Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2019 20:20:17 GMT -5
Trump awards Fort Drum’s Travis Atkins posthumous Medal of Honor
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday awarded the Medal of Honor to Army Sgt. Travis Atkins, almost 12 years after the Fort Drum soldier sacrificed his life to stop a suicide bomber in Iraq.
Atkins’ son, Trevor Oliver, 22, accepted the medal, the nation’s highest military honor for valor, in a ceremony in the White House East Room.
“Today, the name of Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins will be etched alongside American’s bravest warriors and written forever into our hearts,” Trump said before presenting the medal.
Trump acknowledged more than 50 current and former members of the “legendary 10th Mountain Division” at Fort Drum near Watertown who made the trip to the White House to honor Atkins. He asked them to stand.
Among them, were the three former Army soldiers whose lives were saved June 1, 2007 when Atkins wrapped himself around a suicide bomber in Abu Samak, Iraq.
“In his final months on Earth, Travis did not run,” Trump said. “He didn’t know what it was to run.” The president added, “He embraced the 10th Mountain Division motto, ‘Climb to Glory.’”
Trump asked Oliver, who was 11 when his father was killed, to say a few words after presenting him the medal and telling him, “Your father’s courage and sacrifice will live a long time.”
“It’s an absolute honor to have every one of you here,” Oliver said to more than 500 people gathered in the East Room, most of them members of the military and their spouses. “Everything you have said to me over the past few days has meant the world to me, and it changes my life every, every day.”
Looking at his father’s battle brothers, he added, “I’m glad that you got to enjoy his love and his energy. Thank you.”
After he spoke, President Trump leaned over to Oliver and said, “Beautiful.”
Oliver and his grandparents, Jack and Elaine Atkins of Bozeman, Mont., were led into the East Room by Vice President Mike Pence.
Among those in attendance were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, a former commander of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, who represents the New York North Country district that includes Fort Drum.
Atkins became only the fourth soldier from Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division to receive the Medal of Honor. The medal is reserved for the “bravest of the brave,” military officials say, and it is awarded only when acts of courage can be well documented.
Atkins served in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum from December 2005 until his death on June 1, 2007. He was a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
It was his second time in the Army. He reenlisted after serving in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky from November 2000 until December 2003. He took part in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003 as an infantry fire team leader.
A year after Atkins died at age 31, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor for recognition of valor in battle.
But the Pentagon decided to upgrade the honor last year after a review of more than 1,100 commendations for heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Oliver said he found out about the decision in August when he received a surprise phone call from President Trump. But when Army officials contacted him first to confirm his identity and arrange a call about his father, Oliver thought it was a scam.
Army Col. Carrie Perez, who helped lead the Medal of Honor team that contacted the family, told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that officials could only inform Oliver that a “senior Defense Department official” wanted to talk with him. No mention was made of the president.
“I immediately didn’t think it was real,” Oliver told reporters while visiting the Pentagon on Tuesday. “I thought there was some elaborate plan going on and they were trying to fool me. So, I immediately was not very nice to people on the phone, and I was being rather rude.”
A date was set for a call at 4 p.m. Aug. 2. In short order, President Trump was on the phone talking with Oliver, who works a 6 a.m. shift at a Target store in Coon Rapids, Minn.
In their phone conversation, President Trump told him that he had good genes from a tough warrior.
“As I came to realize that it was real, it was completely overwhelming and utter shock,” Oliver said. “My girlfriend was in the room and she said my jaw was on the floor and I was beet red. It was absolutely a liberating experience. It’s such an incredible, incredible honor.”
Jack Atkins said he had similar thoughts when Defense Department officials called him in Bozeman, Montana.
“I couldn’t believe what she was telling me,” said Atkins, a veteran of the Vietnam War. “I said, ‘Are you a scam artist working out of your garage?’”
Jack Atkins listened Tuesday at the Pentagon as five Army soldiers who served with his son talked about Travis’ qualities as a leader, friend and ultimately a hero.
“I am not surprised to hear what Travis did,” Atkins said. “This award is one thing. The real award for us is that these guys showed up.”
Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
www.syracuse.com/politics/2019/03/trump-awards-fort-drums-travis-atkins-posthumous-medal-of-honor.html
What a wonderful honor to give to a man who gave us his life for our freedom. Thank you, Sir. Rest in peace.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday awarded the Medal of Honor to Army Sgt. Travis Atkins, almost 12 years after the Fort Drum soldier sacrificed his life to stop a suicide bomber in Iraq.
Atkins’ son, Trevor Oliver, 22, accepted the medal, the nation’s highest military honor for valor, in a ceremony in the White House East Room.
“Today, the name of Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins will be etched alongside American’s bravest warriors and written forever into our hearts,” Trump said before presenting the medal.
Trump acknowledged more than 50 current and former members of the “legendary 10th Mountain Division” at Fort Drum near Watertown who made the trip to the White House to honor Atkins. He asked them to stand.
Among them, were the three former Army soldiers whose lives were saved June 1, 2007 when Atkins wrapped himself around a suicide bomber in Abu Samak, Iraq.
“In his final months on Earth, Travis did not run,” Trump said. “He didn’t know what it was to run.” The president added, “He embraced the 10th Mountain Division motto, ‘Climb to Glory.’”
Trump asked Oliver, who was 11 when his father was killed, to say a few words after presenting him the medal and telling him, “Your father’s courage and sacrifice will live a long time.”
“It’s an absolute honor to have every one of you here,” Oliver said to more than 500 people gathered in the East Room, most of them members of the military and their spouses. “Everything you have said to me over the past few days has meant the world to me, and it changes my life every, every day.”
Looking at his father’s battle brothers, he added, “I’m glad that you got to enjoy his love and his energy. Thank you.”
After he spoke, President Trump leaned over to Oliver and said, “Beautiful.”
Oliver and his grandparents, Jack and Elaine Atkins of Bozeman, Mont., were led into the East Room by Vice President Mike Pence.
Among those in attendance were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, a former commander of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, who represents the New York North Country district that includes Fort Drum.
Atkins became only the fourth soldier from Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division to receive the Medal of Honor. The medal is reserved for the “bravest of the brave,” military officials say, and it is awarded only when acts of courage can be well documented.
Atkins served in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum from December 2005 until his death on June 1, 2007. He was a squad leader with the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
It was his second time in the Army. He reenlisted after serving in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky from November 2000 until December 2003. He took part in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003 as an infantry fire team leader.
A year after Atkins died at age 31, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor for recognition of valor in battle.
But the Pentagon decided to upgrade the honor last year after a review of more than 1,100 commendations for heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Oliver said he found out about the decision in August when he received a surprise phone call from President Trump. But when Army officials contacted him first to confirm his identity and arrange a call about his father, Oliver thought it was a scam.
Army Col. Carrie Perez, who helped lead the Medal of Honor team that contacted the family, told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that officials could only inform Oliver that a “senior Defense Department official” wanted to talk with him. No mention was made of the president.
“I immediately didn’t think it was real,” Oliver told reporters while visiting the Pentagon on Tuesday. “I thought there was some elaborate plan going on and they were trying to fool me. So, I immediately was not very nice to people on the phone, and I was being rather rude.”
A date was set for a call at 4 p.m. Aug. 2. In short order, President Trump was on the phone talking with Oliver, who works a 6 a.m. shift at a Target store in Coon Rapids, Minn.
In their phone conversation, President Trump told him that he had good genes from a tough warrior.
“As I came to realize that it was real, it was completely overwhelming and utter shock,” Oliver said. “My girlfriend was in the room and she said my jaw was on the floor and I was beet red. It was absolutely a liberating experience. It’s such an incredible, incredible honor.”
Jack Atkins said he had similar thoughts when Defense Department officials called him in Bozeman, Montana.
“I couldn’t believe what she was telling me,” said Atkins, a veteran of the Vietnam War. “I said, ‘Are you a scam artist working out of your garage?’”
Jack Atkins listened Tuesday at the Pentagon as five Army soldiers who served with his son talked about Travis’ qualities as a leader, friend and ultimately a hero.
“I am not surprised to hear what Travis did,” Atkins said. “This award is one thing. The real award for us is that these guys showed up.”
Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
www.syracuse.com/politics/2019/03/trump-awards-fort-drums-travis-atkins-posthumous-medal-of-honor.html
What a wonderful honor to give to a man who gave us his life for our freedom. Thank you, Sir. Rest in peace.