AMEDD Distinguished Service Cross Recipients

Interesting Notes:

Specialist Gregory A. Waters was originally awarded the Silver Star. Upon a military-wide review of more than 1,300 valor awards since 9/11 starting in 2016, his award was upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross in 2019.

* Denotes Posthumous Award

ANDERSON, BRYAN C.
Sergeant, (then Specialist), U.S. Army
Company B, 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
Date of Action:  5 – 6 October 2013
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Bryan C. Anderson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy as a member of Company B, 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, from 5 October 2013 to 6 October 2013 during combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, as a Ranger Platoon Medic for a Joint Task Force in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Specialist Anderson assaulted a remote compound occupied by enemy insurgents.  During the assault, the enemy triggered multiple suicide explosive devices and improvised explosive devices, wounding several rangers. Fully knowing the extreme and imminent danger to himself, Specialist Anderson repeatedly moved throughout an improvised explosive device belt with no regard for his own life to render aid to several fallen comrades, directly saving the lives of two members of the assault force. Specialist Anderson`s distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, this Command, and the United States Army.

NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD:

Specialist Bryan C. Anderson, United States Army distinguished himself by exceptionally heroic service from 5 October 2013 to 6 October 2013 while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM while serving as a Ranger Platoon Medic. During the period of darkness 05 October 2013 to 06 October 2013, Specialist Anderson was the platoon medic in an assault force. The HVT was a known Taliban attack network leader operating in Kandahar Province. Intelligence indicated that the HVT was the leader of an attack cell planning on conducting a high profile attack in Kandahar City with the aims of killing innocent civilians and undermining GIRoA authority. Specialist Anderson was a member of a combined strike force that planned an operation to kill or capture the HVT. The assault force planned to land on two separate named areas of interest (NAI), NAI 1 and NAI 2. The assault force departed from Kandahar Airfield. Upon infiltration of NAI 1, the assault force moved to establish isolation of the targeted compound where the HVT was believed to be located. Upon landing, a squirter departed from the targeted compound and fled on foot to the northwest. Specialist Anderson had been tasked as the medic moving to support the squirter interdiction element. He linked up with the platoon sergeant, Staff Sergeant ______, and moved on the west side of a wadi towards the squirter, behind Staff Sergeant ______ and SrA ______. There was a detonation of at least three devices to include a suicide explosive device and two pressure plate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the eastern gate of the target (Detonations #1-3). These explosions resulted in at least eight friendly casualties around the eastern gate of the compound and two enemy killed in action, to include the female who was wearing and detonated a suicide vest. Without hesitation or concern for self-preservation, Specialist Anderson began moving alone 300 meters to the south towards the area in which casualties had been reported. He quickly radioed Staff Sergeant ______ to advise him that he was moving to the building by himself to assist with triage. Roughly, ten seconds later, an explosion occurred in vicinity of the squirter resulting in one additional enemy killed in action and one multi-purpose canine, Jani, killed in action (Detonation #4).  Specialist Anderson did not stop running until he reached the target area, which at this point in time was an active pressure plate IED belt. With no personal calculation of the existing threat to himself, Specialist Anderson moved to the first casualty he saw on the ground to the east of the breach, which was Sergeant _____. Staff Sergeant ______, the Battalion senior medic, was already treating Sergeant _____`s eye injury and shrapnel wounds. Specialist Anderson began blood sweeps on Sergeant _____, but Staff Sergeant ______ instructed Specialist Anderson to move on to the next patient. With no prior explosive clearance, Specialist Anderson ran past unexploded IEDs and found Private First Class ______ lying on the ground, slightly to the east of Sergeant _____, and began his assessment. He cut open Private First Class _______`s shirt and found a puncture wound in his left chest, to which he applied a HALO chest seal.  Specialist Anderson then cut open Private First Class ______`s pants and found blood oozing from above his genitals and his scrotum, which he treated with combat gauze and a pressure dressing. All bleeding was controlled at this point and Private First Class ______`s pulse was still strong. With Private First Class ______`s condition stabilized, Specialist Anderson remained in place and continued to provide verbal encouragement to his patient while scanning the area to find additional wounded assault force members who needed treatment. At this point, Staff Sergeant ______, Staff Sergeant ______, Staff Sergeant ______, and Specialist ______ were the only personnel in vicinity of the building who were still ambulatory and not seriously wounded, although all were seriously concussed. Staff Sergeant ______ radioed for Sergeant ______ to return to the target compound to assist in packaging and treating casualties, and notified the Platoon Sergeant, Staff Sergeant ______, that the squirter interdiction element needed to return to the building to help with casualty evacuation. A casualty evacuation helicopter flight was requested by the Ground Force Commander (GFC), CPT ____, to evacuate the casualties from IED Detonations #1-3. The first casualty evacuation helicopter landed. The personnel being evacuated included seven wounded to include the Battalion Senior Medic, Staff Sergeant ______ who was experiencing effects from the concussive blasts he had endured. With the extraction of seven casualties and the deterioration of medical support on the objective, there were not enough personnel remaining at the building compound to safely move the remaining wounded to the casualty evacuation helicopter. 1LT ______, the assault force`s Cultural Support Team (CST) leader, who had also been assisting in treating casualties from Detonations #1-3, moved towards Staff Sergeant ______, to assist in the movement of Private First Class ______ to the casualty evacuation helicopter, which was now on the ground. While moving to Staff Sergeant ______ and Private First Class ______, 1LT ______ detonated Device #5 and was killed in action. At this point Specialist _________ and Sergeant _______ were arriving at the compound. Sergeant _______ and Specialist _________ then moved south towards Private First Class ______ who was still being treated by Specialist Anderson. Specialist _________ stepped on a pressure plate IED, stumbled, and triggered another pressure plate IED seconds later. Specialist _________ and Sergeant _______ were mortally wounded by these detonations (Detonation #6 and #7) which were less than five meters from Specialist Anderson. Specialist Anderson was blown over and was temporarily rendered senseless from the explosions. After checking himself for serious wounds, Specialist Anderson rapidly regained his composure and reassessed Private First Class_______ to ensure he had not been wounded by the additional blasts. At this time, with no concern for his own safety, Specialist Anderson again transited the IED belt despite limited visibility due to explosive dust and debris. Specialist Anderson reached Sergeant _______ in the area he had fallen and began to assess his new casualty. Specialist Anderson assessed that Sergeant _______ had sustained catastrophic blast injuries from the IED. He suffered severe facial trauma, his left arm was amputated at the elbow, his abdomen was eviscerated, and his left leg was amputated. Despite the horrific condition of his fallen teammate, Specialist Anderson put pressure on Sergeant Hawkins` femoral artery while Specialist ______ arrived and attempted to put a tourniquet on Sergeant _______` left arm. Specialist Anderson diligently continued to sustain Sergeant _______` life by administering a successful cricothyrotomy, but Sergeant _______ was able to take only two more breaths before he expired. Realizing that he could no longer treat Sergeant _______, Specialist Anderson unhesitatingly began to search for additional wounded he could treat. Sergeant ______ was returning to the compound from assisting with the medical evacuation at HLZ Egret when he triggered two pressure plate IEDs and was severely wounded (Detonations #8 and #9). Without hesitation, Specialist Anderson got up and ran through the uncleared area to Sergeant ______, just as Staff Sergeant ________ was also arriving at Sergeant ______` side. Sergeant ______ had bilateral amputation of his lower extremities. Specialist Anderson put pressure on his legs and worked with Staff Sergeant ______ to apply tourniquets. Sergeant ______ and SrA ______ soon arrived and cleared a path through the IED belt to Sergeant ______. Sergeant ______ soon lost consciousness and stopped breathing. Specialist Anderson and SrA ______ were performing a cricothyrotomy on Sergeant ______ when Corporal ______ stepped on a pressure plate IED (Detonation #10) while moving to aid Sergeant ______. The IED amputated both of Corporal ______` legs. This blast occurred five meters to the northwest of Specialist Anderson. After the dust began settling from this explosion, SrA ______ finished the cricothyrotomy on Sergeant ______. Sergeant ______ then cleared a path to Corporal ______ with Specialist Anderson. Specialist Anderson had no tourniquets remaining at this point and dug his knees deep into what remained of Corporal ______` legs to stop the bleeding. Staff Sergeant ______ gave Specialist Anderson his tourniquet to place on Corporal _____` left leg. Specialist Anderson administered a fentanyl lozenge to Corporal ______. Sergeant ______ had expired at this point. SrA ______ moved to assist Specialist Anderson with Corporal ______ and administered a needle decompression on Corporal ______` collapsed lung. Corporal ______ had no radial pulse. Specialist Anderson placed a saline lock in Corporal ______` right arm; he then pumped 500ml of hextend to boost Corporal ______` blood pressure. Specialist Anderson continued to render treatment and encouragement, which kept Corporal ______ alive for almost an hour and forty minutes until he could be evacuated. During this time, realizing he could no longer safely transit the area, Specialist Anderson continued to provide verbal direction to remaining first responders and medical technicians throughout the objective area. Elements from Strike Force 2 QRF fast-roped into HLZ Egret and cleared a path through the active IED belt to the casualties in vicinity of the compound. Specialist Anderson moved to the casualty evacuation HLZ with Corporal ______ and was extracted from the objective area. Specialist Anderson had kept Corporal ______ alive for one hour, 37 minutes and thirty seconds with two catastrophic leg amputations on an objective area laden with explosives. Specialist Anderson continued to treat Corporal ______ on the aircraft until it returned to Kandahar Airfield. Specialist Anderson carried Corporal ______ to the ambulance waiting on the airfield and accompanied Corporal ______ into the emergency room at Kandahar Airfield`s Hospital. Specialist Anderson endured a total of seven IEDs or suicide vest blasts from a distance of no more than 10 meters within the course of 30 minutes. No fewer than 10 additional IEDs that did not explode were detected in the immediate area by EOD technicians. Despite exposure to two close-proximity blasts and effects of early onset traumatic brain injury, Specialist Anderson gathered himself at multiple times while continuing to treat patients under the most chaotic and terrifying conditions. He repeatedly transited the objective area within an active IED belt to administer aid to five different patients, without the route having been cleared by EOD technicians. His utter disregard for his own safety to treat fellow comrades was astounding, and his efforts to deftly perform intricate and complicated medical procedures with minimal equipment were herculean. Specialist Anderson directly contributed to saving Private First Class ______`s and Corporal ______` lives. With the exception of EOD technicians, Specialist Anderson was the most actively mobile strike force member on the objective. His attempts to save Sergeant ______` and Sergeant ______` lives, while directly risking his own, are admirable beyond description. Specialist Anderson is a credit to the training and dedication of all Ranger medics who, in the hour of greatest crisis, rise to the occasion to save their fellow Rangers and teammates with no consideration for their own well-being. Specialist Anderson heroically embodied the Ranger Creed throughout the night and was willing to give his life rather than leave a fallen comrade. His actions contributed to saving the lives of other members of the assault force and disrupted a major attack in Kandahar City that would have resulted in the deaths of unknown multitudes of innocent civilians. Throughout his distinctive accomplishments, Specialist Anderson`s actions were exceptional and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the Department of Defense.

LOLLINO, JOSEPH L.
Corporal, U.S. Army
3d Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment
Date of Action: 20 June 2008
Citation:
Corporal Joseph L. Lollino distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a medic with 3d Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment during combat operations against an armed enemy in Paklika Province, Afghanistan on 20 June 2008. While on patrol, Corporal Lollino`s convoy came under direct fire from Anti-Afghan Forces set up in a near ambush. During the barrage of enemy fire, the third vehicle in the convoy was disabled by a rocket-propelled grenade and was pushed by another vehicle out of the kill zone. Corporal Lollino drove his own vehicle through the kill zone in order to establish a casualty collection point at the location of the disabled vehicle and immediately began to coordinate first line care of the casualties while engaging known enemy locations with his personal weapon from an exposed position. Soon, enemy forces greatly intensified their fire on Corporal Lollino`s position. Ignoring the danger, he continued to administer treatment to all four casualties, used his body to shield one of the injured from incoming rocket-propelled grenades, and continued working even after sustaining shrapnel wounds himself. Corporal Lollino then loaded the casualties onto an alternate vehicle and continued to provide aid while the convoy fought through the three kilometer kill zone. Corporal Lollino`s selfless leadership, courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, and the United States Army.

WAITERS, CHRISTOPHER B.
Specialist, U.S. Army
A Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry
Date of Action: 5 April 2007
Citation:
Specialist Christopher B. Waiters, Company A, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, on 5 April 2007, distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During a clearance mission, a Bradley Fighting Vehicle was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device and began to burn with its occupants inside. Specialist Waiters, the company`s senior medic, quickly parked his Medical Evaluation Stryker in a security position and engaged two armed enemy personnel. He then dismounted alone from his vehicle and ran 80 meters through fierce small arms fire towards the flaming Bradley. Specialist Waiters then pulled out the driver and the vehicle commander, treated both, and safeguarded the casualties back to his Stryker for further treatment. At this point, Specialist Waiters learned that another Soldier was trapped inside the Bradley. Without hesitation, he sprinted back and climbed into the troop compartment. While inside, the Bradley`s 25mm ammunition began exploding, forcing his exit. Again, he re-entered the vehicle and found a deceased American Soldier. He sprinted back to his Stryker to secure a body bag. Upon his return, another medic had taken charge of the scene, allowing Specialist Waiters to evacuate the two casualties in his Stryker. Specialist Waiters` personal courage, uncommon valor and selfless service directly contributed to the safety and evacuation of two wounded and the recovery of one fallen Soldier. His actions reflect great credit upon himself, the 20th Infantry Regiment, Multi-National Division-North, and the United States Army.

WATERS, GREGORY
Specialist, U.S. Army
1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Infantry Division
Date of Action: 30 July 2008
Synopsis, Citation Needed:
Specialist Gregory Waters, United States Army, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a medic with the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade combat Team, 101st Infantry Division, in action on 30 July 2008, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. On that date, Specialist Waters, a Medical Aidman, was part of a convoy returning to Forward Operating Base Ghazni after an overnight operation when his truck hit an improvised explosive device, leaving the occupants injured and unconscious. The ambush took place at about 1030 hours, roughly 10 to 15 kilometers from base. The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle in which he was riding, which served as the lead vehicle in the convoy, was decimated by an IED blast that severed the engine compartment and virtually destroyed the road. The blast knocked Waters out. Almost immediately the stalled convoy came under fire from about 30 enemy fighters. The Soldiers in the remaining three vehicles returned fire, while maneuvering their vehicles to shelter the damaged MRAP. Sergeant First Class Randy Shorter, a Mortar Platoon Sergeant in one of the other vehicles, sprinted across 100 meters through enemy fire and pried open the back door of the MRAP, finding the four Soldiers inside wounded but alive. Inside, the vehicle gunner was on his back, and the .50 caliber machine gun had fallen on him, crushing the plates of his body armor and pinning him to the floor of the MRAP. Another Soldier had a broken arm and a broken nose, and the driver was suffering from a severe back injury. All of the wounded had trouble breathing in the smoky truck. After regaining consciousness, Waters ignored his own injuries and began dragging his comrades from the vehicle while working to engage the enemy fighters. As small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades hit their position, Waters returned fire and administered care to the wounded, still ignoring his own injuries. Specialist Waters had suffered a concussion and head laceration. When the helicopters did arrive to evacuate the wounded, Specialist Waters remained behind, not wanting to leave the remaining Soldiers without a medic as gunfire was continuing. Waters stayed behind to direct the loading of other casualties, and remained in the fight until the enemy fled. Specialist Waters’ courageous actions, and extraordinary devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, the 101st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.
Home of Record: Indianapolis, Indiana