54 Hours of Valor – Female Marine awarded Combat “V”

First Lt. Rebecca M. Turpin received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for her actions under enemy fire during the battalion’s last deployment to Afghanistan from October 2008 to May 2009. The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal is awarded for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. The “V” device denotes an act of uncommon valor performed during direct contact with an enemy force.

“Throughout the mission, Lieutenant Turpin led by example and set the standard of calm under fire,” Jernigan wrote. “She ensured that her Marines effectively fought their way out of dangerous situations and completed her logistics resupply mission. Her efforts ensured the delivery of vital combat logistics support to FOB Musa Qalah while eliminating several enemy threats along the way.”

Turpin said it was the Marines’ actions during the two and one-half day patrol which enabled mission success and ensured the safe return of all personnel.

“No matter how long the patrol went on, how tired and hungry the Marines and corpsmen were, they did everything they were asked to do and more,” Turpin said. “They supported one another, each did his own part, and by all elements of the patrol working so fluidly and efficiently, this patrol concluded with zero casualties. I think that the success of a logistics patrol is not measured when everything goes perfectly, but by how the Marines and corpsmen react and behave when everything goes wrong.”

Turpin humbly said receiving the medal meant her superiors saw fit to award her for doing the job she was assigned to do. “I am honored by the award, but feel that I was completing my assigned duties as per my billet, by directing the Marines and corpsmen that themselves completed the mission and made our deployment a success,” Turpin said.

Excerpted from this Article by Lance Cpl. Alesha R. Guard, Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Samuel Adams, American Patriot

Samuel Adams (September 27, 1722 – October 2, 1803) was a statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founders of the United States. As a politician in colonial Massachusetts, Adams was a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and was one of the architects of the principles of American republicanism that shaped the political culture of the United States.

Born in Boston, Adams was brought up in a religious and politically active family. A graduate of Harvard College, he was an unsuccessful businessman and tax collector before concentrating on politics. As an influential official of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Boston Town Meeting in the 1760s, Adams was a part of a movement opposed to the British Parliament’s efforts to tax the British American colonies without their consent. Read more

Keith Zeier, Patriot

While a Marine, Sgt. Keith Zeier served with the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion and the Marine Special Operations Battalion. In 2006, he was injured by an IED-type exposive device in Iraq, leaving him with permanent muscle and nerve damage in his right leg as well as a severe head injury. The explosion ended Sgt. Zeier’s Marine career. But it didn’t end his resolve.

On May 17th 2009, Sgt. Keith Zeier completed a 100 mile ultra-marathon to benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Please visit the FirstGiving website to learn more about Keith and make a donation to the SOWF.

Over the course of the grueling 100 miles, Mr. Zeier, lost 21 pounds, and required medical attention including intravenous fluids. To date, Keith has raised $77,175 for the SOWF.

More about the Keith, and the race, can be found in an article in The New York Daily News.

Keith Zeier is a American Patriot.

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Photo credits: Zeier on Flickr, Burke for News