thedrifter
11-26-08, 06:59 AM
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Nov. 25, 2008) —A hospital corpsman with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group’s 2nd Medical Battalion was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a combat distinguishing device in an awards ceremony here, Nov. 19th.
Petty Officer 1st Class Casey A. Wheeler earned the medal during Operation Rustam, Sept. 30, 2007, while assigned with Military Transition Team 0142, which was partnered with 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division.
During the operation, Wheeler, a Wasilla, Alaska native, was part of a six-man team integrated into a squad of 14 Iraqi Army soldiers. The team’s mission was to provide command and control of an Iraqi platoon that was tasked with conducting a raid to capture a high valued individual in the Al Fahdil enclave of Baghdad, Iraq.
The team soon found themselves in an ambush.
Wheeler immediately returned fire in order to assist in the team’s effort to gain fire superiority and allow Marines and Iraqi soldiers to maneuver out of the ambush.
During the battle, the team received three casualties to include one KIA. The first casualty was an IA soldier who was shot in his right leg. After controlling the bleeding, Wheeler returned the IA soldier to the fight.
Shortly after, one of the team members, Gunnery Sgt. Jerome Murkerson Jr., took a fatal gunshot to the head.
Without hesitation, Wheeler attended to the Marine while under fire and moved him to a covered position.
“I did my absolute best to stay in the fight as much as possible,” Wheeler said. “Lt. Leach helped assess gunny. Most importantly I kept calm and remembered ‘they’re not your friend, they’re your patient’ and I couldn’t break down.”
The death of the gunnery sergeant rendered 10 IA soldiers disabled as they panicked in the battle. Wheeler was able to help rally the soldiers and return them to combat.
“After our gunny was killed, they were psychologically incapacitated and mentally unengaged,” he explained. “Four hours later, we put them out on a patrol, gave them motivation and worked as a team and returned them to the fight.”
Wheeler did not let the loss of his teammate stop him. He quickly established a casualty collection point and began coordinating with a coalition quick reaction force to evacuate the casualties from the combat zone.
The team soon took another casualty.
Another teammate, an Army first lieutenant received a gunshot wound to his right leg. Wheeler treated the wound, enabling the lieutenant to continue in the fight.
He then continued to assist at the established casualty collection point and helped coordinate water and medical re-supply to sustain the combat readiness of the team through the 6-hour battle.
It wasn’t until the battle was over that Wheeler would allow himself to step out of the fight and ponder the day’s events. To this day when he thinks about Sept. 30, 2007 he thinks of Gunnery Sgt. Jerome Murkerson Jr., and his team.
“How would you feel if your doc broke down?” he said. “It wasn’t until I was washing the blood off that I was able to reflect on what had just happened. I feel very honored to receive this award, but everything associated with that award, or with that night, reminds me of gunny.”
Wheeler credits his quick reactions to training he did before deployment.
“For the corpsman, if you have any down time, think of the worst scenario to treat a patient and train under that,” Wheeler said. “Even if you’re not calm, fake being calm. Never give up the opportunity to train.”
Ellie
Petty Officer 1st Class Casey A. Wheeler earned the medal during Operation Rustam, Sept. 30, 2007, while assigned with Military Transition Team 0142, which was partnered with 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division.
During the operation, Wheeler, a Wasilla, Alaska native, was part of a six-man team integrated into a squad of 14 Iraqi Army soldiers. The team’s mission was to provide command and control of an Iraqi platoon that was tasked with conducting a raid to capture a high valued individual in the Al Fahdil enclave of Baghdad, Iraq.
The team soon found themselves in an ambush.
Wheeler immediately returned fire in order to assist in the team’s effort to gain fire superiority and allow Marines and Iraqi soldiers to maneuver out of the ambush.
During the battle, the team received three casualties to include one KIA. The first casualty was an IA soldier who was shot in his right leg. After controlling the bleeding, Wheeler returned the IA soldier to the fight.
Shortly after, one of the team members, Gunnery Sgt. Jerome Murkerson Jr., took a fatal gunshot to the head.
Without hesitation, Wheeler attended to the Marine while under fire and moved him to a covered position.
“I did my absolute best to stay in the fight as much as possible,” Wheeler said. “Lt. Leach helped assess gunny. Most importantly I kept calm and remembered ‘they’re not your friend, they’re your patient’ and I couldn’t break down.”
The death of the gunnery sergeant rendered 10 IA soldiers disabled as they panicked in the battle. Wheeler was able to help rally the soldiers and return them to combat.
“After our gunny was killed, they were psychologically incapacitated and mentally unengaged,” he explained. “Four hours later, we put them out on a patrol, gave them motivation and worked as a team and returned them to the fight.”
Wheeler did not let the loss of his teammate stop him. He quickly established a casualty collection point and began coordinating with a coalition quick reaction force to evacuate the casualties from the combat zone.
The team soon took another casualty.
Another teammate, an Army first lieutenant received a gunshot wound to his right leg. Wheeler treated the wound, enabling the lieutenant to continue in the fight.
He then continued to assist at the established casualty collection point and helped coordinate water and medical re-supply to sustain the combat readiness of the team through the 6-hour battle.
It wasn’t until the battle was over that Wheeler would allow himself to step out of the fight and ponder the day’s events. To this day when he thinks about Sept. 30, 2007 he thinks of Gunnery Sgt. Jerome Murkerson Jr., and his team.
“How would you feel if your doc broke down?” he said. “It wasn’t until I was washing the blood off that I was able to reflect on what had just happened. I feel very honored to receive this award, but everything associated with that award, or with that night, reminds me of gunny.”
Wheeler credits his quick reactions to training he did before deployment.
“For the corpsman, if you have any down time, think of the worst scenario to treat a patient and train under that,” Wheeler said. “Even if you’re not calm, fake being calm. Never give up the opportunity to train.”
Ellie