[Vision2020] Female Soldier Awarded Silver Star

[Tom Hansen]

I would like to preface this posting with a question for Ed Iverson:

What have you done for your country, Mr. Iverson?

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>From the Stars and Stripes at:

http://tinyurl.com/2btalh

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Female soldier awarded Silver Star 

http://tinyurl.com/2fhmhh
Silver Star recipients Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester and
Spc. Jason Mike stand proud during their award ceremony June 16 in Iraq.

By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes

Silver Star recipients Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester and
Spc. Jason Mike stand proud during their award ceremony June 16 in Iraq.
 
WASHINGTON - A Kentucky National Guard soldier on Thursday became the first
woman awarded the Silver Star for service in the war on terror.

Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, a Tennessee resident; Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein, an
Indiana resident who served as squad leader that day, and Spc. Jason Mike
from Kentucky, a medic, all from the 617th Military Police Company, received
their honors in a ceremony at Camp Liberty in Iraq. Hester is the first
woman awarded a Silver Star since World War II.

"I'm honored to even be considered, much less awarded, the medal," Hester
told the American Forces Press Service. "It really doesn't have anything to
do with being a female. It's about the duties I performed that day as a
soldier."

Army documents state that Hester was serving as team leader during a March
20 mission outside Baghdad when her convoy came under attack. Hester
maneuvered her team through the kill zone, then turned around to assault the
insurgent's trench lines with grenades.

According to soldiers' accounts, she entered the trenches with Nein and
killed at least three insurgents with her rifle. The unit killed 27
insurgents in the attack without losing a single soldier.

"Your training kicks in and the soldier kicks in," she told American Forces
Press Service. "You've got a job to do - protecting yourself and your fellow
comrades."

The citation reads that her actions "saved the lives of numerous convoy
members." She has also earned the National Defense Service Medal, Global War
On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.

Hester, 23, was born in Kentucky and joined the state's Army National Guard
in 2001. According to her Army bio, she lives in Nashville and works as a
retail store manager.

Hester's father, Jerry, told The Associated Press that he is overwhelmed by
his daughter's accomplishments.

"It's something to be very proud of, and my wife and I are. Leigh Ann is a
very good soldier. She played softball and basketball all through high
school, and she's won a lot of games. But those games didn't mean nowhere
near what this medal does and what she's done for her country."

The soldiers were presented their medals by Army Lt. Gen. John R. Vines,
Multinational Corps Iraq commanding general, who lauded them as heroes.

Three other unit members received Bronze Stars with combat "V" for their
actions during the ambush: Spc. Ashley Pullen, Spc. William Haynes II and
Spc. Casey Cooper.

Receiving Army Commendation Medals with "V" were Spc. Jessie Ordunez and
Sgt. Dustin Morris. All five were in the 617th MP Company as well.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.