Posted on 02/01/2007 4:43:37 AM PST by radar101
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - A Luke AFB sergeant was awarded two Purple Hearts for two separate injuries she received in a span of three months in Iraq.
Staff Sgt. Aime Gaona, a 56th Operations Support Squadron intelligence analyst, was serving an eight-month deployment as a weapons intelligence team member of the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at Balad Air Base, Iraq.
In October Sergeant Gaona's weapons intelligence team participated in a nine-vehicle operation whose mission was to bring down an improvised explosive device manufacturer and placer. Sergeant Gaona's humvee triggered a pressure switch on an IED that exploded and destroyed the vehicle and injured all four passengers.
Although she sustained a concussion and was wounded by shrapnel from the IED, Sergeant Gaona immediately began processing the scene and took critical photographs that enabled Combined Explosive Exploitation Cell members to document and analyze the data to protect future convoys.
On Dec. 19, Sergeant Gaona was injured for a second time while responding to an IED sighting outside of Kirkuk.
After identifying unusual markings that included a pile of rocks on the side of the road and a cassette tape, Sergeant Gaona photographed all of the evidence and proceeded to photograph the area across a riverbed where the suspected IED "trigger man" would have been.
When Sergeant Gaona lifted her camera to take a photo, she heard a pop noise and fell to the ground. She was shot in the leg by an enemy sniper and sustained a fractured femur.
Sergeant Gaona was initially treated at Forward Operating Base Warrior and then transported to the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad AB where Col. Larry Jackson, 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander, presented her a Purple Heart.
"Sergeant Gaona's relentless WIT support to 16,000 coalition Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and civilians throughout the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division's battle space will have a lasting positive effect on the protection of U.S. forces operating in the area, as well as Iraq's civilian population and infrastructure," said Lt. Col. David Julazadeh, 56th Operations Support Squadron commander. "For her bravery, Sergeant Gaona was awarded two Purple Hearts."
A Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States to military members who sustain injuries received in combat.
After stop-offs for surgeries in Germany and Maryland, Gaona returned in early January to Arizona, where she is expected to make a full recovery.
Gaona liked working in the field. When she returns to active duty, she won't be satisfied by a desk job.
"I just can't stay behind a computer all day long," she said.
Breaking a record previously held by John Kerry, who was in Vietnam.
No way...he got 3, and they were all life threatening injuries ;)
Yessir..! All treated the following morning with bacitracin and no lost duty time......!
The man must have been a cyborg. I mean most humans could never recover from ingesting a piece of rice...anally.
"Breaking a record previously held by John Kerry, who was in Vietnam."
****
Wasn't he also in Cambodia at Christmas or near Christmas, or six months from Christmas, or in his dreams.....?
Staff Sgt. Aime Gaona receives a Purple Heart from Col. Larry Jackson for being struck by a sniper's bullet in her right femur Dec. 19 outside Kirkuk, Iraq. Sergeant Gaona is a weapons intelligence team member of the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, deployed from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Colonel Jackson is the 732nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kirk Clear
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. Colonel Timothy Strawther, 56th Operations Group commander, welcomes back to Luke Staff Sgt. Aime Gaona after she received a Purple Heart Dec. 19, after being hit by a snipers bullet in her right femur. Sergeant Gaona was a weapons intelligence team member of the 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron deployed from Luke to Balad, Iraq. She returned to Luke directly from Andrews Air Force Base via a C-17. She was also welcomed back by Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, 56th Fighter Wing commander, and a crowd of family, friends and co-workers.
It's not like she was hit by something serious like flying rice or anything.
That's a peculiar way to bring down an IED manufacturer.
The femur being the heaviest, strongest bone in the body, that must have been a high powered sniper weapon or lucky placement of the round.
Glad I read ahead; I was about to duplicate the comments on J F'n Kerry's grave injuries.
I would think that it is to be expected that an IED manufacturing facility is going to be intensively booby-trapped, and even quite cleverly so depending on the sophistication of the manufacturing crew.
Sgt. Gaona, drawing that much enemy fire is NOT healthy!
Two Purple Hearts is enough. If I were her CO, I'd put her in a desk job.
I meant no disrespect for such an outstanding young hero.
I apologize if my sarcastic remark was misinterpreted.
well the airman is no John Kerry....
well the airman is no John Kerry....
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