spursncowboys
11-20-2011, 03:49 PM
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — In his final actions before being shot down by a gunman in Afghanistan, Sgt. 1st Class Barry Jarvis protected the life of his platoon leader by pushing him out of the line of fire.
Jarvis posthumously received the Silver Star during a ceremony Thursday at Fort Campbell, Ky., with his family accepting the military’s third-highest combat decoration in his place.
In all, six soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division were killed by the rogue Afghan policeman on Nov. 29, 2010, in Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan during a routine partnering mission with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Police.
The 39-year-old career soldier from Lewisport, Ky., had joined the Army in 1999 and was the oldest and the highest ranking of those killed that day. His job as the platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment was to set an example for younger soldiers and protect them, said Col. Sean Jenkins, the brigade commander.
“An additional duty of the platoon sergeant is to train and mentor young lieutenants as they prepare to lead soldiers,” he said. “He not only did this, but on that November day, pushed his young platoon leader out of harm’s way, sacrificing his live to save another.”
The young lieutenant he saved, 25-year-old 1st Lt. Will Janotka, said Jarvis was an inspiring leader to everyone in the unit.
“We went through a lot together, not just myself and Sgt. Jarvis, but the whole platoon,” he said after the ceremony, standing next to a photo of Jarvis. “Just having him there made it a lot easier. He was the epitome of what a platoon sergeant was supposed to be like.”
That day, Bravo Troop was observing the firing of 155mm rockets from a border patrol outpost in Pachir Wa Agam district. Part of its mission was to build relationships with the Afghan security forces and help train and assist them. As the first artillery round impacted, one of the border policemen turned his weapon on the American troops, according to the military citation.
Janotka said he was standing nearby with Jarvis when they heard the shooting and both men started running to the scene.
The citation said as Jarvis came into view of the attack, he realized they were both in the gunman’s line of fire. Jarvis shoved the young officer aside and as he was turning to face the gunman, he was mortally wounded. The gunman was later killed by other soldiers, according to the military.
Janotka said it happened quickly, but he remembers Jarvis pushing him.
“I felt something, but honestly bullets were flying and my adrenaline was up,” he said. “I was concerned about my soldiers.”
Maj. Gen. James McConville, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said the platoon sergeant’s quick actions to save another instead of himself reflected the history of the unit known as the Band of Brothers.
“On that day, Sgt. 1st Class Jarvis could have dived for cover, he could have yelled for his platoon leader to do the same, but he did the thing that all heroes do — he put others before himself,” McConville said. “His actions define what kind of man he was.”
His wife, Tina, cried as McConville presented her with the Silver Star along with his brother, Johnny Jarvis; his father, William Jarvis; and stepmother, Beth Jarvis. He had two daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha, and two sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville, Tenn.
Janotka said he was honored to meet his platoon sergeant’s family and relatives of the other soldiers who died that day.
“Sgt. Jarvis taught me a lot about the military but he also taught me a lot about life, he really did,” Janotka said. “I am just really fortunate to have him as a part of my life, now and forever.”
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/11/ap-campbell-soldier-credited-with-saving-another-111011/
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Jarvis posthumously received the Silver Star during a ceremony Thursday at Fort Campbell, Ky., with his family accepting the military’s third-highest combat decoration in his place.
In all, six soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division were killed by the rogue Afghan policeman on Nov. 29, 2010, in Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan during a routine partnering mission with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Police.
The 39-year-old career soldier from Lewisport, Ky., had joined the Army in 1999 and was the oldest and the highest ranking of those killed that day. His job as the platoon sergeant for 2nd Platoon, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment was to set an example for younger soldiers and protect them, said Col. Sean Jenkins, the brigade commander.
“An additional duty of the platoon sergeant is to train and mentor young lieutenants as they prepare to lead soldiers,” he said. “He not only did this, but on that November day, pushed his young platoon leader out of harm’s way, sacrificing his live to save another.”
The young lieutenant he saved, 25-year-old 1st Lt. Will Janotka, said Jarvis was an inspiring leader to everyone in the unit.
“We went through a lot together, not just myself and Sgt. Jarvis, but the whole platoon,” he said after the ceremony, standing next to a photo of Jarvis. “Just having him there made it a lot easier. He was the epitome of what a platoon sergeant was supposed to be like.”
That day, Bravo Troop was observing the firing of 155mm rockets from a border patrol outpost in Pachir Wa Agam district. Part of its mission was to build relationships with the Afghan security forces and help train and assist them. As the first artillery round impacted, one of the border policemen turned his weapon on the American troops, according to the military citation.
Janotka said he was standing nearby with Jarvis when they heard the shooting and both men started running to the scene.
The citation said as Jarvis came into view of the attack, he realized they were both in the gunman’s line of fire. Jarvis shoved the young officer aside and as he was turning to face the gunman, he was mortally wounded. The gunman was later killed by other soldiers, according to the military.
Janotka said it happened quickly, but he remembers Jarvis pushing him.
“I felt something, but honestly bullets were flying and my adrenaline was up,” he said. “I was concerned about my soldiers.”
Maj. Gen. James McConville, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said the platoon sergeant’s quick actions to save another instead of himself reflected the history of the unit known as the Band of Brothers.
“On that day, Sgt. 1st Class Jarvis could have dived for cover, he could have yelled for his platoon leader to do the same, but he did the thing that all heroes do — he put others before himself,” McConville said. “His actions define what kind of man he was.”
His wife, Tina, cried as McConville presented her with the Silver Star along with his brother, Johnny Jarvis; his father, William Jarvis; and stepmother, Beth Jarvis. He had two daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha, and two sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville, Tenn.
Janotka said he was honored to meet his platoon sergeant’s family and relatives of the other soldiers who died that day.
“Sgt. Jarvis taught me a lot about the military but he also taught me a lot about life, he really did,” Janotka said. “I am just really fortunate to have him as a part of my life, now and forever.”
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/11/ap-campbell-soldier-credited-with-saving-another-111011/
:toast