of the biggest events hosted by U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. On March 19, 2022, Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen received the Order of Saint Maurice (OSM) Medal.
During the beginning of an awards ceremony marking the end of the 2022 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships, Nguyen was presented the award by USAMU commander Lt. Col. Erik Andreasen.
Nguyen was taken off guard because he was not expecting to receive the award during the ceremony. “I felt a little nervous being presented with the Order of Saint Maurice. The U.S. Army Small Arms Championship is one of the largest events hosted by the unit and to be singled out for this award, I was a little shy,” he said.
The nervousness and shyness were soon put to rest when Nguyen realized the USAMU command team and the Training and Doctrine Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt Maj. Daniel T. Hendrex, had donned their OSM Medals for the ceremony. “I was still nervous walking up to the stage,” he said. “But when I noticed Lt. Col. Andreasen, Command Sgt. Maj. [Aaron] Forry, Command Sgt. Maj. Hendrex, and Capt. [Jonas] Mills all wearing their Order of Saint Maurice as well, I felt a little bit of weight lift off my shoulders. Suddenly, I felt a sense of relief that I wasn’t the only one on the stage, and that I was standing next to four other outstanding and amazing Soldiers who have also been awarded the Order of Saint Maurice.”
The Order of Saint Maurice is awarded by the National Infantry Association and the Chief of Infantry to recognize significant contributions to the Infantry Branch. Awardees are nominated by previous recipients. Board members then review each nomination packet to determine if the criteria are met.
Nguyen met all the criteria but felt as if his accomplishments and contributions were not enough to be recognized by the National Infantry Association. “When I was initially approached about submitting my bio for the Order of Saint Maurice, I turned it down. I personally thought of others in my unit who have contributed much more than I have, and thought they are more deserving of this award,” he said. “I know several other colleagues who contribute consistently. Over the span of seven years, I have volunteered personal time in between my training to give back to the Infantry community by joining the Instructor Training Group and teaching marksmanship fundamentals. Those blocks of instructions are mostly here and there. I still believe that is far less than several of my peers.”
But that is not the case. In 2012, less than two years after graduating from Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Westminster, California native was struck by an improvised explosive device during a dismounted foot patrol in Afghanistan. He spent two years recovering from his injuries and was able to continue serving on active duty despite the loss of a limb. In 2014, he joined the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, as a part of the World Class Athlete Program where he continues to compete. His most recent accomplishments include making the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team and earning a Silver Medal at the 2021 Lima Para World Cup.
“Although I believe that I am under qualified of this prestigious award, my mentor and leadership believe that I am well deserving of this award,” he said. “I am honored and humbled by their faith and confidence in me, and with that thought, I will continue to do my best to uphold the prestige and accolades of this award.”
Nguyen continues to train and compete in hopes of making the 2024 Paralympic Team.
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The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit wins national and international shooting competitions, supports Army accessions, and advances small arms lethality to demonstrate Army marksmanship capability, enhance recruiting and increase marksmanship effectiveness in combat. USAMU is part of the U.S. Army Marketing Engagement Brigade and the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2022 14:59 |
| Story ID: | 419543 |
| Location: | FORT BENNING, GA, US |
| Hometown: | WESTMINSTER, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 784 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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