WEBVTT 00:00.460 --> 00:02.627 Good morning ladies and gentlemen . On 00:02.627 --> 00:04.793 behalf of Major General David Garner , 00:06.139 --> 00:08.250 the Commanding General Air Assault at 00:08.250 --> 00:10.195 Fort Campbell and Command Sergeant 00:10.195 --> 00:12.417 Major Christopher Goddard , the Command 00:12.417 --> 00:12.250 Sergeant Major of the 101st Airborne 00:12.250 --> 00:14.472 Division Air Assault at Fort Campbell . 00:14.472 --> 00:16.250 Welcome to today's Purple Heart 00:16.250 --> 00:18.361 presentation ceremony . Today we have 00:18.361 --> 00:20.583 gathered to recognize 9 service members 00:20.583 --> 00:22.750 with the Purple Heart who were wounded 00:22.750 --> 00:22.420 in action during Operation Iraqi 00:22.420 --> 00:24.700 Freedom . Ladies and gentlemen , please 00:24.700 --> 00:26.922 rise for honors to the nation performed 00:26.922 --> 00:28.867 by the 101st Airborne Division Air 00:28.867 --> 00:30.700 Assault Brass Quintet and remain 00:30.700 --> 00:32.811 standing for the invocation delivered 00:32.811 --> 00:32.340 by Chaplain Paul Weberg . 00:49.369 --> 00:50.369 Um . 01:57.589 --> 02:01.349 Let us pray . Almighty God . 02:02.379 --> 02:04.370 We gather to honor the courage , 02:04.540 --> 02:07.300 sacrifice , and resilience of our 02:07.300 --> 02:09.899 fellow service members . We come 02:09.899 --> 02:12.300 together to bear witness to the 02:12.300 --> 02:14.860 presentation of the Purple Heart , a 02:14.860 --> 02:17.770 profound symbol of bloodshed and wounds 02:18.330 --> 02:20.940 endured in service to our great nation . 02:22.419 --> 02:25.419 As we reflect on the events of 2003 in 02:25.419 --> 02:29.100 Kuwait . We're reminded of the complex 02:29.360 --> 02:32.880 and tragic realities of deployment . We 02:32.880 --> 02:35.770 acknowledge the unique and heavy burden 02:35.770 --> 02:37.770 of the wounds these service members 02:37.770 --> 02:41.080 have suffered . Not from the expected 02:41.080 --> 02:44.169 adversary , but from a tragic 02:44.169 --> 02:47.899 breach of trust . And unforeseen 02:47.899 --> 02:50.259 danger from within our own ranks . 02:51.779 --> 02:54.919 We ask for your grace to continue 02:54.919 --> 02:58.059 mending the visible and invisible scars 02:58.059 --> 03:01.559 left by that day . Grant them 03:01.559 --> 03:04.279 peace that surpasses all understanding . 03:05.369 --> 03:07.369 May this Purple Heart serve as a 03:07.369 --> 03:10.550 lasting testament . To the incredible 03:10.550 --> 03:13.050 strength , grace , and perseverance 03:13.050 --> 03:16.029 required to walk the long path of 03:16.029 --> 03:19.509 recovery . We ask your continued 03:19.509 --> 03:22.570 blessing upon them , their families , 03:23.149 --> 03:25.260 and all those who wear the uniform of 03:25.260 --> 03:28.559 our great nation . Protect us in our 03:28.559 --> 03:32.139 duties , guide us in our service , 03:32.720 --> 03:35.119 and keep us in your care now and 03:35.119 --> 03:36.979 forever . Amen . 03:41.130 --> 03:44.000 Please be seated . While at his 03:44.000 --> 03:46.278 headquarters in New York on August 7th , 03:46.278 --> 03:48.111 1782 , General George Washington 03:48.111 --> 03:50.167 devised a new badge for any singular 03:50.167 --> 03:52.389 meritorious action . It was a figure of 03:52.389 --> 03:54.444 a hardened purple cloth or silk edge 03:54.444 --> 03:56.778 with narrow lacer binding . This device , 03:56.778 --> 03:58.667 the Badge of Military merit , was 03:58.667 --> 04:00.889 affixed to the uniform's coat above the 04:00.889 --> 04:03.111 left breast and permitted its wearer to 04:03.111 --> 04:05.000 pass guards and sentinels without 04:05.000 --> 04:04.679 challenge and to have his name and 04:04.679 --> 04:06.901 regiment inscribed in a book of merit . 04:07.509 --> 04:09.565 The award fell into disuse following 04:09.565 --> 04:11.565 the American Revolution and was not 04:11.565 --> 04:13.676 proposed again officially until after 04:13.676 --> 04:15.842 World War One . On October 10 , 1927 , 04:15.842 --> 04:17.842 Army Chief of Staff General Charles 04:17.842 --> 04:20.065 Summerall directed that drafted a draft 04:20.065 --> 04:22.231 bill be sent to Congress to revive the 04:22.231 --> 04:24.342 Badge of military merit . For reasons 04:24.342 --> 04:26.398 unclear , the bill was withdrawn and 04:26.398 --> 04:28.676 action on the case ceased on January 3 , 04:28.676 --> 04:30.787 1928 , but the Office of the Adjutant 04:30.787 --> 04:32.731 General was instructed to file all 04:32.731 --> 04:34.953 materials collected for possible future 04:34.953 --> 04:37.176 use . The rough sketch accompanying the 04:37.176 --> 04:39.287 proposal showed a circular disk metal 04:39.287 --> 04:41.509 with a concave center in which a relief 04:41.509 --> 04:43.565 heart appeared . The reverse carried 04:43.565 --> 04:45.509 the legend for military merit . On 04:45.509 --> 04:47.565 January 7th , 1931 , General Douglas 04:47.565 --> 04:49.731 MacArthur confidently reopened work on 04:49.731 --> 04:51.842 a new design involving the Washington 04:51.842 --> 04:53.565 Commission of Fine Arts . Miss 04:53.565 --> 04:55.453 Elizabeth Will , an Army heraldry 04:55.453 --> 04:55.049 specialist in the office of the 04:55.049 --> 04:57.105 Quartermaster General , was named to 04:57.105 --> 04:59.049 redesign the newly revived medal , 04:59.049 --> 05:01.327 which became known as the Purple Heart . 05:01.327 --> 05:03.493 M . Will created the design sketch for 05:03.493 --> 05:05.716 the present medal of the Purple Heart . 05:05.716 --> 05:07.660 Developments concerning the Purple 05:07.660 --> 05:09.493 Heart after 1931 serve to define 05:09.493 --> 05:09.260 further eligibility requirements for 05:09.260 --> 05:11.427 the award and to identify it even more 05:11.427 --> 05:13.593 closely with bloodshed or loss of life 05:13.593 --> 05:15.593 in the nation's service . President 05:15.593 --> 05:17.760 John Kennedy issued an executive order 05:17.760 --> 05:19.371 on April 25 , 1962 extending 05:19.371 --> 05:21.593 eligibility to any civilian national of 05:21.593 --> 05:23.704 the United States who , while serving 05:23.704 --> 05:25.538 under competent authority in any 05:25.538 --> 05:27.760 capacity with an armed force , has been 05:27.760 --> 05:29.982 or may be wounded . The Purple Heart is 05:29.982 --> 05:32.038 ranked immediately behind the Bronze 05:32.038 --> 05:34.149 Star in the order of precedence among 05:34.149 --> 05:36.427 personal awards . Ladies and gentlemen , 05:36.427 --> 05:35.859 please welcome the commanding general 05:35.859 --> 05:37.803 of the 101st Airborne Division Air 05:37.803 --> 05:39.692 Assault and Fort Campbell , Major 05:39.692 --> 05:41.026 General David Gardner . 05:48.600 --> 05:50.711 Good morning , distinguished guests , 05:50.869 --> 05:53.429 veterans , current Screaming Eagles , 05:53.839 --> 05:56.359 and families . Today is about honoring 05:56.359 --> 05:59.640 duty and sacrifice . But most 05:59.640 --> 06:01.720 importantly , today is about getting 06:01.720 --> 06:03.839 things right . The enemies of our 06:03.839 --> 06:06.006 nation do not always play by the rules 06:06.006 --> 06:09.739 or attack as expected . Our military 06:09.809 --> 06:11.976 and our country does not always get it 06:11.976 --> 06:14.910 right , but great leadership will not 06:14.910 --> 06:17.739 quit until they get it right . The 06:17.739 --> 06:19.739 Purple Heart is one of our nation's 06:19.739 --> 06:21.517 oldest and most sacred military 06:21.517 --> 06:23.619 decorations . It is not awarded for 06:23.619 --> 06:26.109 achievement . It's not awarded for rank . 06:26.420 --> 06:29.179 It's awarded for sacrifice for those 06:29.179 --> 06:31.820 who shed blood or suffer wounds at the 06:31.820 --> 06:34.420 hands of the enemy , just like these 06:34.420 --> 06:37.790 great Americans . When I put this 06:37.790 --> 06:40.230 screaming eagle patch on my shoulder 06:40.230 --> 06:42.470 every morning , I'm in awe of the 06:42.470 --> 06:45.359 burden that I have as a soldier to 06:45.359 --> 06:47.739 carry on this division's history made 06:47.739 --> 06:50.359 by the soldiers like those our 06:50.359 --> 06:52.192 Secretary of War , another proud 06:52.192 --> 06:54.359 screaming Eagle will rightfully 06:54.359 --> 06:56.820 recognize today . Ladies and gentlemen , 06:57.369 --> 06:58.813 the Honorable Pete Heck . 07:12.100 --> 07:13.711 Well , General , thank you . 07:13.711 --> 07:15.767 Beautifully said . Uh , I appreciate 07:15.767 --> 07:17.989 that . You all heard from me 10 minutes 07:17.989 --> 07:20.640 ago . So I'll keep it brief , but I 07:21.929 --> 07:25.799 I would just say that What is , what a 07:25.799 --> 07:27.966 society recognizes and celebrates is a 07:27.966 --> 07:29.855 is a reflection of what a society 07:29.855 --> 07:33.630 values . And all around us , uh , we 07:33.630 --> 07:36.489 have the wrong thing . We see the wrong 07:36.489 --> 07:38.711 things that we celebrate . Whether it's 07:38.869 --> 07:41.190 celebrity culture or social media 07:41.190 --> 07:44.510 clickbait , you name it , they're 07:44.910 --> 07:48.109 vapid , empty things that our culture . 07:49.350 --> 07:51.350 Pushes in front of us on our phones 07:51.350 --> 07:53.406 every single day that we click on or 07:53.406 --> 07:55.517 look at or pretend are interesting or 07:55.517 --> 07:57.739 unique and none of them are interesting 07:57.739 --> 08:00.049 or unique . Uh , and then our kids and 08:00.049 --> 08:02.410 grandkids look at that same content and 08:02.410 --> 08:05.149 think that that's important . And what 08:05.450 --> 08:07.672 today is all about and what things like 08:07.672 --> 08:10.489 this are all about is sort of reversing 08:10.489 --> 08:12.809 that trend in our own way , in our own 08:12.809 --> 08:15.730 corners , in our own spaces . It's why 08:15.730 --> 08:17.674 I'm , I'm such a believer in civic 08:17.674 --> 08:21.299 ritual . In things like parades . In 08:21.299 --> 08:23.243 fact , I never would have worn the 08:23.243 --> 08:25.299 uniform if I had , if Juan Domingo , 08:25.299 --> 08:27.132 Minnesota , a very small town in 08:27.132 --> 08:29.077 southern Minnesota , hadn't held a 08:29.077 --> 08:30.966 Memorial Day and Veterans Day and 08:30.966 --> 08:33.077 Fourth of July parade that my parents 08:33.077 --> 08:35.299 faithfully attended every single year . 08:35.299 --> 08:37.410 And it was literally , you know , the 08:37.410 --> 08:39.650 mayor in a , in a convertible , the 08:39.650 --> 08:43.409 high school band , one fire truck , uh , 08:43.500 --> 08:45.556 you know , the , the , the sheriff , 08:45.619 --> 08:47.700 and then the 7 vets from town . 08:49.400 --> 08:53.020 But the whole town stood up . And gave 08:53.020 --> 08:55.320 a standing ovation and saluted those 08:55.700 --> 08:58.059 men in uniform . You know , back then 08:58.059 --> 09:00.281 you had maybe a few World War II vets , 09:00.609 --> 09:03.229 you had Korean vets , Vietnam vets , 09:03.619 --> 09:05.841 Cold War vets , Gulf War vets who still 09:05.841 --> 09:09.640 fit in their uniforms . But I remember 09:09.640 --> 09:11.918 as a kid looking up at them and saying , 09:12.359 --> 09:15.609 those men did something special . I , I 09:15.609 --> 09:17.498 wasn't from a military family . I 09:17.498 --> 09:19.498 didn't know anything about military 09:19.498 --> 09:21.553 service . Those men and women , what 09:21.553 --> 09:23.665 their , this town values , this small 09:23.665 --> 09:25.609 farm town recognizes that they did 09:25.609 --> 09:27.720 something important for the country . 09:27.720 --> 09:27.330 Man , maybe I can do something like 09:27.330 --> 09:30.530 that someday . Maybe , maybe someday I 09:30.530 --> 09:33.239 could put that uniform on and do my 09:33.239 --> 09:35.799 part . 12 year old , 13-year-old , 09:36.030 --> 09:37.974 14-year-old , didn't know anything 09:37.974 --> 09:40.030 about service , didn't know anything 09:40.030 --> 09:42.197 about the military , but saw that that 09:42.197 --> 09:44.679 small town valued those soldiers that 09:44.679 --> 09:46.790 registered with me , kind of stuck in 09:46.790 --> 09:48.901 the back of my mind . I don't know if 09:48.901 --> 09:51.012 there was a moment I decided to serve 09:51.012 --> 09:53.290 or not . And when we lose those things , 09:53.510 --> 09:55.399 we tell the next generation those 09:55.399 --> 09:57.789 things are not important or they're not 09:57.789 --> 10:01.090 significant . And so this gesture today , 10:01.169 --> 10:03.169 which is more than just a gesture , 10:03.169 --> 10:05.336 it's a follow-through , as the general 10:05.336 --> 10:07.609 mentioned , is meant to showcase . 10:08.489 --> 10:11.049 Inside our formations , to these 10:11.049 --> 10:13.489 families , to these soldiers , to the 10:13.489 --> 10:15.919 media , to the nation , that these 10:15.960 --> 10:19.159 things are important . We value them 10:20.010 --> 10:21.732 We value them so much that the 10:21.732 --> 10:23.732 secretary wants to fly down here to 10:23.732 --> 10:26.309 personally pin these on . Long overdue . 10:26.929 --> 10:29.570 Actions taken , merits shown in some 10:29.570 --> 10:32.469 cases years and decades ago . It should 10:32.469 --> 10:34.580 have been recognized and celebrated . 10:34.840 --> 10:36.896 In some cases , that was received in 10:36.896 --> 10:40.150 the mail . Mail clerk , hands you an 10:40.150 --> 10:42.929 envelope . Here you go . Purple Heart . 10:44.479 --> 10:46.479 To me , that's not how we should be 10:46.479 --> 10:48.590 doing business . We should be holding 10:48.590 --> 10:50.535 ceremonies and holding them up and 10:50.535 --> 10:52.757 reading citations and talking about the 10:52.757 --> 10:54.535 heroism and the service and the 10:54.535 --> 10:56.701 sacrifice of those individuals so that 10:56.701 --> 10:58.923 the other troops see how important that 10:58.923 --> 11:00.868 is and so that the nation sees how 11:00.868 --> 11:02.979 important it is and so that my kids , 11:02.979 --> 11:05.201 my 7 little kiddos , your kiddos , your 11:05.201 --> 11:07.409 grandkids , look up and say , wow , 11:07.530 --> 11:10.190 maybe I could be like him . Maybe I 11:10.190 --> 11:12.700 could be like her . Maybe I can serve 11:12.700 --> 11:15.020 my nation someday . Maybe that's what I 11:15.020 --> 11:17.580 want to choose to do with my life . Not 11:17.580 --> 11:21.010 TikTok videos . We have to 11:21.010 --> 11:23.809 recapture that . We have to recapture 11:23.809 --> 11:26.142 it by showing how important it is to us , 11:26.450 --> 11:28.561 and then demonstrating to the rest of 11:28.561 --> 11:30.728 the world how significant that is . So 11:30.728 --> 11:32.728 yes , these Purple Hearts are about 11:32.728 --> 11:34.728 merit and about a moment when these 11:34.728 --> 11:36.839 incredible Americans showed something 11:36.839 --> 11:38.894 that we can't even fathom . But it's 11:38.894 --> 11:41.006 also about lifting them up so that we 11:41.006 --> 11:43.228 lift them up to the rest of the country 11:43.228 --> 11:45.450 as a demonstration of what matters , as 11:45.450 --> 11:48.229 a demonstration of service , uh , and a 11:48.229 --> 11:50.396 life well lived , and a moment in time 11:50.396 --> 11:51.896 where you showed something 11:51.896 --> 11:53.785 extraordinary all the way back to 11:53.785 --> 11:55.896 something George Washington wanted to 11:55.896 --> 11:57.618 recognize . And rightfully and 11:57.618 --> 11:59.559 fittingly so . And I also want to 11:59.559 --> 12:01.781 recognize one of my own who I mentioned 12:01.781 --> 12:03.892 briefly , but we wouldn't be standing 12:03.892 --> 12:06.059 here without him . Eric Garris , who's 12:06.059 --> 12:08.281 sitting in the front can help pin these 12:08.281 --> 12:10.337 medals on . He was my first sergeant 12:10.337 --> 12:10.000 when I showed up as a brand new 12:10.000 --> 12:12.679 lieutenant to the Roathon , showed me 12:12.679 --> 12:15.179 the ropes , the old fashioned way . 12:16.500 --> 12:18.278 But everything he taught me was 12:18.278 --> 12:20.444 something I needed to learn . And when 12:20.444 --> 12:22.739 I came into this job , I knew what I 12:22.739 --> 12:24.979 needed was my , that , that mentality 12:24.979 --> 12:27.146 of a first sergeant , later a sergeant 12:27.146 --> 12:29.419 Major , uh , who had spent almost all 12:29.419 --> 12:31.475 of his time on the line , all of his 12:31.475 --> 12:33.697 time with the troops , with a heart for 12:33.697 --> 12:35.863 the troops . So he's been empowered in 12:35.863 --> 12:38.219 my office from day one to do right by 12:38.219 --> 12:40.960 the troops . To find the places where 12:42.320 --> 12:44.159 Things need to change , where 12:44.159 --> 12:46.326 leadership isn't getting it right , or 12:46.326 --> 12:48.359 where soldiers were not properly 12:48.359 --> 12:50.415 recognized , whether it was 5 months 12:50.415 --> 12:52.581 ago , 5 years ago , or 5 decades ago . 12:53.179 --> 12:55.500 And so Eric and his team went to work 12:55.500 --> 12:57.900 from day one on these and others to do 12:57.900 --> 13:00.260 right by these Purple Hearts , to do 13:00.260 --> 13:02.580 right by awards , to do right by 13:02.580 --> 13:04.919 soldiers , to do right by the equipment 13:05.020 --> 13:08.059 you have , the doctrine you you will 13:08.059 --> 13:10.700 follow , the rifles you carry , was it 13:10.700 --> 13:13.039 done right ? Does it need to change ? 13:13.219 --> 13:15.386 How can we improve it ? And he travels 13:15.386 --> 13:17.608 the country , travels the world , doing 13:17.608 --> 13:19.608 that on my behalf , coming back and 13:19.608 --> 13:22.750 saying , hey , Pete . This isn't 13:22.750 --> 13:25.059 working . These barracks are failing . 13:25.309 --> 13:27.309 This doesn't work . That guy should 13:27.309 --> 13:29.531 have gotten promoted . This wrong needs 13:29.531 --> 13:31.698 to be righted , and we're here sitting 13:31.698 --> 13:33.809 here because of him , because he came 13:33.809 --> 13:33.750 back and said , Hey , these are Purple 13:33.750 --> 13:35.972 Hearts that need to be given . And when 13:35.972 --> 13:37.639 we do that , we send a signal 13:37.639 --> 13:39.750 throughout our force to our army that 13:39.750 --> 13:41.694 these things matter . That's why I 13:41.694 --> 13:43.806 signed a directive , a few months ago 13:43.806 --> 13:45.917 also requiring that battles like this 13:45.917 --> 13:47.989 be given in person . In front of 13:47.989 --> 13:50.710 formations with the units , with the 13:50.710 --> 13:52.869 people who were there , so that that 13:52.869 --> 13:55.510 service and that level of of of service 13:55.510 --> 13:57.700 is recognized . And that we invite 13:57.700 --> 13:59.909 families , we invite kids , and they 13:59.909 --> 14:02.020 see it , and they value it , and they 14:02.020 --> 14:04.429 see that's cool . That's something I 14:04.429 --> 14:07.030 want to do . That's meaningful , it's 14:07.030 --> 14:09.440 substantive . Uh , unlike so much of 14:09.440 --> 14:11.496 our culture today . So Eric , thanks 14:11.496 --> 14:13.607 for bringing us here today , for your 14:13.607 --> 14:15.718 efforts to make it happen . Thank you 14:15.718 --> 14:17.718 to all the incredible Americans who 14:17.718 --> 14:19.607 will wear that Purple Heart , who 14:19.607 --> 14:21.440 earned it through your service , 14:21.440 --> 14:23.496 through what you gave , the families 14:23.496 --> 14:23.260 that supported you . Thank you to our 14:23.260 --> 14:25.559 Medal of Honor recipients who are here , 14:26.039 --> 14:28.261 who gave so much and continue to give . 14:28.489 --> 14:30.711 General , thank you for what you do for 14:30.711 --> 14:32.933 this beloved division . You're about to 14:32.933 --> 14:35.100 have a great deputy commander , by the 14:35.100 --> 14:37.267 way . My senior military advisor you . 14:37.419 --> 14:39.641 Uh , all we want is what's best for the 14:39.641 --> 14:42.070 army . All President Trump wants is 14:42.070 --> 14:44.181 what's best for our fighting force in 14:44.181 --> 14:46.459 our nation , uh , and on behalf of him . 14:47.419 --> 14:49.475 And the entire War Department we are 14:49.475 --> 14:51.586 honored to pin these Purple Hearts on 14:51.586 --> 14:53.641 today . So let's do it . God bless . 14:58.619 --> 15:01.219 At this time we ask the presented the 15:01.219 --> 15:03.330 Purple Heart to please come forward . 16:49.000 --> 16:50.000 Oh 17:00.010 --> 17:02.121 The Secretary of War will now present 17:02.121 --> 17:04.121 the Purple Heart to Colonel Townley 17:04.121 --> 17:06.288 Hendrick for who he was received on 23 17:06.288 --> 17:07.288 March 2003 . 17:21.810 --> 17:24.209 Colonel Andres Martone for wounds 17:24.209 --> 17:26.150 received on 23 March 2003 . 17:49.119 --> 17:51.175 Lieutenant Colonel Sean Phillips for 17:51.175 --> 17:53.310 wounds received on 23 March 2003 . 18:14.959 --> 18:17.126 Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Romayne for 18:17.126 --> 18:19.219 wounds received on 23 March 2003 . 18:38.239 --> 18:40.406 Major David Santos for wounds received 18:40.406 --> 18:42.300 on 23 March 2003 . 19:04.020 --> 19:06.020 Captain Gian Amberolo for wounds 19:06.020 --> 19:08.239 received on 23 March 2003 . 19:21.959 --> 19:23.737 Sergeant Mark Phan , her wounds 19:23.737 --> 19:25.739 received on 30 April 2006 . 19:51.729 --> 19:53.840 Corporal Marcus Sandoval , her wounds 19:53.840 --> 19:55.630 received on 7 April 2006 . 20:12.630 --> 20:14.797 And Specialist Miguel Lopez for wounds 20:14.797 --> 20:16.790 received on May 2006 . 21:16.109 --> 21:18.660 Gentlemen , Secretary of War to take a 21:18.660 --> 21:20.716 photograph with all the Purple Heart 21:20.716 --> 21:20.540 recipients . 21:27.410 --> 21:30.869 Sir , Major Womack . Oh .