Warden grad receives Silver Star

Kimmey, team members honored

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - A 1995 Warden High School graduate recently was honored with a Silver Star medal for rescuing a ground forces commander in Afghanistan, according to a statement from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

Sgt. Drew Kimmey is believed to be the first civil affairs specialist on active duty to be given the award, an Army spokesperson stated. The award stems from a 2007 mission in Afghanistan.

Kimmey, 31, was presented the award by Maj. Gen. John F. Mulholland during a ceremony last month.

Drew's wife, Kristen Kimmey, and mother, Jerri Kimmey of Warden, watched him receive the honor at the John F. Kennedy Stadium, he told the Columbia Basin Herald on Friday.

Drew was one of three members of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs Team 745 to be recognized during the event.

"I was surprised that I was nominated and it was actually approved," Drew said. "I didn't think it warranted that much."

He also said he felt honored, amazed and emotional.

"They put together such a big deal," Drew said. "Thank God I managed to keep myself together."

Drew said he got emotional when Mulholland spoke about what it means to be an American, a soldier, and to serve our country.

Mulholland also talked about the sacrifices people have made since the beginning of time for our country, Drew noted.

His team members, Capt. Stephen Ward and Staff Sgt. Carlo Alcazar, were awarded Bronze Stars for helping the commander, according to the Army.

The Army provided the following written account of the mission:

Last November, the civil affairs team, the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police left Fire Base Cobra in Oruzgan, Afghanistan, to carry out a medical mission and a humanitarian aid drop in a village called Sarsina.

They reached the village, which had been evacuated and the Taliban was trying to ambush coalition forces in the area.

"What was alarming was the buildings had locks and barricaded doors, which was a clear indication that the village wasn't abandoned but had been turned into a defendable position," stated Ward.

After an hour of battling an estimated 300 Taliban fighters, the teams learned the ground forces commander was trapped in a building.

Also, the team's vehicle crashed and Ward and Alcazar were knocked out in the wreck.

When they awoke, Alcazar started loading ammunition belts. So Kimmey was able to take his position as gunner and fight.

Ward left the vehicle, told the team to dismount and move to cover. Kimmey stayed and covered the team, which allowed them to reach the commander and the casualties.

The enemy was planning to rocket the truck Kimmey was firing from.

"The difference was Kimmey was able to keep them from overrunning us with the .50 cal. and in the process he was drawing a majority of the enemy fire," stated Ward in part.

"Yeah, he was my hero," noted Alcazar about Kimmey.

About six months later, control of the village was regained and hundreds of families returned.

Kimmey started serving in the Army in 1995 and he made the military his career.

The Kimmeys have two children, Tyler, 14, and Lilly, 5. They live in Hope Mills, N.C.

Drew's parents are Jerri and Gene Kimmey of Warden.