European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 26, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 26 2007 stars and stripes pages name Tracy Mcvay age 31 title Mother of three location Andersen air Force base Guam Tracy you were recently awarded a medal by vice president Dick Cheney right yes Chris Greiman and i rescued two swimmers that were caught in a Strong tide at Karague Beach Here on Guam most of us probably will never save another persons life How does it feel at first All i thought was that i had just helped someone out then when we had the rehearsal for the vice presidents arrival they read the citation Over the loud speakers and i thought to myself wow that was amazing that someone would do that then it hit me it was me they were talking about i realized then that i had actually saved someone it is an amazing feeling that something i did really made a difference to someone did you rely on any first Aid or red Cross training when i was a lifeguard i was taught that you need to remain Calm and focus on what to do next that is what helped me out there i just kept my mind on what i needed to do to get the Guy and me Back to the Beach safely what were the Waters like when you went in saying that the Waters were rough Doest begin to explain How bad it re ally was the Waves were Quick and hard and then there was a current Tak ing you from the Beach to the Edge of the reef where the Waves were slam Ming you into the Sharp reef you had Only a split second to catch an ounce of air before you were sucked into another wave and slammed into the reef again did you have second thoughts about going into those perilous Waters the response was automatic there was no time for second thoughts it All happened so quickly when we were heading out to the swimmers Chris and i focused on where the swimmers were and How Many there were once i got pulled into the same wave As the swimmers it was just a matter of keeping focused on what needed to be done to get Back to Shore what does the award mean to you the medal itself is definitely one of my prize possessions i am honoured and appreciative of everything it stands for As for How it was presented to me the efforts that went into such a wonderful event warms my heart i dont know How Many people went above and beyond on my behalf but i am grateful to All of them for a once in a lifetime experience seems like you dont let your Small build slow you Down my father taught me growing up that size is not a determining Factor when faced with a Challenge its determination and knowhow you could say that i dont let my size slow me Down or you could even say that i use my size to my advantage have you received a lot of notice around Andersen air Force base since the Rescue yes especially right after it happened not too Many of my friends were at the Beach that Day so the phone did not Stop ringing for a few Days then it was Nice that things went Back to Normal until the whole vice president visit in one sentence what is your philosophy on life always remember where you have been and where you Are going stay True to yourself and those around you and cherish every moment whether it be Good or bad what do you do in your spare time i have three Beautiful children Clayton Liam and Makayla and a Hus band Michael Remote to Korea spare time is a thing of the past know someone whose accomplishments talents Job Hobby Volunteer work awards or Good deeds qualify them for 15 minutes of Fame How about someone whose claim to glory is a bit out of the Ordinary even dare we say oddball Call Paul Newell at stars and stripes with the persons name and Contact information at Dan 2293158 or email him at photos by and stripes a group of Hawaii based soldiers from the 1st battalion 27th infantry regiment 25th infantry division Load up on ammunition prior to a live fire exercise Friday at Rodriguez Range South Korea during reception staging Onward movement and Eagle exercises soldiers test new terrain Hawaii based gis find South Korea Ideal for training by to Flack stars and stripes Rodriguez Range South Korea while a group of a Wai based soldiers May have left the Sun and surf Back in Honolulu for the frosty mountains of South Korea they said they were thrilled with the training ranges they found just South of the demilitarized zone separating the Korea about 50 soldiers and four of their Stryker armoured vehicles from the 1st battalion 27th infantry regiment 25th infantry Divi Sion arrived in South Korea on March 18 for the annual recep Tion staging Onward movement and Eagle exercises the Ursoi portion tests the Mili Tarys ability to bring War fighters to the Peninsula and the Stryker brigade helped illustrate the Multi service aspect of the train ing the soldiers loaded their vehicles onto an air Force c17 and flew into Taegu South Korea from there the strikers were loaded onto contracted flatbed trucks and were delivered to the Rodriguez Range its really a test to see How quickly we could mobilize said 2nd platoon Leader 1st it Dustin Lujan while in South Korea maj Ade Laido Godinez said his soldiers fall under operational command of the 2nd infantry division in Hawaii the soldiers must travel from Oahu Schofield bar Racks to Pohak Uloa training area on the big Island of Hawaii to con duct much of their training that Why they were Happy to find the wide open ranges and great terrain in South Korea the soldiers said they were very impressed with the support they received from the 16th Kore above soldiers with the Hawaii based 1st battalion 27th infantry regiment 25th infantry division sit in the Back of their Stryker armoured wheeled vehicle while training at Rodriguez Range on Friday left a us Soldier advances on targets during training an service corps workers who run Range operations Kim Yongun one of the Csc workers said he was More than Happy to do what he could to make the exercise As effective As possible we do everything he said that included constructing a plywood shoot House the sol Diers wanted to use to practice Clearing buildings and wooden frames from which to hang tar gets for individual weapons drills there building stuff there moving stuff said the brigades master gunner sgt 1st class Sean wusses of the Csc work were setting up a pretty Good Lane to train on foal Eagle and with Only a limited time on the Range were working it Over time wusses said the armoured 21ton strikers allow commanders to deliver sol Diers As close As possible to the fight and that what they focused on during this training and that Mission is important said sgt Dusty lamborn a vehicle commander the less they have to bound out in the open the closer we can get them to the building the More Chance of survivability lamborn said of the soldiers he transports the strikers Are crewed by two solders the vehicle com Mander and a Driver the com Mander controls the vehicles main weapon either a 50 Caliper machine gun or an mk19 40mm grenade launcher 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