# Female MP Sgt Receives Silver Star



## tomahawk6 (17 Jun 2005)

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-919376.php

Outstanding job by all involved.


----------



## marshall sl (17 Jun 2005)

Source: UPI 
Female soldier wins Iraq Silver Star 

Date: Thursday, June 16, 2005 7:30:25 PM EST

WASHINGTON, June 16 (UPI) -- The Army awarded the first Silver Star for bravery in combat to a female soldier in the Iraq war Thursday.

Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky., won the award for "exceptionally valorous achievement." The convoy her military policy company was escorting came under attack March 20 by insurgent forces armed with AK-47s, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

Hester, a team leader for 617th Military Police Company out of Richmond, Ky., led the counterattack, the official citation said.

"Sgt. Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone into a flanking position where she assaulted a trench line with grenades and M203 rounds.

"She then cleared two trenches with her squad leader where she engaged and eliminated three (anti-Iraqi forces) with her M4 rifle. Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members."

Staff Sgt. Timothy Nein, 36, of Louisville, and Spc. Jason Mike, 23, of Radcliff, also won the Silver Star for their actions in the same firefight. Five other soldiers from the same Kentucky National Guard unit were also decorated.

The unit is assigned to Baghdad where it is responsible for route security, convoy security and where it supports two Iraqi Highway Patrol stations. Fifteen of the 617th MP Company soldiers have received 17 Purple Heart Medals


----------



## Bartok5 (17 Jun 2005)

Good for her - seriously.  She deserved it, and got it.  That rocks.  So much for the long-since lame-arsed "no women in the combat arms" argument.....


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse (17 Jun 2005)

...actually it pisses me off that its even mentioned that a " female" soldier won and not just "Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky."


----------



## Gunner (17 Jun 2005)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> ...actually it pisses me off that its even mentioned that a " female" soldier won and not just "Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky."



Amen Bruce, amen.


----------



## Kat Stevens (17 Jun 2005)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> ...actually it pisses me off that its even mentioned that a " female" soldier won and not just "Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky."


Exactly so, Bruce. The other troops involved got an "also awarded" mention.  Fair, I guess, but what about " US soldier gets medal" kind of thing?  Ah, well.... too much Kokanee Gold, not enough sleep....

Kat


----------



## KevinB (18 Jun 2005)

Kudos to all of them for killing people who needed to be killed, and doing so at a min of friendly casualties (except the truth?) I just wish it was not a PR Photo Op -> I noticed she LED the counter attacked - that seemed to include a Staff Sgt who got the Silver Star too... hhmm   :


Creative writting class?


 Or what.


----------



## Infanteer (18 Jun 2005)

Kevin is right, kudos to all for doing the job and good on Sgt Hester for showing that she has what it takes, but I have a feeling there is some creative writing being done on this one.

Oh well, she is a far better than Jessica Lynch as a role model for female soldiers.


----------



## tomahawk6 (18 Jun 2005)

The squad leader, Sgt Hester, medic and a Spc manning an MG on the Humvee received the silver star. The point here is that Sgt Hester is the first woman to receive the SS since WW2. No creative writing. The AAR gives the two leaders of this MP squad high marks.


----------



## Fishbone Jones (18 Jun 2005)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> The squad leader, Sgt Hester, medic and a Spc manning an MG on the Humvee received the silver star. The point here is that Sgt Hester is the first woman to receive the SS since WW2. No creative writing. The AAR gives the two leaders of this MP squad high marks.



Take no notice or offense tomahawk. It's just our jaded nature that has us look for that underlying lead lining to every silver cloud.


----------



## Infanteer (18 Jun 2005)

As someone so eloquently put it on SOCNET, "I love the thought of some asshole dieing knowing that our women are better warriors than him...."



> For the Record: MPs Outgunned but Win
> Editor's Note: This is an After Action Report on the combat incident on March 20, 2005 near Salman Pak, Iraq, between a squad of ten soldiers from the 617th Military Police Co. (Kentucky Army National Guard) assigned to the 18th MP Brigade, and a group of between 40-50 armed Iraqi fighters. The report was written by the brigade intelligence officer. Names of the troops involve have been deleted, and the text has been slightly edited for clarity.
> AFTER ACTION REPORT: Raven 42 Action in Salman Pak
> 
> ...


----------

