Vol. 38, No. 6: Fort Sam Houston – Home of Army Medicine: February 9, 2006

MEDICS AND CORPSMEN HONORED AT BAMC CEREMONY
By Michael Dulevitz
Brooke Army Medical Center Public Affairs

(From left) Staff Sgt. Michelle Mitchell, Petty Officer 3rd Class Randel Leoncio, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Derek McGinnis listen as Kerry Pardue, Deputy Commander of the Texas Chapter of the National Association of Medics and Corpsmen, reads a poem he authored depicting his experiences as a medic while in the Viet Nam War. McGinnis, Leoncio and Mitchell were given a membership to NAMC in appreciation for their work as combat medical professionals.

Three active duty medics were honored by the National Association of Medics and Corpsmen Jan. 31 for their bravery and heroism under battle conditions after being injured in the Global War on Terrorism.

Staff Sgt. Michelle Mitchell and Navy Hospital Corpsmen Petty Officer 3rd Class Randel Leoncio and Petty Officer 2nd Class Derek McGinnis are recuperating at Brooke Army Medical Center from wounds they received while serving in Iraq.

Mitchell, Leoncio and McGinnis each received a lifetime membership to NAMC, as well as the association's nationally recognized medal and ribbon. Both the medal and ribbon can be worn with the military uniform. NAMC is one of only three organizations that have this distinction.

The honors were bestowed by Calvin Guthrie, Texas state chapter commander; Kerrie Pardue, deputy commander; and George Carrasco, national service officer. "We are thankful that you are here today, and thankful that you were there and are here for our Soldiers," said Pardue.

"We have the greatest system in the world because of people like you; trained medics and corpsmen to give that initial care on the battlefield," said Col. Mark Bagg, chief, Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at BAMC.

He said that without that immediate care, the survival rate that has been achieved would not be as high as it has been in this conflict. Bagg thanked the three honorees saying, "Thank you for your service, for what you do, and know that we, as a nation, are indebted to you."

Mitchell was injured by an improvised explosive device while serving with the 571st Military Police Company, from Fort Lewis, Wash. She was on a convoy outside Baghdad when the Humvee she was riding in was hit by an IED. Mitchell suffered burns to her arm and both legs as a result of the explosion and subsequent fire.

Leoncio was serving with L Company, 4th Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Ramadi, Iraq, when he was injured Oct. 4 by an IED blast. His injuries include an above-the-knee amputation, fractured mandible and multiple injuries to the face and abdomen.

McGinnis was serving with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion when injured in Fallujah, Iraq, Nov. 9 by a vehicle-borne IED. McGinnis suffered an above-the knee amputation, blast injuries to his right foot and right eye and other foreign-body injuries.

The ceremony was hosted by the Texas State Chapter of NAMC. NAMC has 400 members nationwide and its membership includes medics and corpsmen who served in all conflicts from World War II to present. The group of lifesavers and caregivers was created to provide a forum for combat medics.