8th ASOS Airman receives Purple Heart

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Julius Delos Reyes
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  An 8th Air Support Operations Squadron Airman received a Purple Heart medal during a presentation ceremony Jan. 20 at Building 948.

Tech. Sgt. David Burden, 8th ASOS tactical air control party operator, accepted the medal from Col. John Shapland, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing commander.

Sergeant Burden was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment while deployed to Iraq March to October 2008. It was during this deployment, while returning from a mission to Forward Operating Base Warhorse that Sergeant Burden's vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, injuring the Airman.

"It is an indicative of what he does and what the TACP community is able to do," said Lt. Col. Eric Chapital, 8th ASOS commander. "These guys are always in firefights. Every last one of these guys has an action combat medal. They're always in harm's way."

Colonel Chapital said these IEDs are just one example of what TACPs encounter on the front line.

"This is the first time (someone in) this unit received a Purple Heart," Colonel Chapital said. "It is not something that happens often, and we are very proud to be part of a unit with a Purple Heart recipient."

The Purple Heart medal is awarded to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces or civilian national who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Forces, after April 5, 1917, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may hereafter die of wounds. It is awarded in the name of the President of the United States.