Fort Campbell, KY – The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) held a Purple Heart Ceremony for two young heroes December 15th at the Fort Campbell Warrior Transition Battalion. Sgt. Joseph Sandlin received the medal for wounds received in action in Afghanistan. Retired Sgt. Cory Perrin was awarded the medal for wounds received in action while deployed to Iraq.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Deputy Commanding General for Support presided over the ceremony and pinned the soldiers with their Purple Heart medals.
Joseph Sandlin
Sgt. Joseph Sandlin received the medal for wounds received in action in Afghanistan in November 2010 while assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. Sandlin was pulling security on an attempted suicide bomber when another suicide bomber detonated his explosives. The blast left Sandlin with a traumatic brain injury.
“I want to thank God that I am still here,” said Sandlin. He also thanked his wife Theresa for helping him through the healing process. “She has been by my side the whole time supporting me.”
Sandlin has successfully completed treatment for his injury and will return to duty.
Cory Perrin
Retired Sgt. Cory Perrin was awarded the medal for wounds received in action January 14th, 2006 while deployed to Iraq with the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. Although Perrin has been medically retired for some time, a recent clarification of the Purple Heart awarding criteria for mild traumatic brain injuries paved the way for Perrin’s recent recognition.
Perrin thanked his wife Nancy and his brothers in arms for their help getting him to where he is today. He addressed the Soldiers in the room, saying, “You may not see what you really mean to your Soldiers by just being there, getting them to do what they need to do and never letting them quit on the mission or on themselves. That really means a lot.”
Perrin has enjoyed a successful transition to civilian life, even receiving a Bachelor of Science in Geosciences Austin Peay State University the day after the Purple Heart ceremony.
