RELEASE NUMBER: 130326-01
DATE POSTED: MARCH 26, 2013
MEDIA ADVISORY: Two 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) Soldiers to be awarded Purple Heart medals
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, March 26, 2013) – At a 1 p.m. ceremony on Thur., March 28, two Soldiers of a civil affairs team assigned to 98th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) will be presented Purple Heart medals for injuries they suffered on Aug. 27, 2012 while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cpt. Francisco Hernandez and Sgt. 1st Class Everardo Perez were returning to their command outpost after they and other Special Operations and conventional forces had conducted a veterinary civic action program (VETCAP) visit in west central Afghanistan.
Shortly after they were alerted to incoming enemy fire and were attempting to enter a protective bunker, an 88mm. recoilless rifle round exploded near the bunker. The blast knocked them both unconscious.
Hernandez and Perez returned to duty after several weeks of treatment for mild traumatic brain injury, and resumed conducting civil affairs missions until they redeployed to Fort Bragg last month.
FOR THE MEDIA: Media wishing to cover the ceremony should contact Public Affairs Office at (910) 907-5983 (office number), or email: 95th-ca-pao@soc.mil. Media should provide after-hours contact information, to include e-mail addresses, so we may keep you appraised of any schedule change.
Members of the media who wish to cover the ceremony must be registered with the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) by Wed., March 27, 3 p.m. Please provide the number of news team members, video/still photographers, live-feed trucks or other special equipment you plan to bring to the ceremony. Special needs or interview requests should be submitted at this time as well.
Media representatives will be met by a 95th CA Brigade (Airborne) public affairs representative at 12:15 p.m. on Thur., March 28 at Stryker Golf Course on Bragg Boulevard. The media convoy will depart the golf course parking lot no later than 12:30 p.m.
The ceremony is at the John F. Kennedy Auditorium at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg.