OT - Profile of Valor

[Ysabel Kid]

Profiles of Valor: US Army Sgt. Ruske

United States Army Sgt. Gregory Ruske, a reservist from Colorado Springs, was on tour in Afghanistan in April when he proved to be a hero. Ruske was assigned to Combined Joint Task Force 101, operating in Afghanistan's Kapisa province. His platoon was on patrol in a remote area not accessible by vehicle when Taliban fighters attacked. Ruske supplied cover fire as most of the platoon moved to protective cover. He took a bullet to the hip but kept fighting. Ruske noticed that two Afghan National Police officers were pinned down in the open, under heavy fire. One officer was able to run for cover, but the other had been wounded and was attempting to crawl to safety. Ruske then ordered his squad automatic weapon gunner to spray the enemy with a Z-shaped pattern of fire giving him enough cover to run to the aid of the Afghan officer. He and Spc. Eric Seagraves grabbed the officer's arms and dragged him toward a wall for cover before realizing the officer's leg was shattered.

After the ambush was defeated, Ruske received treatment for his wound and then visited the Afghan whose life he had saved. The Afghan made a full recovery. For his bravery and selfless actions under fire, Sgt. Ruske became just the fourth Army reservist to receive the Silver Star for heroism in the War on Terror. "I don't consider myself a hero," he said. "I was just an ordinary guy put in an extraordinary situation. I reacted based on my upbringing, training and compassion, and thankfully, it worked out in the end."

[C. Cash]

btt-Great Story!

[rjohns94]

these are stories of our very best. thanks YK

[gamekeeper]

A well deserved Silver Star. Thanks for posting Jay, these stories of Valor remind us that there are still a lot of good people about.

[brucew44guns]

Under the intensity of enemy gunfire, and the heat and passion of the moment when your brain tells you that you could be dead any second, it is remarkable that men do these things, fairly frequently too. Thanks Jay, for posting this.