http://news.soc.mil/releases/News Archive/2009/May/090528-02.html
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, May 28, 2009) – The Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne) added two more names to its Wall of Heroes under a morning cloud cover, May 28.
“These fallen warriors walked these same hallways before you,” the narrator read standing before their families and Soldiers of the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center.
“Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery M. Rada Morales and Staff Sgt. Small Marc J. Small will now join their fallen comrade medics on the Wall of Heroes this morning, a place where we remember fallen Special Operations Medics who are killed in combat.”
Small, 29, a native of Collegeville, Pa., died of injuries he sustained from enemy fire during a combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces medical sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.
Morales, 32, a native of Naranjito, Puerto Rico, died as a result of a non-battle accident on June 28, near Khosrowe Sofla, in the Arghandab District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, in support of combat operations while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in May 2008 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan.
This was his second deployment in support of the Global War on Terror and second deployment to Afghanistan.
“Holding a ceremony like this, it is our chance as the premier institution in the world for creating SOF medics to formally pay respect to the U.S. Special Operations Medics who have fallen, hear their stories from those who fought with them, then eternalize their story with their plaques on the Wall of Heroes,” said 1st Sgt. Robert S. Torka, Company A, SWMG (A).
“It is important for the future Special Operations Medics to learn about those medics who came before them and paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he continued. “This will also give them a small reality check of the importance of the training they’re doing here—they are training to deploy in harm’s way, they are expected to keep their brothers alive and bring them home.”
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, May 28, 2009) – The Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne) added two more names to its Wall of Heroes under a morning cloud cover, May 28.
“These fallen warriors walked these same hallways before you,” the narrator read standing before their families and Soldiers of the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center.
“Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery M. Rada Morales and Staff Sgt. Small Marc J. Small will now join their fallen comrade medics on the Wall of Heroes this morning, a place where we remember fallen Special Operations Medics who are killed in combat.”
Small, 29, a native of Collegeville, Pa., died of injuries he sustained from enemy fire during a combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces medical sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.
Morales, 32, a native of Naranjito, Puerto Rico, died as a result of a non-battle accident on June 28, near Khosrowe Sofla, in the Arghandab District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, in support of combat operations while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in May 2008 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan.
This was his second deployment in support of the Global War on Terror and second deployment to Afghanistan.
“Holding a ceremony like this, it is our chance as the premier institution in the world for creating SOF medics to formally pay respect to the U.S. Special Operations Medics who have fallen, hear their stories from those who fought with them, then eternalize their story with their plaques on the Wall of Heroes,” said 1st Sgt. Robert S. Torka, Company A, SWMG (A).
“It is important for the future Special Operations Medics to learn about those medics who came before them and paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he continued. “This will also give them a small reality check of the importance of the training they’re doing here—they are training to deploy in harm’s way, they are expected to keep their brothers alive and bring them home.”
