Soldier Stories

Fort Jackson NCO trains Afghanistan National Army

November 7, 2006

Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Peters introduces Sgt. 1st Class Michael Salter during a welcome home ceremony. During his deployment, Peters served as a mentor to the Afghanistan National Recruiting Command.

An instructor at Fort Jackson’s Recruiting and Retention School had new students this year – members of the Afghanistan National Army.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Salter returned Monday following a one-year deployment as a mentor for Afghanistan’s National Recruiting Command.

“It is great to be back,” Salter said. “Recruiting is the same in Afghanistan as it is in America. Forget the hype of the media – the Soldiers we have over there are doing a great job.”

As a member of the Recruiting Assistance Team, Salter helped the Afghanistan Army increase recruitment by offering cash incentives and vocational training to encourage Soldiers to join.

“The Afghans are great Soldiers. They join for service to their country and for their families,” Salter said. “It was an honor serving with them.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Peters, the Recruiting and Retention School command sergeant major, is happy with Salter’s work.

“He was extremely successful in the mission,” said Peters. “Sergeant Salter, along with others, developed an all-volunteer recruiting force in Afghanistan, which is a tremendous accomplishment.”

According to Peters, individuals chosen for the operation are the best of the best.

“Our commander chose him for this very important mission because of his professionalism, tenacity and overall experience,” said Peters.

Salter’s professionalism continues outside the battlefield.

In February, he took permissive leave to donate bone marrow to a 47-year-old male patient diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and hopes to inspire others to get involved in the bone marrow program.

“I was excited because I had a chance to continue his life, hopefully for a longtime,” Salter said of his donation.

Major honored as ‘Rising Legal Star’

November 3, 2006

Maj. Luisa Santiago was named a “Rising Legal Star” by the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia last month for her accomplishments in the legal profession.

Maj. Luisa Santiago was named a “Rising Legal Star” by the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia last month for her accomplishments in the legal profession.

The annual award is presented to leaders within the Hispanic legal community. Santiago was the only Soldier selected among the more than 20 recipients, and was honored in a Nov. 1 ceremony.

“It’s really an honor for me to receive this from the Hispanic Bar because I’m being recognized by my peers for my work and efforts as a legal professional,” she said.

Santiago is the deputy staff judge advocate with the Joint Functional Component Command Network Warfare and currently serves as a legal advisor at the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md.

She has served in a variety of legal assignments throughout her 17-year Army career. She coordinated the first overseas citizenship and naturalization ceremony for military members in Bagram, Afghanistan. However, Santiago believes it is her extensive community involvement that sets her apart from her colleagues.

“I routinely volunteer my time whenever my professional schedule allows,” she said. “I believe I have an ongoing, personal responsibility to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of others. I feel truly blessed that good things come from my efforts, but I’m most proud when good things happen for others from my efforts.”

82nd paratrooper gives gift of life

November 1, 2006

First Lt. Jamie Hovis (right) donated one of her kidneys to her sister, Jackie (left).

People say it time and again – they would give the shirts off their backs for family – but one 82nd Airborne Division Paratrooper gave more than just her shirt.

First Lt. Jamie Hovis, the 3rd Brigade Support Battalion communications officer, donated one of her kidneys Aug. 29 to her sister who was suffering from lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.

“It didn’t really hit me until after the surgery, the first time I got to go see my sister, just seeing the look on her face. She was so thankful,” said Jamie, 24, from Rolla, Mo. “It was very humbling to me, because I couldn’t believe I could do so much for one person, especially my sister. She had been sick for so long.”

Jamie’s sister, Jackie, now 26, was diagnosed with lupus when she was 22. A year after the onset of the disease, her kidneys began to fail, functioning at less than 10 percent of their ability. Jackie was in and out of intensive care since the onset of her illness, for which she was receiving chemotherapy and dialysis by an artificial kidney machine.

Unfortunately, doctors determined the severity of the illness meant she couldn’t receive a transplant until the lupus was in remission. If she wasn’t in remission and the transplant was undertaken, the disease would kill the new kidney.

“Last year, they finally said that if she found a match and if her lupus stayed inactive she could have a transplant,” Jamie said.

With the support of the surgeon general’s office and her battalion commander, Jamie worked through the crucial test; determining a blood type match.

“It wasn’t a question of whether I was going to do it; it was a question of when I was going to be able to do it, and if I was going to be a match or not,” she said.

Fortunately, Jamie turned out to be close enough for a perfect match.

The surgery was a success, and doctors estimate the new kidney will add 20 years to Jackie’s life.

“When she gave me the kidney, well, it was the best thing anybody could ever do for me,” Jackie said. “I thank the Army for allowing Jamie to do this.”

Nearly recovered from the surgery herself, Jamie will be rejoining the battalion in a few weeks in Iraq. And, being short one kidney hasn’t slowed her down.

Jamie is already planning to run another marathon and she’s decided to continue parachuting despite her surgeon’s warnings. “The surgeons recommended that I don’t jump… but I still wanna jump,” she said.