Army & Air Force Exchange Service Associates Recognized For Heroic Acts After Rocket Attack

Go Back----Trucking Jobs by State

July 30, 2004

DALLAS, Texas – Four Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) civilians have been recognized for heroism in the line of duty during a ceremony at the Logistics Support Area (LSA) Anaconda (Iraq) Post Exchange.

Jack Lauff from AAFES headquarters in Dallas, Barbara Brown from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Regina Koenig from Fort Drum, N.Y.; and Irene Panter from Hill AFB, Utah; were working in the Anaconda main store June 16 when a rocket struck near the exchange, causing numerous injuries.

The rocket round that exploded directly in front of the main store building was one of three 127mm rockets that hit the camp.

According to the certificate presented by Brig. Gen. James E. Chambers, the 13th Corps Support Command and LSA Anaconda Commanding General, Brown, Lauff, Koenig and Panter assisted the wounded, “without regard to their own safety or personal risk.”

After the rocket hit, all four AAFES associates scrambled to administer first-aid and assist with bringing casualties and other store customers into the safety of the hardened Post Exchange building.

Three Soldiers were killed and 23 service members and civilians were injured as a result of the attack.

According to General Chambers, some of the casualties owe their recovery to the AAFES associates. “The ability to reach and take care of people is a human quality not everyone has,” he said.

Currently, there are more than 450 AAFES associates serving in operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom who volunteer to deploy to places like Afghanistan and Iraq for at least six months at a time.

“It is difficult to comprehend the commitment and courage of AAFES volunteers who go to contingency operations,” said AAFES’ Commander, Maj. Gen. Kathryn Frost. “Like the troops, deployed AAFES associates live and work under a constant threat in order to deliver the exchange service benefit to dangerous locations throughout the world.”

AAFES operates 54 contingency locations for troops in operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is a joint command of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and is directed by a Board of Directors who is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. AAFES has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with articles of merchandise and services and of generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs.

Go Back----Trucking Jobs by State