BUCHAREST, Romania, April 3, 2008 – Deep within the cavernous marble walls of the Palace of the Parliament here today sat two Texans, casually talking about – what else – Texas.

The first was President Bush, here for the first full day of NATO talks. The second was Army Spc. Monica Brown, here to help kick off the first full day of the talks.

Brown, 19, is first woman U.S. soldier to receive the Silver Star for combat in Afghanistan. Brown and 25 other soldiers, all from NATO allies who have served in NATO operations, gathered at the start of the day to be honored by those gathered for the largest summit conference in the alliance’s history.

At the start of the first meeting of the North Atlantic Council this morning, the group marched before the great circle of presidents and prime ministers, heads of state and governments and hundreds of others gathered from around the world.

“Our soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines frequently put themselves in harm’s way so that we can be safe in our countries and our homes,” said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. “It is therefore appropriate that we start today’s meeting by paying tribute to the professionalism and dedication of the more than 60,000 men and women who are currently deployed in NATO-led mission and operations.”

A moment of silence followed in honor of those who have died fighting in NATO operations.

For the small-town girl turned combat medic, it was all a little “overwhelming” she said.

With only a few months more than two years of service, Brown’s career has catapulted her from patching up troops under gunfire in Afghanistan to standing before some of the most powerful people on Earth. Vice President Richard B. Cheney presented her medal last month at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Today, Brown met with Bush.

“Overwhelming,” Brown said just before her meeting with the president. “I can’t believe I’m actually here and about to meet him.

“I didn’t ever realize I would be meeting the president of the United States. It’s amazing. Absolutely amazing,” she said.

Brown’s journey began at 17 years old in Lake Jackson, Texas, where she joined the Army with her older brother. He is her “best friend,” Brown said, and they intended to attend training together. But he joined as an infantryman and was sent to a combat line unit that women are not allowed to join.

Her brother now serves in Afghanistan.

Brown received the Silver Star for heroism while providing aid under heavy gunfire to soldiers whose Humvee had been hit by an improvised explosive device during a convoy almost a year ago.

It was dusk on April 25, 2007, and Brown was assigned to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. The convoy was on a routine security patrol in Afghanistan’s isolated Jani Khail district when her convoy was attacked by insurgents.

The Humvee following hers in the convoy was hit. Brown left her Humvee to give aid to the injured soldiers, and the group began taking small-arms fire from all directions.

“I was praying the whole time. I was hoping they weren’t in a serious condition and they were still alive when I got to them. I’m just glad they all got out of there (alive),” Brown said.

Other soldiers in her platoon fired back. It was then that the situation went from bad to worse, when a truck loaded with ammunition caught fire and exploded rounds into the air.

According to reports, rounds were whizzing by inches away from Brown. But, she said, she wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around her. Her focus was on two soldiers: Spcs. Stanson Smith and Larry Spray, who both had suffered life-threatening injuries.

Brown eventually was able, with the help of others, to load Smith and Spray into another vehicle and escape the gunfire and mortar rounds for a more stable area, where she continued rendering aid and called for a medical evacuation.

The event lasted about two hours in the dark of night. She later described it as a “blur.”

Both soldiers lived, but today Brown hesitates to take too much credit. She is only the second woman since World War II to receive the Silver Star.

“I just did my job. I didn’t expect any recognition for it,” she said. “I think that the men I was with that day should be recognized more than me, because without them I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

Still, Brown said today is more about who she represents standing before the president and the other world leaders at the summit.

“It’s an honor to be here to represent the United States, and the 82nd Airborne Division, and my unit and everyone that was in combat with me in Afghanistan,” Brown said.

DoD
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

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Spc. Monica Brown gets awarded the Silver Star at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, by Vice President Dick Cheney for her actions on April 25, 2007, during a combat patrol. Photo by Pfc. Scott Davis

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Heroes are made, not born.

And a hero like Spc. Monica Brown, 19, a Lake Jackson, Texas, native is no different. She is the second female Soldier since World War II to be awarded a Silver Star for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan in 2007.

She was presented her Silver Star by Vice President Dick Cheney during a ceremony here March 20.

It was dusk April 25, 2007, when Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was on a routine security patrol along the rolling, rocky plains of Paktika’s isolated Jani Khail District when her convoy was attacked by insurgents.

‘We’d been out on the mission for a couple of days,’ said Brown, who at the time was attached to the brigade’s 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment’s Troop C. ‘We had just turned into a wadi (empty river bed) when our gunner yelled at us that the vehicle behind us had hit an (improvised-explosive device).’

They all looked out of their windows in time to see one of the struck vehicle’s tires flying through the field next to them. Brown had just opened her door to see what was going on when the attack began.

‘I only saw the smoke from the vehicle when suddenly we started taking small-arms fire from all around us,’ she said. ‘Our gunner starting firing back and my platoon sergeant yelled, ‘Doc! Let’s go.’

Brown and her platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Jose Santos, exited their vehicle, and while under fire, ran the few hundred meters to the site of the downed Humvee.

‘Everyone was already out of the burning vehicle,’ she said. ‘But even before I got there, I could tell that two of them were injured very seriously.’

In fact, all five of the passengers who had stumbled out were burned and cut.

Two Soldiers, Spc. Stanson Smith and Spc. Larry Spray, suffered life-threatening injuries.

With help from two less-injured vehicle crewmen, Army Sgt. Zachary Tellier and Spc. Jack Bodani, Brown moved the immobile Soldiers to a relatively safe distance from the burning Humvee.

‘There was pretty heavy incoming fire at this point,’ she said.

‘Rounds were literally missing her by inches,’ said Bodani, who provided suppressive fire as Brown aided the casualties while injured. ‘We needed to get away from there.’

Attempting to provide proper medical care under the heavy fire became impossible, especially when the attackers stepped up efforts to kill the Soldiers.

‘Another vehicle had just maneuvered to our position to shield us from the rounds now exploding in the fire from the Humvee behind us,’ Brown said. ‘Somewhere in the mix, we started taking mortar rounds. It became a huge commotion, but all I could let myself think about were my patients.’

With the other vehicles spread out in a crescent formation, Brown and her casualties were stuck with no-where to go.

Suddenly, Santos arrived with one of the unit’s vehicles backed it up to their position, and Brown began loading the wounded Soldiers inside.

‘We took off to a more secure location several hundred meters away where we were able to call in the (medical evacuation mission),’ Brown said.

She then directed other combat-life-saver-qualified Soldiers to help by holding intravenous bags and assisting her in prepping the casualties for evacuation.

After what seemed like an eternity, the attackers finally began retreating and Brown was able to perform more thorough aid procedures before the MEDVAC helicopter finally arrived to transport the casualties to safety, Brown said.

Two hours after the initial attack, everything was over.

In the darkness, Brown recalled standing in a field, knee-deep in grass, her only source of light coming from her red head-light, trying to piece together the events which had just taken place.
‘Looking back, it was just a blur of noise and movement,’ she said. ‘What just happened? Did I do everything right? It was a hard thing to think about.’

Before joining the Army at the age of 17, the bright-eyed young woman said she never pictured herself being in a situation like this.

Originally wanting to be an X-ray technician, she changed her mind when she realized that by becoming a medic, she’d be in the best place to help people.

‘At first, I didn’t think I could do it,’ she said. ‘I was actually afraid of blood. When I saw my first airway-opening operation, I threw up.’

She quickly adjusted to her job, and received additional training both before and during her deployment to Afghanistan.

‘I realized that everything I had done during the attack was just rote memory,’ she said. ‘Kudos to my chain of command for that. I know with training, like I was given, any medic would have done the same in my position.’

‘To say she handled herself well would be an understatement,’ said Bodani, who quickly recovered from his injuries and immediately returned to work. ‘It was amazing to see her keep completely calm and take care of our guys with all that going on around her. Of all the medics we’ve had with us throughout the year, she was the one I trusted the most.’

Earning trust with a combat unit is not something easily earned, said Army Capt. Todd Book, Troop C’s commander at the time of the attack, but it was something Brown had taken upon herself to prove long before the Jani Khail ambush.

‘Our regular medic was on leave at the time,’ Book said. ‘We had other medics to choose from, but Brown had shown us that she was more technically proficient than any of her peers.’

Having people call her ‘Doc’ means a lot to her because of the trust it engenders.

‘When people I’ve treated come back to me later and tell me the difference I was able to make in their life is the best part of this job,’ Brown said.

During her rest and recuperation in May 2007, Brown visited Spray in the hospital and met his mother.

‘I almost cried,’ Brown said. ‘Spray’s mother was so thankful and she hugged me. That was the moment that made me feel the best about what I did.’

Even though she felt proud when she was informed that she was going to receive a Silver Star, she considers her actions to be the result of effort put into her by everyone she’s worked for.

‘While I’m not scared to get my hands dirty, I have to say that I never fully became a medic until I came over here and did it first-hand,’ she said. ‘I just reacted when the time came.’

Due to her quick and selfless actions, both Smith and Spray survived their injuries.

CJTF-82

Here’s video of the ceremony.

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From an e-mail

We are attempting to contact Army Spc. Brown’s family to be sure we honor their wishes. The city of Lake Jackson is immensely proud of Army Spc. Monica Brown. We are thankful for her service and all those who serve in the military to allow us our freedom here at home. Monica Brown’s bravery deserves special recognition and we look forward to her safe return to show our appreciation for her service and gallantry.
Sincerely
Bob Sipple
Mayor

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