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| Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Peter Schoomaker pins a Purple Heart on Spc. Rebecca Macintyre, a motor transport operator with the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, during a ceremony at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael Pfaff |
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| Chief of Staff Visits Soldiers at Speicher |
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| By U.S. Army Spc. Michael Pfaff |
TIKRIT, Iraq, Aug. 21, 2006 -- Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Peter Schoomaker visited troops at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Aug. 16.
Schoomaker met with troops during several reenlistment, award, and “coin” ceremonies, in which Schoomaker personally swore in the reenlisting troops, honored soldiers receiving awards by personally pinning the awards and handing out his coin to soldiers nominated for outstanding performance.
He also gave a speech to the soldiers, many of whom are assigned or attached to the 101st Airborne Division, Task Force Band of Brothers, which is nearing the end of their deployment.
Of the many soldiers awarded for their outstanding performance, Spc. Rebecca Macintyre, a motor transportation operator with the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, and a Houston, Texas, native had a chance to speak with Schoomaker.
Macintyre’s vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device on Mother’s Day of this year. The explosion injured her and she was recognized with a Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge.
Among a handful of other Purple Heart recipients, Schoomaker pinned the awards on her during a ceremony and also recognized her actions with his coin.
Macintyre, seemingly overwhelmed with emotion, reflected on the ceremony by praising Schoomaker for making the trip to visit with the troops.
”It was an honor to have him give me the award,” she said. “It is an incredible morale booster. We’re going home in a couple weeks, but it still affects us a lot.” |
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Schoomaker also took time to swear in several soldiers that were reenlisting, many of them on their second or third tour to Iraq.
During his speech, Schoomaker made a point of recognizing the amount of soldiers with multiple deployments by asking all of them to raise their hands. He emphasized the importance of the soldiers sacrificing for the cause.
Besides the Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge recipients, a large number of the troops Schoomaker visited were awarded a personalized coin with Schoomaker’s name and the Army values inscribed on it.
While not as significant as a Purple Heart or Combat Action Badge, the coins are a way to reward troops for excellent performance during the deployment.
Despite the strict time constraints, Schoomaker made it to three different ceremonies and took time to speak with each of the soldiers he awarded.
“He was interested in the soldiers and why they were getting the awards,” Macintyre explained. “He puts on his pants one leg at a time just like the rest of us, but he’s an important man who doesn’t have to take the time to do this for us.”
Most of the troops under the 101st Airborne Division, Task Force Band of Brothers are winding down toward the end of their tour.
During each of the ceremonies, Schoomaker ended by urging the troops to not give up the fight and to “sprint through the finish line.” |
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