SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont National Guard recognized three soldiers with the Purple Heart.
The award is the oldest military award, and is given to soldiers who have been wounded or killed by enemy action.
This year’s recipients are Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicholas Fazio, Sergeant Alex Jarvis and Major John Lescure.
All three were injured by a drone explosion last year on Christmas Day while deployed in northern Iraq.
Despite their injuries, they completed their mission of evacuating and caring for a critically wounded fellow soldier.
“It’s interesting, a lot of people want to say congratulations when you hear about a Purple Heart and getting an award. This is one of those ones that you don’t expect to get. All of us were in this dangerous situation, all of us were gone from our families for a year. The three of us just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and get recognized today,” Major Lescure said.
Lescure has served in the Vermont National Guard for 17 years.
He says he hopes to spend this Christmas much more peacefully, surrounded by family.