Photo By Erin Sherwood | Sgt. Maj. Katrina O’Coin, chief medical noncommissioned talent manager, Command...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT KNOX, Ky. – For Sgt. Maj. Katrina O’Coin, chief medical noncommissioned officer talent manager, Sergeant Major Division, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, there is one moment of service she will always remember.
In 2005, O’Coin (then SGT Speer) was assigned to the 759th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne) as a practical nursing specialist. Her unit deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where she provided Soldiers with medical care at Forward Operating Base Orgun-E, which is located near Patika province.
On March 16, 2006, her team received a call regarding mass casualties. O’Coin and her team were removing bandages from Pfc. Channing Moss, one of the injured Soldiers.
“Suddenly our lead surgeon, General Surgeon Maj. John Oh, told everyone on the team to evacuate the aid station,” she said. “The Soldier we were removing the bandages from had an impaled rocket-propelled grenade in his abdomen.”
Unlike a thrown grenade, an RPG is launched using a small rocket motor. If detonated, it would kill anyone within 30 feet, and it could have gone off at any second with the slightest movement.
After a very brief conversation with the explosive ordnance disposal team on site, Oh explained the severity of the situation to the team and asked for volunteers to stay behind to continue treating Moss. O’Coin chose to stay even though she was terrified.
“I think I dropped two Epinephrine Bottles I was so nervous,” she said. “While we were preparing to remove the RPG, Moss was trying to talk but fading in and out. We had to ensure we had an X-ray, IV access and an airway fast to get him to the operating room for the RPG removal.”
O’Coin was responsible for assisting the nurse anesthetist with monitoring vitals and administering blood while Oh and Dr. (Maj.) Kevin Kirk, an orthopedic surgeon, removed the RPG. “I can still feel the relief that was felt when the EOD NCO took the RPG to the bunker and we were in the all-clear to remove our gear and continue in the operating room safely,” she said.
After the initial surgery was completed, the team monitored Moss and prepared him for transport to the Combat Support Hospital.
“This wasn’t an act performed for an award or recognition,” O’Coin said. “My choice to stay was in part due to the trust I had in our team and simply because this was our job. I didn’t know at the time that Moss was a husband and father. I just knew he was a fellow Soldier that required my help. There are a lot of stories posted on Channing Moss’s recovery; he is definitely a warrior,” she said.
A Combat Action Badge award request was written up for O’Coin after the occurrence but was lost on its way to her records.
Making Things Right
Many years later, one of her mentors, Command Sgt. Maj. John Dobbins, currently the Army Medical Command senior enlisted adviser for the Surgeon General, learned O’Coin had never received the CAB.
“When we served in the 16th Hospital Center at Fort Bragg together, I noticed that she had a BSM with ‘V’ device [Bronze Star Medal with Valor device] and asked why she did not have a CAB or CMB [Combat Medical Badge],” Dobbins said.
O’Coin explained the award was never processed and he collected her documentation and submitted the award request packet to HRC in 2019. The award was eventually approved and added to her record.
Dobbins believed submitting O’Coin for the CAB was about making things right.
“I saw a gap between what happened and what was recognized,” he said. “Service and sacrifice are valued, no matter how much time has passed.”
An award ceremony was hosted June 18 for O’Coin at HRC with her family in attendance.
“It was such a highlight for me having my spouse, my children, and my sister and nephew to have a glimpse of not only acts that I have done early in my career, but how much I love to care for our Soldiers,” she said.
“My family knows I work hard, and they don’t always see or know exactly what I do daily,” O’Coin continued. “To be able to share that experience with them was very meaningful for me.”
O’Coin, who has close to 25 years of service in the Army, truly encompasses HRC’s “Soldiers First” motto.
“Sgt. Maj. O’Coin is a phenomenal leader who has an exceptional ability to mentor Soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers alike,” Dobbins said. “With a deep well of experience and a keen understanding of people, she develops leaders through honest guidance, clear expectations and unwavering support.”
Caring for Soldiers
The Eaton, Ohio, native, one of five siblings, experienced a devastating event as a 13-year-old teen when her mother passed away from a battle with cancer. That loss helped her discover her calling to become a nurse.
“In high school, I worked as a nursing assistant, which really increased the passion for me,” O’Coin said.
When an Army recruiter told her she could pursue her dream as a nurse and become a licensed practical nurse in the U.S. Army, O’Coin was immediately sold though she planned to only stay in the Army for a few years.
“But from the moment we entered Iraq in 2003, and I was able to take care of wounded Soldiers, I realized this was what I wanted to continue to do,” she said. “My dad served in the Marine Corps and raised us to honor those who served, to be courageous in the face of adversity and to be committed in all we do.”
Throughout her time in the Army, O’Coin has had many memorable assignments. She loves helping Soldiers and making a positive difference in their lives.
After returning from Afghanistan, she worked at DeWitt Army Community Hospital on Fort Belvoir where she briefly served in the hospital specialty care ward. She was later assigned as a platoon sergeant in a Soldier Recovery Unit on the same base.
“I loved this assignment because it really helped me see the whole circle of medical care the Army provides for Soldiers,” O’Coin said. “I was in a position where I was providing care to Soldiers in the field but then got to help with their continued care on the other end. It was an awesome feeling to be on the backside of receiving patients and caring for them during their healing journey,” O’Coin said.
She then served at Joint Base San Antonio as a Practical Nursing Specialist Instructor for Soldiers in Advanced Individual Training.
Her most rewarding and memorable assignment was being selected as the first sergeant of the Soldier Recovery Unit in Hawaii.
“To this day I still get updates from Soldiers our team was able to help there,” O’Coin said.
After she graduated from the U.S. Army Sergeants Maj. Academy, she was assigned to the 44th Medical Bde. At Fort Bragg, NC. While there were very long days, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when she helped with the Army transition from combat support hospital to hospital center, she is grateful for every experience.
“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to care for Soldiers through every stage of their journey, from battlefield trauma to recovery and healing,” she said. “That’s something I’ll never take for granted.”
Key to Success
O’Coin is quick to credit the support of her mentors, officers and noncommissioned officers as the key to her success.
“Sgt. Thomas Clifford and now [retired] Lt. Col. Clifford. [Retired] Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Robinson absolutely pushed me as a junior noncommissioned officer, and [retired] Lt. Col. Scott Kuhens really helped shape my nursing skills before and during our deployment,” she said. “I also had the most amazing executive officer, Maj. Jeffery Robbins, who honestly, without his help, we wouldn’t even be talking today.”
“As a first sergeant and acting command sergeant major, I was blessed to work with [retired] Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Stone. He truly helped me through some devastating times a leader could go through. His trust in me empowered me as a leader,” O’Coin said.
At HRC she has had the opportunity to work closely with Command Sgt. Robert Atkinson, HRC senior enlisted adviser, and Dobbins.
“Not only have they provided me guidance from their own experiences, they challenge me and support me as I’m always trying to improve,” O’Coin said.
Steady Foundation of Family
The core support of her husband, Jeffrey, three children and family is priceless and the reason she has flourished in her career.
“They hear it all, from my best days to my worst. Jeffrey believed in me at times when I didn’t believe in myself,” O’Coin said. “Twenty years together, and 10 of those being dual military, I’m so grateful for his understanding of what I do and why I do it.”
“My sisters have literally shown up at my door when I’ve needed them the most, no matter how far they had to drive to be there,” she continued. “And of course, they’re always just a phone call away. I look forward to our daily group chat, probably more than they know. Even if it’s just a cute picture of our kids. That bond with my sisters and brother, after being separated for over 24 years, means the world to me.”
O’Coin said her resilience springs from her faith and the never-ending foundational support provided by her family.
“I pray a lot of quiet prayers and trust that God has a plan in all situations,” she said. “My family is my why. I never shy away from asking questions and seeking advice. I do my best to create a balance in my work and family life. I won’t lie I struggle with this at times because of how much I desire to care for others.”
Looking ahead, O’Coin plans to complete her 30 years in the Army before transitioning to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing her lifelong mission of service.
Her advice to young Soldiers is to stay the course, stay curious, and stay human.
“There will be setbacks. Grow from them,” O’Coin said. “Keep showing up and keep pushing forward.”
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2025 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 546159 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | EATON, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, HRC Sergeant Major Awarded Retroactive Combat Action Badge for Bravery, by Erin Sherwood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
