America's North Shore Journal » army commendation medal

Our Best: More Recognized in the Field

Chuck Simmins — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Here are more pictures of female warfighters being recognized for their good work.

Spc. Kassandra Rutherford, Task Force 34 INTEL analyst from Dundas, Minn., received an Army Commendation Medal at an award ceremony at Joint Base Balad, Iraq on April 20. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to Soldiers who distinguish themselves by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to a friendly nation and the United States. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Spc. Amber Zimmerman, Task Force 34, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, S1/human resource specialist, is awarded an Army Commendation service medal for her achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 22. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed United Forces of the United States who distinguished himself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Spc. Zimmerman is a native of Lakeville, Minn. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Sgt. Josephine Bush, Task Force 34, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, S1/human resource non-commissioned officer, is awarded an Army Commendation service medal for her achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 22. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed United Forces of the United States who distinguished himself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Sgt. Bush a native of Minneapolis, Minn. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Our Best: Recognized in the Field

Chuck Simmins — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:00:40 +0000

Here are some photos of our female warfighters receiving medals for their work.

Spc. Tiara Winn, Task Force 34, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, S1/human resource specialist, is awarded an army commendation service medal for her achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 22. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed United Forces of the United States who distinguished himself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Spc. Winn is a native of St. Paul, Minn. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Spc. Jenaye Hoke, Task Force 34 INTEL analyst from Farmington, Minn., received an Army Commendation Medal at an award ceremony at Joint Base Balad, Iraq on April 20. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to Soldiers who distinguish themselves by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to a friendly nation and the United States. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Spc. Audrey Devries, Task Force 34, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, S1/human resource specialist, is awarded an Army Commendation service medal for her achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 22. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed United Forces of the United States who distinguished himself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Spc. Deveries is a native of Lakeville, Minn. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Sgt. Christina Oases, Task Force 34 INTEL analyst from Fairmont, Minn., received an Army Commendation Medal at an award ceremony at Joint Base Balad, Iraq on April 20. The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to Soldiers who distinguish themselves by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to a friendly nation and the United States. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Pamela Howell Task Force 34, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, S1/ military personnel technician, is awarded the Bronze Star medal for her achievements during Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-10 on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, April 22. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the military of the United States after December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service. Photo by Staff Sgt. Lynette Hoke

Major Jason Huang, M.D.

Chuck Simmins — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:41:59 +0000

Democrat & Chronicle

Huang was an 18-year-old majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Science and Technology of China. In his idealism, he organized a group of students to protest the Communist Party at Tiananmen Square, never expecting the military to respond by killing hundreds of protesters. The next day, Huang was told to report to the police station, placed under house arrest and forced to report back to sign confessions. “Every day, it was mental torture.”

After three years, he convinced a friend whose family worked at a hospital to declare him mentally ill so that he could return to his hometown in Shanghai. In 1993, using a fake passport, he escaped to California and was eventually declared a political refugee and a naturalized citizen.

He later earned scholarships to Amherst College and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. So when he met a military recruiter at a medical conference in 2002 and heard of the shortage of neurosurgeons, he made up his mind.

“I thought I needed to give something back to this country.”

Though Huang wasn’t keeping count, he was told upon his return to Rochester that what he gave back was a 98 percent survival rate with the 1,200 soldiers he treated in Iraq. For his work, he received the Army Commendation Medal.

Please read the entire story at the Democrat & Chronicle.