Ones that would be acceptable to Rosa Brooks, even.
'Raider' medics recognized for skill, bravery under fire
By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. PAOBAGHDAD - They often are the first people who arrive to render aid when Soldiers are wounded in combat. They are combat medics and have saved numerous lives while serving in Iraq.
Spc. Nicholas Roden, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division from Moline, Ill., and Spc. Nicholas Bryant, a medic with Troop B, 1-4 Cav. from Baltimore, are two such professionals whose skill was recognized at an award ceremony July 20 at Forward Operating Base Falcon.
The two received the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device for their actions with their respective units while on patrol in southern Baghdad's Rashid District.
Roden, who works with the 1-4 Cav. personal security detachment, and his convoy were exiting a hostile area when he got word over the radio someone had been hit. The moment he heard, he said there was only one thing on his mind.
"Get to my casualty and take care of him," he said.Roden did get to the wounded Soldier, despite having to cross an intersection that still was taking fire. For Bryant, the method of attack was different, but his reactions were no less impressive.
When his convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device, he immediately grabbed his aid bag and rushed to the stricken vehicle. After assessing the situation, he realized what he had to do. He removed his protective gear and crawled under the truck only to find his comrade was beyond help. Upon treating a casualty inside the truck who had his leg broken in three places, Bryant remained inside the vehicle as it was being lifted by a crane to stabilize his wounded patient, preventing further injuries.
"I just got a surge of adrenaline when I saw somebody hurt," Bryant said. "You don't think about yourself, you just worry about them. I just wanted to get them out as fast as I could."
Staff Sgt. Grant Pratt, the medical treatment noncommissioned officer for 1-4 Cav. from Dillon, Mont., said it was nice to see the medics recognized. "It makes me feel good because usually medics don't always get honored for the job that they do," he said. "For our medics to be the only guys (being recognized) right now in the squadron, it makes me feel good for our guys."
Staff Sgt. Jacob Perez, the medical evacuation noncommissioned officer for 1-4 Cav. from Corpus Christi, Texas, said Bryant's and Roden's recognition reflects highly on his unit. "I think it makes us look great," Perez said. "We pretty much are the best medical platoon within the entire brigade, and everybody knows that."
The Raiders' medical platoon put in a lot of hours prior to deploying, and Bryant and Roden's actions are reflective of that, their NCOs said. "We trained almost on a daily basis. Instead of sending these guys home, we were doing classes, we were training," Pratt said. "We knew we were coming here. We trained hours and hours and hours every day." "We know what to expect and what's going to happen. There's a bunch of guys fresh out of basic and advanced individual training," he added. "We weren't going to let them be focused on the basic book knowledge of a medic. We knew that it's far more advanced than that."
Bryant and Roden have been honored for their hard work and uncommon actions under fire, but if you ask them, modesty is all you'll get. "I appreciate it, but I was just doing my job," Bryant said. Roden added, "I appreciate it, but I'd rather have my friend back." Such humility is expected from the two medics, Pratt said. "It's a testament to their character. They are very humble guys," he said.
"We've made our guys understand that their job is more important than patches or awards and all that stuff, and they understand that more than a lot of people out here who can't wait to get a combat patch or who are chasing a combat medical badge or combat action badge or infantry badge," Perez added. "They just go out there looking for stuff. Our guys do their job, and they're good at their job.
"If somebody wants to recognize them for valor, that's great, but it's not going to go to their head and they're not going to change their job in any way."
Well done, soldiers!
"We've made our guys understand that their job is more important than patches or awards and all that stuff, and they understand that more than a lot of people out here who can't wait to get a combat patch or who are chasing a combat medical badge or combat action badge or infantry badge," Perez added. "They just go out there looking for stuff. Our guys do their job, and they're good at their job.
More importantly, I think - well done, Staff Sergeant Perez. Getting the job done and coming home is more important than merit badges, however deserved they may be.
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