Captain Jennifer Moreno’s last act
Paul sends us a link to the Stars & Stripes story of Captain Jennifer Moreno, a nurse, who was killed by an explosive device on October 5th, 2013. That day she was one of four who were killed along with 25 others who were wounded in a series of 12 explosive devices. Captain Moreno disregarded her own safety and died trying to help others. She was awarded a Bronze Star Medal (I can only assume that medal came with a “V” for Valor, since the article isn’t clear on that point);
The first to die was an Afghan woman walking out of the compound wearing a suicide vest.
She detonated the explosive, killing herself, wounding six troops and setting off a second blast nearby. Two soldiers rushing to help troops wounded in the first blast hit the third bomb. A second enemy fighter died in those early blasts, too.
An Afghan insurgent who ran away from the building detonated the fourth explosive, another suicide vest. The bomb killed him and a military working dog named Jani.
Moreno heard a call from a staff sergeant to help a wounded soldier. At the same time, the battle’s ground commander told all of the soldiers to stay where they were.
Her Bronze Star commendation uses dry, formal military language to describe the decision she faced.
“Disregarding her own well-being,” it reads, “Moreno unhesitatingly moved to assist (the soldiers) upon realizing the severity of the wounds sustained by her fellow teammates.”
“While in transit, Moreno detonated Device No. 5 and was killed in action.”
Few could make the same choice.
“None of us would have done what you did, running into hell to save your wounded brothers, knowing full well you probably wouldn’t make it back,” the commander of Moreno’s female Special Operations support team in Afghanistan, Capt. Amanda King, later wrote in a eulogy.
Category: Real Soldiers
All my respect and honor the Captain Jennifer Moreno. A true hero. I personally believe it should have been a Silver Star. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. I love these stories on TAH but they are saddening to me at the same time. A brave soldier gone too soon.
I always hate to second guess awards, as if the award given isn’t “good enough”, but my great uncle did get a silver star for a pretty similar act during WW2.
I’m torn between her disobeying an order and saying “fuck it, I *have* to help them:…
I wish she would have lived so she then would have had her ass chewed out and THEN given a medal for bravery.
/isn’t that how the movie always ends?
God Bless our SPEC OPS support personnel and the good Captain Jennifer Moreno!
Knew her from KAF,she was funny as hell called the male medics manginas hahaha.RIP warrior you will be missed.Why is this never shown on tv? BUT WE GET AROUND THE CLOCK BULLSHIT ABOUT A OLD GUY SAYING WEIRD SHIT TO HIS GOLD DIGGER WHORE? MERICA that’s why,thank you potus you scrote.
JarHead Pat…..
Scrotus??
Obligatory….
“President” Ballrog, HUSSEIN, Sombrero, Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers, al-Chicago, Chocolate Jesus, B-Rock the Islamic Shock, Barky McTeleprompter, Wizard of Uhhs, BoBo the Clown, Oblahbla, Jug Ears, Saunas breach akimbo, Waffles The Clown, Borborygmos Hammerhiem, The Rainbow King, Bukkake O’Bunga, OBIGOT, El Jefe Chocholate, “Jace the Mindsculpter”, Hopey McChangeypants, Oyobi, Bonzo the Time Traveler, La Bamba yo’ Mamma, Samurai Kebab Nachos, Barackabeedoobeedoobeedo, Hussein-In-The-Membrane, Black Thunder, Dr. Utopia, Obamarambo, Fartbongo, II”
You forgot “Little BO Peep”, ChipNASA. Otherwise excellent!
Always looking for for new material!!
😀
President Mom-Jeans.
Dagnabbit, ChipNASA, you left out bodaprez.
Barry Insane Obumbler
I want to laugh but I have bourbon in my nose and it burns.
RIP Warrioress…You are a true hero.
Hardcore.
Rest Well, My Lady.
I’m a nurse, and this was so totally inspirational. I have shared this story with my fellow nurses.
I know that sometimes we get a patient who is out of control, and we wade in there and deal with it anyway.
Her courage and desire to get to her patients is just magnitude of orders above that.
Godspeed, Nurse.
There’s that ugly word, again – Posthumous. May her family find peace and take pride in a short life overfull with accomplishments.
Those candles that burn the brightest also burn shortest.
Prayers out to her family and friends.
Thank you ma’am.
Sad to say I’m just hearing about this now.
I’m reminded of the question at the end of James Michener’s “The Bridges at Toko Ri”
Where do we find such men (and women?)
As a Fellow Nurse Corps Officer, I am humbled and incredibly honored to serve alongside such people. Vaya con Dios, CPT Moreno. You made us all proud.
Rest in peace, Captain.
In life, you were an Angel of Mercy – and you died being one.
Now, you’re simply an Angel.
We asked her to do her duty and that was not enough for her. She went above and beyond. That is a leader anybody would follow. Her actions go further than any lawsuit would in the eyes of the troops.
Rest in Peace
Hooah! 🙂
It’s stories like this that make me think just how much bullshit medals and awards can be. This soldier deserves a silver star, and I’d bet good money that a silver star is precisely what she was put in for. And then some dickhead downgraded it. Her leadership should’ve played the stupid game and put her in for a DSC.
Rest in Peace Captain Moreno. You are a true hero.
Disobeying an order to help ones comrades isn’t all that unusual.
So I’m told.
Yeah, says the guy who disobeyed orders at least once an hour in Desert Storm, but brought his platoon home in one piece.
I’d love to hear this story. Have you put it up on here before?
I’m barely fit to carry this warrior’s luggage.
/much less her giant balls.
Perhaps “heart” would be a better sentiment than “balls” in this instance, Chip?
BOTH!!
/sure is *GOT-Damn dusty in here.
Ditto. It got dusty in here TOO quick.
…and Athena Parthenon welcomes her at the Honor Table.
Thank you, Ma’am, for sharing your honor with the rest of us for a little while. We are humbled by your service. May your family find some small bit of comfort in our gratitude.
This is in no way a comment on CPT Moreno’s sacrifice:
“None of us would have done what you did, running into hell to save your wounded brothers, knowing full well you probably wouldn’t make it back,” the commander of Moreno’s female Special Operations support team in Afghanistan, Capt. Amanda King, later wrote in a eulogy.
I’m just going to put this here…
And add a comment:
At what time would any Ranger say that? “I will never leave a fallen commrade to fall into the hands of the enemy.”
Ladies, you want entrance into the Regiment? That statement should never be uttered by a female ever again.
That was noticeable. In attempting to honor CPT Moreno, her commander (hopefully, unintentionally) denigrated the rest of the team in the eulogy by questioning their bravery.
When emotions are running high is the time to think about what you say — because you’ll probably botch it if you don’t.
Agreed. I also believe that this points out a glaring difference in the attitudes towards service cultivated in males vs females. Those differences are cultural in American society and in Military society (Yes, I’m defining them as two separate entities.)
This however is a comment on CPT Moreno’s sacrifice:
“I Knew You’d Come”
by Douglas F. Parsons
During World War I a soldier discovered that his friend, wounded, had fallen between the trenches out in “no man’s land.” Turning to his commanding officer he asked, “Sir, may I go and get him?” The officer replied curtly, “No one can live out there! I would just lose you, too!”
But ignoring the officer’s command, he dashed from the safety of the trench to try to save his friend. With his friend on his shoulder, but now himself mortally wounded, he staggered and fell back into the trenches. The friend, they discovered, was now dead.
The officer, in lofty tones, rebuked him, “You fool! I told you not to go. Now I have lost both of you. It wasn’t worth it!”
With his dying breath, the brave soldier replied, “But sir, it was worth it!” The officer was unimpressed. “Worth it?” He retorted. “Rubbish! Your friend is dead and you soon will be!”
Then the soldier’s final words. He said, “It was worth it, sir, because when I got to him, he said, ‘Jim, I knew you’d come!'”
Good job ma’am. RLTW
Yep.
CPT Moreno is a true American hero. She gave the last full measure of devotion to save her comrades. What’s truly sad is that one the same page this article shows, there’s another about a fake, a phony, a fraud, who would steal her valor. A pox on him, Bernath, Chevalier, and all like them. Rest easy Captain Moreno.
My wife looked at a sign hanging in my shop- it says “Fuck calm- Die in battle and go to Valhalla”. She said “really?’ I told her I may not be allowed in, but my intention is to live as if I will be. Those times test people, and Captain Moreno, I am sure, is inside the gate.
Godspeed, Captain, and Thank you.
Shai Dorsai!!
John 15:13 — sums it up best.
Shai Dorsai … indeed!
Honor is better than bread.
Did she actually save anyone or did she just add herself to the list of casualties?
Go back and read the article again. Then come back here and see if you can add anything to the discussion that isn’t flippant.
^^^What Pinto Nag Said^^^
My comment could very well be controversial here, and in no way is it questioning the bravery of Capt Moreno, but as a seasoned infantryman, I cant’t help but wonder why she did not wait until the threat was eliminated first. Something we all have beat into our skull as a young infantryman, and what I beat into the heads of my young Marines, priority goes to finishing the fight first, securing the area, and then assisting the wounded. IF you focus on the casualties while the fight is raging, you run a high risk of becoming a casualty yourself, and then what good are you to your unit?
With that being said, godspeed Capt Moreno, you gave your full measure, and may you find peace.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_B._Bleak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Doss
To paraphrase: “Before they cry for their mothers or their God they cry for me.”
She did what every good “Doc” does instinctively.
At the end of the day she at least acted. in the company she was in that day that’s not usually a problem. From day one in the RGT you are taught “Right decision, wrong decision, make a decision.” The thing is she wasn’t a Ranger, hadn’t “Grown up in Battalion.” She didn’t falter or waver she went to her end selflessly. If she had paniced and hid in a hole we’d be lambasting her for cowardice (at least one person would state it’s because she was a woman and a lot of others would be thinking it).
How many Infantrymen do you know in that situation wouldn’t have a “Combat Stall”? In the last decade how many units have had to deal with a MASCAL of 30 PAX or more?
In point of fact B 3/75 has been unlucky enough to deal with losses like this twice in the last 20 years.
Controversial – YES!
She was not an Infantryman, she was a SPEC OPS NURSE who disregarded her own personal safety for a fallen comrade.
She did her job and well at that!
That is all!
I see our TMC has been renamed in her honor and it’s very inspirational to read more about her.