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Gen. Lloyd Austin, Vice Chief of Staff of
the United States Army shakes hands with Capt. Brian Kitching after
presenting him with the Silver Star Medal at Forward Operating Base
Zangabad, Nov. 22, 2012. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Nevada Jack Smith)
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FOB MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan (1/5/2013)
– U.S. Army Capt. Brian Kitching was awarded the Silver Star
Medal, the nation's third highest military award, on Nov.
22, 2012 at Forward Operating Base Zangabad. Gen. Lloyd Austin,
the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, presented the award.
Kitching, from Lincoln Nebraska, received the award for
his valorous achievement as the company commander of Bravo
Company, 1-64 Infantry, during deployment to Afghanistan in
support of International Security Assistance Forces
operations.
On the morning of Oct. 4, 2012, Kitching
was patrolling with 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, during the
second day of Operation Ghalra Sook, a joint led clearance
mission between U.S and Afghan National Security Forces.
As the platoon was moving through a dense marijuana
field they began taking fire from approximately 10-12 enemy
insurgents.
“We got into some pretty good contact
with the enemy that day,” Kitching said. “It was pretty
tough fighting.”
Kitching began directing the platoon
to return fire on the enemy position. The enemy fire
intensified and a soldier received a gunshot wound to the
arm. Simultaneously an Afghan soldier received minor
shrapnel wounds from a 37mm grenade.
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