Medford, Ore. — Medford native Heather Armstrong was part of the second wave of troops sent to Iraq in 2003. As a medic specialist she treated every kind of gruesome trauma one would see on the front lines of combat. However, there was one thing she wasn’t prepared for, the refusal of medical treatment by Iraqi soldiers.
Part of Heather’s job as a war medic was to provide care for injured Iraqi soldiers captured by U.S. forces, some of whom had killed her friends. Wrestling with emotions Heather never lost her cool.
On July 4th, 2003, a mortar attack severely injured Heather. Losing blood and in shock mode, she desperately wanted to retaliate on the front lines but instead did the job she was best at, taking care of others.
Heather’s injuries sent her home with a Purple Heart and even as a retired war medic, she is still taking care of others to this day. She’s an advocate for veterans with PTSD and speaks to many about the challenges they face daily.
Heather has always been a giver, she’s never failed to put others first and has never asked for anything in return. Today, she asks for just one thing…that we never forget to thank our veterans.
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