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Purple Heart recipient has high praise for Air Mobility Command

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Trish Freeland
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Capt. Jason Walker doesn't remember much about the events that led to him being presented the Purple Heart, but he is pretty sure of one thing: "I'd probably be dead if not for AMC. They got me out of harm's way so fast."

An intelligence officer assigned to Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Captain Walker
was badly injured by an enemy mortar that exploded just seven meters behind him. Shrapnel fractured his right arm and entered the base of his brain. Within hours of being ambushed on November 3, 2006, in the Laghman Province of Afghanistan, the captain was on a flight from Bagram to Landstuhl where he underwent brain surgery to remove shrapnel fragments.

"It took me more than a week to get to my location in Afghanistan. AMC flew me out of there and into brain surgery within 32 hours. That's incredible," he said.

The captain eventually was transported to Bethesda Naval Hospital where the AMC Commander, Gen Duncan McNabb paid him a visit. The General recently presented Captain Walker with the Purple Heart during a commander's call at Scott AFB.

"It makes me really proud to know the Tanker Airlift Control Center and Air Mobility Command were working so hard to get me home. They still have crews out there doing this everyday. They're the ones who really deserve medals."