FORT CAMPBELL — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presided over a mass reenlistment and Purple Heart ceremony May 18 at The Sabalauski Air Assault School on Fort Campbell, where 190 soldiers reenlisted and nine Army veterans received Purple Hearts for combat wounds sustained in Iraq and Kuwait.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth presents medals May 18 at Fort Campbell.
U.S. Army
The ceremony, hosted by the 101st Airborne Division, honored soldiers wounded in a 2003 insider attack in Kuwait and in separate incidents in Samara, Iraq, in 2005 and 2006, according to a news release.
“Being a Soldier is a difficult thing,” Hegseth told the formation of reenlisting troops. “What you sacrifice, what you’re willing to do – most Americans can’t understand.”
Following the reenlistment ceremony, Hegseth presented Purple Hearts to the following veterans:
• Retired Col. Townley Hedrick, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Retired Col. Andras Marton, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Retired Lt. Col. Shawn Phillips, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Retired Lt. Col. Kenneth Romaine, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Retired Maj. David Santos, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Army veteran Gian Amorsolo, for wounds sustained March 23, 2003.
• Army veteran Marcus Sandoval, for wounds sustained April 7, 2006.
• Army veteran Mark Pham, for wounds sustained April 30, 2006.
• Army veteran Miguel Lopez, for wounds sustained May 2, 2006.
“The Purple Heart is one of our nation’s oldest and most sacred military decorations,” said Maj. Gen. David Gardner, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, in the release. “It is not awarded for achievement. It is not awarded for rank. It is awarded for sacrifice – for those who shed blood or suffered wounds at the hands of the enemy – just like these great Americans.”
According to the release, additional individuals wounded in the 2003 Kuwait attack will be recognized and awarded Purple Hearts during a future ceremony at the Pentagon.