National Museum of the Marine Corps2 April 2013

Welcome to the

S e m p e r F i d e l i s S p o n s o r :

MCA&F

Wounded Warrior Awards Reception

& Ceremony

Agenda1600 – 1715: Reception Camaraderie

1715: Call to Attention

Invocation by CMDR Laura Bender, USN, Wounded Warrior Regiment Chaplain

Remarks by Colonel Willard A. Buhl, Commanding Officer, Wounded Warrior Regiment

Presentation of Awards

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Wounded, Ill or Injured Service Member Award

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Leadership Award

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Civilian of the Year Award

Staff Sergeant Meng enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 2002 and completed recruit training at MCRD Parris Island in July 2002. Following recruit training; Staff Sergeant Meng attended the School of Infantry and Infantry Assaultman’s course at Camp Geiger, North Carolina and was awarded the occupational specialty of 0351, Infantry Assaultman.

Staff Sergeant Meng reported to 2d Battalion 8th Marines in October of 2002 where he served on four deployments in support of the war on terror including Task Force Tarawa, Operation Enduring Freedom, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Task Force Fox. During this time, SSgt Meng held the billets of Assaultman, Fire-Team leader and Section Leader, and was promoted to a Corporal of Marines.

Staff Sergeant Meng reenlisted in April 2006 and was stationed at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence aboard MCB, Quantico, Virginia. Staff Sergeant Meng was promoted to Sergeant on 1 September 2006 and, upon graduation of Martial Arts Instructor Trainer Course 4-06, held the billet of 0917 Martial Arts Instructor Trainer.

Staff Sergeant Meng again reenlisted in May 2009 and was reassigned to 3d Battalion 6th Marines aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Staff Sergeant Meng was assigned to Weapons Company where he assumed the responsibilities of the Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) Platoon section leader. In June 2009 Staff Sergeant Meng sustained a severe knee injury while conducting pre-deployment training at Enhanced Mojave Viper aboard MCB Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

Staff Sergeant Meng arrived at Wounded Warrior Battalion East on 25 March 2010 pending surgery and physical rehabilitation for his knee injury. While active in his recovery with physical therapy and the Warrior Athlete Reconditioning Program (WAR-P), Staff Sergeant Meng requested and was assigned as battalion the Motor Transport Chief. After being promoted to his current rank in December 2010, he was re-assigned as a Section Leader in Company A. As a Section Leader and Marine-in-care, Staff Sergeant Meng has led over 75 Marines through their rehabilitation, disability evaluation and transition process.

Staff Sergeant Meng attends 7-8 hours of medical appointments per week, participates in WAR-P aquatics, strength and conditioning and archery; runs company training for PFT and CFT preparation as well as martial arts training. While still active in his own recovery and transition, SSgt Meng remains a section leader for 16 recovering service members in 1st Platoon, Company A, Wounded Warrior Battalion-East. His Personal Awards Include: 2 Combat Action Ribbons, 1 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, 3 Good Conduct Medals, and the Meritorious Air Force Medal.

The Wounded Warrior RegimentWounded, Ill or Injured

Service Member AwardPresented by Caterpillar and the Marine Corps Association & Foundation

S t a f f S e r g e a n t B r a n d o n W. M e n g

Sgt Kimberly Martin was born on 6 March 1986 in Show Low, Az. She lived in various locations until she settled in Sahuarita, Az. There she enlisted in the Marine Corps June 2004 and graduated recruit training from MCRD Parris Island November 2004.

Following Marine Combat Training and Military Occupation Specialty School, she was assigned to VMFAT 101 as an ordnance technician, 6531. Her responsibilities included loading and maintaining the weapons systems for the F/A -18 fighter jets and licensing shop members for ground support equipment. She also conducted daily operations in accordance to the flight schedule and maintained communications with Maintenance Control.

In January 2008, she volunteered to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was a squad leader for the Lioness program in Haditha, Iraq. As squad leader, she was responsible for conducting searches and recording the number of Iraqi men, women, and children coming through various check points in the area.

In August 2008, she left active duty to further her education. She attended Mesa Community College in pursuit of a degree in kinesiology and was a part of the college basketball team.

In June 2010, she volunteered for orders to join the Female Engagement Team and deploy to Afghanistan. After several months of work ups, she was sent to COP Turbett located in Marjah, Afg in support of 2/6 Fox Company and 3/9 Lima Company. She worked with the squad leaders to plan out patrol routes and check points to facilitate the needs of the FET mission. The team accomplished several goals to include the first female shurahs (meetings) in the area. Sgt Martin facilitated girls attending local schools for the first time, helped coordinate several medical outreach missions, and a bridge project produced by the local women to meet their needs.

After returning to the United States, she continued her Marine Corps reserve drills until she received orders to her current station, Wounded Warrior Battalion West-Balboa Detachment. On 25 May 2012, she became a section leader in charge of five Marines. As time progressed, she became certified to become one of the detachment’s Substance Abuse Control Officers and is currently the detachment’s mental health section leader.

Sgt Martin’s awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the National Defense Medal. Sgt Martin is currently pursuing a B.A. in kinesiology at National University and continues to volunteer her time to worthwhile causes.

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Leadership Award

Presented by GE and the Marine Corps Association & Foundation

S e r g e a n t K i m b e r l y A . M a r t i n

Krista Ann deKryger has spent the last 20 years of her career in the world of education. After graduating from Rutgers College in New Jersey, she received her Master’s in Education from Bank Street College in New York City. She used her degrees to become an elementary and middle school teacher. After 8 years in the traditional classroom setting, Krista became the Director and then Vice President of Education at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan. She was hired to build on-site character and leadership programming. Here she spearheaded the project to launch distance learning programs for delivery to schools nationwide from the steel decks of this air-craft carrier.

Krista was then recruited by a leadership development company to improve curriculum and overall business procedures, while managing the operational budget. In this role, Krista first worked with transitioning Marines and their spouses during weeklong seminars in both North Carolina and California. She revamped curriculum, administered assessments, and facilitated classes on interview techniques, communication skills, networking, diversity and adaptability, and corporate culture.

The next challenge involved a move across the country to build civics education and leadership programming, national in scope, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. As Director of the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center, Krista created a strategic plan to include the execution of mission, vision, and goals while building a department to meet these ambitious objectives. She assembled an elite National Advisory Council, joining key players from civic education, technology, academia, and museum worlds from the west to the east coast.

In an effort to move closer to family and her future husband and in order to return to her work of supporting our military, Krista accepted her current position as Transition Specialist for the Wounded Warrior Battalion West. Her favorite days are spent working with Marines, sailors, and spouses helping them through their career path finding. The Careers and Education team provide assessments to service members with confirmations of their next career steps, ideas of paths they never would have considered, and lastly but most importantly, inspiration they may have lost along the way in their recovery.

This past summer on the sands of Laguna Beach, Krista married Major Timothy deKryger, who is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton. Krista’s parents are Barbara and Richard Kohlhausen of South Nyack, New York and Nancy and Bill deKryger of Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Krista is thankful for the support and encouragement of her husband and her parents.

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Civilian of the Year Award

Presented by Google and the Marine Corps Association & Foundation

K r i s t a A n n d e K r y g e r

The United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment provides and enables assistance to wounded, ill and injured Marines, sailors attached to or in support of Marine units, and their family members in order to assist them as they return to duty or transition to civilian life. The Regimental headquarters element, located in Quantico, Va., commands the operations of two Wounded Warrior Battalions located at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., and multiple detachments in locations around the globe.

For more information about the Wounded Warrior Regiment contact the Sergeant Merlin German Wounded Warrior Call Center 24/7 at 1-877-487-6299 or visit us at www.woundedwarrioregiment.org.

Download the Free App of the United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment!

Support for Wounded Warriors

The Marine Corps Association & Foundation is proud of our 100 year tradition of supporting Marines with professional development, and proud of the opportunity to provide such support to wounded Marines. During 2012, the MCA&F donated professional books to Wounded Warrior units’ professional libraries, positively affecting the morale and professional development of 75 recovering Marines. MCA&F also provided almost 500 editions of Leatherneck and Marine Corps Gazette to hospitals where Marines convalesced for the same purpose.

In one special case in 2012, MCA&F donated a top of the line graphics PC to a wounded Marine combat illustrator and graphic artist who had been medically discharged for PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The tablet helped facilitate his recovery and enabled him to volunteer his artistic skills in support of charitable and service oriented Non-Profit organizations.

Support for wounded Marines continues in 2013 and MCA&F has committed to providing funding and logistics support for a professional development forum for select Marines who served in the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments from the Wounded Warrior Regiment in May with a trip to Belleau Wood.

Upcoming eventsWednesday, 10 April 2013

MCA&F Camp Lejeune DinnerGuest Speaker - MajGen Raymond C. Fox,

Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force; and Commander, United States Marine Forces Africa

Marston Pavilion, Camp Lejeune, NC

Thursday, 18 April 2013MCA&F C4 Awards Dinner

Guest Speaker - General John M. Paxton,Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps

Crystal City Hyatt, Arlington, VA

Thursday, 25 April 2013MCA’s 100th Anniversary OPEN HOUSE

The MARINE Shop, at Quantico & Camp Lejeune

Thursday, 6 June 2013MCA&F Ground Awards Dinner

Guest Speaker - General James F. Amos,Commandant of the Marine Corps

Hilton Crystal City, Arlington, VA

SPONSORSWe wish to thank the following companies for their support

of this special recognition program:

Wounded, Ill or Injured Service Member Award Sponsor

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Leadership Award Sponsor

Reception Sponsor Ceremonial Sponsor

Program Sponsor

The Wounded Warrior Regiment Civilian of the Year Award Sponsor

Premier Sponsors

Special Thanks to:Manuel Carazo,

The Dumfries (VA) Holiday Inn,and to Major Donald Brodie, USMC (Ret) for their support of MCA&F’s

Wounded Warrior Programs

W.L Gore

RF Communications