25 June 2012

Wounded Soldier Recounts Heroic Firefight



Nick Keene, 24, of Butte, MT, shows the Purple Heart and an Army Commendation Medal with valor he received after a firefight in Afghanistan. Keene’s actions may have saved the lives of each of those soldiers lying prone on the roadside and his injured lieutenant, but he’s paid a steep price: For one thing, he’ll walk with a cane for the rest of his life. Photo: Walter Hinick/Montana Standard.



Although the force of the blast had pulverized the discs and vertebrae in his back leaving him unable to feel his legs, PFC Nick Keene fired 2,800 rounds into a group of Taliban fighters. Then he picked up a machine gun and emptied that. He put seven or eight clips into his own personal weapon and did the same until he finally lost consciousness.

Late summer 2011, in the Panjwayi District in Afghanistan with the 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 1st SBCT, 25th Infantry Division out of Fort Wainwright:

He was driving an eight-wheeled Stryker armored combat vehicle, keeping watch while most of his unit surveyed a roadside ditch for improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. Suddenly a rocket hit below his vehicle. There was a moment of confusion and panic. What was that and where did it come from?

The second strike, a direct hit, answered those questions. Keene was blown from his seat into the side of the vehicle, crushing and breaking vertebrae in his back. In the next moments he took stock of his injuries as the gunfire continued: he thought his legs had been blown off despite the fact that he could see them beneath his pants. The crushed vertebra had damaged his nerves and he could not comprehend the new way his body felt.

Yet, there were other concerns. His gunner, the only other man in the vehicle, was imploring Keene to move so they could get in better position to defend soldiers who were now pinned down next to the road. Keene did all he could to drive the vehicle a few hundred yards before it succumbed to the damage of the rocket blast and could go no farther.

Their lieutenant, a recent graduate from West Point, lay injured in the road. Their gunner struggled with a rear weapon that had jammed. Since the vehicle was no longer operable, Keene crawled through it and took his position at one of the guns. It was painful and he could not stand. Yet, he soldiered on, unjammed the gun and took aim behind it. He fired on a group of about eight Taliban fighters who were moving to get a better angle on the pinned troops. Since his legs were not working, Keene had cinched himself in the hole that allowed him to rise out of the vehicle and operate the guns. He didn’t take his finger off the trigger until there were no more bullets left to fire.

His mother Brenda remembers getting the phone call.

“He was in shock I think, but they let him make a call,” said Brenda. She chokes up thinking about those moments, and contemplating how easily it could have been worse.

“At least I could hear his voice,” she said.

The recovery was difficult, both physically and practically.

He arrived back on base in Alaska without identification, wallet or credit card, and walking across campus was next to impossible. Yet he didn’t complain and didn’t ask for help.

“He’s not very aggressive as far as asserting things,” said Brenda.

Yet she doesn’t think that contradicts what he did that day in the desert, when lives depended on his actions, his ability to pull through pain and do what was required.

“He did what he was trained to do,” she said. “I’m not surprised he reacted the way he did. That’s just the way he is. If he didn’t do what he did, who knows how many would have died.”

You can read the full story here.

And here's a nice story about PFC Keene's return to Alaska, where he was welcomed by the 5-1 Cavalry FRG.

68 comments:

  1. Man, I salute you. You guys are our new modern heroes and what you have done deserves respect and recognition.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is worthy of the MOH, if I every read one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Read an actual moh award. Not to discredit his actions but putting him in the same category as SSG Giunta, and Audie Murphy is a stretch.

      Delete
    2. You gotta be smoking the bad shit. This soldier, while paralyzed and freshly wounded, crawled to a weapon emplacement and laid down 2800 rounds before collapsing at his self-appointed post. His meritorious and heroic actions saved the lives of his fellow soldiers, most likely at a steep personal cost to himself. If fighting on while devastatingly wounded and saving the lives of those you serve with does not deserve the MOH, I don't know what does.

      Delete
    3. In the last 11 urs of war 6 of which I've deployed this trooper deserves higher. I don't think any soldier should get a MoH unless they die just my opinion. But deffinetly something along the lines of a silver star or soldiers medal. I've been on deployments where if you are E-6 and above you get a bronze star so the bronze star will be forever watered down and not a respected award to me. In OIF I my squad laid down so many bad guys, arrested even more with great intel an all we got was an Arcom shit I got that just for going to Sapper school. It's always those that do all the work or the best job and get hardley no credit. I never cared about awards they all go in a drawer lol but this soldier getting an Arcom is plain insulting guy was damn near paralyzed. Hell I've seen NCO' and officers leave their post while being attacked and then get a bronze star lol. The award system is rigged then if his COC didn't like him that's a whole nother discussion.

      Delete
    4. So you've seen NCO 's and officer leave their post huh!?!? So why were you looking at them and not fighting?!? And on the soldiers medal, that is a NON- COMBAT AWARD!..... BARRACKS LAWYERS!

      Delete
  3. I agree he does deserve a Medal of Honor.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree he does deserve a Medal of Honor.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Soldier on brave man!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AN ARCOM? ARE YOU S#!77!NG ME? I'M SURE THIS SOLDIER'S BRONZE STAR (AT THE LEAST)HAD BETTER BE IN THE WORKS. HE DESERVES THAT MUCH! I'VE SEEN REMFs GET HIGHER ACCOLADES THAN AN ARCOM, JUST FOR DOING THIER JOB.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Epitome of a true American soldier. His actions were that of a higher level award.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Holy crap that's all he got. This is another example of why morale is so low in the military.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Brave soldier!! Brave mom!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. give that man a medal of honor

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a damn shame, ARCOM?!?! LIKE ITS BEEN SAID, AT LEAST A BRONZE STAR.... I know of NCOs who did way less like run a MWR tent who received bronze stars.... wat a damn shame that because hes a pfc they give him a bullshit arcom...

    ReplyDelete
  12. He needs more than an Arcom!!! That's bull!!! He deserves at least a Bronze Star with V device if not a Silver Star. I have seen soldiers awarded Arcoms for basically just doing their job.

    ReplyDelete
  13. in ww2 they gave out purple hearts to most injured troops it's a insult to this soldier to not be given a medal of honor

    ReplyDelete
  14. I sure hope they do better on the medals I think you deserve much more. A Bronze Star, The Medal of Honor. You desever it. Awesome story I'm glade your still able to convey it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Soldiers CONUS in non-combat situation get bs Arcoms all the time for crazy nonsense. Give that man the awards he deserves. Whoever put him in for that award screwed him.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I agree this soldier deserves at least a bronze star with a V! Thank You for your serve!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Personally owned firearm down range ?????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Own personal weapon another words his M4 or M16

      Delete
  18. Silver Star mimimum.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Silver star, or bronze with v device. An arcom should not have even been in the discussion. That's his chain of command being shit. Im sure all the e-7 and above fobits got a bsm.

    ReplyDelete
  20. To all who played a role in the dicision to give this troop a "PCS" award for his acts of valor.......... " Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." (PROVERBS 3:27). It is never too late to do the right thing by this troop!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well said!

      Delete
    2. Agreed. Couldn't have said it better.

      Delete
  21. When they said personal weapon it was either his m4 or sidearm, as the Stryker's gun he was firing was empty. This sounds like Bronze Star at least to me...possibly the MoH

    ReplyDelete
  22. I agree should get more than a "PCS" award I mean I received that for Korea...shame on the leadership definitely should receive BS, or at least an MSM.

    ReplyDelete
  23. man this guy deserves more than just an ARCOM. i would think a Silver Star or at the very least a Bronze Star with "V" device would be great.

    ReplyDelete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm not saying he should have the Medal of Honor but for sure he should receive more than an ARCOM. I have an ARCOM and I never crushed any bones in my back.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Brought tears to my eyes reading it.
    But no, if you want Medal of Honor level material, go read actual MoH citations.
    But yeah, Arcom is BS. I got an Arcom for not damaging my equipment while in Iraq. This is definite Bronze/Silver star territory.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Absolutely agree an ARCOM is ridiculous. I got an ARCOM for talking my BN CDR into extra training for my company at a drill period that other units missed because of snow. Clearly that is nowhere near the same plane as this Soldier's effort.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sounds like we need to put some calls into the 25th ID CDR and find out why this young man was not put in for a higher award and if so why the hell was it downgraded. ARCOMs are like AAM's when it comes to deployments, this should not even been considered for this young Hero.
    What a shame!!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Please remember, that ARCOM is not like the ARCOM you get in garrison for PCS'ing. It's an ARCOM with a "V" device. Big difference. His story sounds like a BSM W/ "V" device at a minimum. That is where his LEADERSHIP failed him. They should have made it happen.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Is this for real....has anyone verified this by seeing his official commendation.....if it is true he deserves more

    ReplyDelete
  31. WOW his CO needs his ass kicked to award him only an ARCOM with V. This brave soldier deserves a silver star, DSC, or MOH. Not lower than a silver star. They need to award him what he earned!

    ReplyDelete
  32. The fucked up thing is he probably only got an ARCOM because of his rank. I bet the LT got a bronze or Silver Star. So very wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  33. He deserve more than this bronze medal. Hey Army give him Medal.of honor because he sacrifice hos life to fighting to saving someone from big enemies com on you know better he deserved it he is injured and keep fighting that is true honor him a medal of honor.

    ReplyDelete
  34. He should get nothing less than a Medal Of Honor

    ReplyDelete
  35. Guys im sure he liked the awards he recieved, but im sure when this happened no awards were going through his mind ! The only thoughts were to save his teammates , and get out of there. Although from what i see he definetly recieves a higher award than an ARCOM!

    ReplyDelete
  36. This man showed extreme courage. I think he should be honored properly. He should be wearing a Medal of Honor. God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Blown from the drivers hatch of a stryker? By an RPG? Then drove the vehicle away from the contact then fires 2800 rounds from the rear hatch with what weapon without a barrel change? Then 8 mags from his personal weapon which is in the drivers harch?

    Anyone here been on a stryker? Im sure he was brave and fought thru his injuries... But alot of the heroics are impossible

    ReplyDelete
  38. John,

    There is always one asshole who needs to feed negativity into a hero's story. Maybe there is exageration, ts obvious you are jealous not of this soldiers actions, but of his character.

    Susan Fogel

    ReplyDelete
  39. Bravo CoC. you manage to screw over yet another junior enlisted soldier.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I want to see military paperwork or it did not happen. Everything thing a soldier does is followed by paperwork.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I got 2 ARCOMs JUST FOR BEING THERE in the desert as did the entire rest of my unit, as well as a bronze star just for being a member of a QRF team... Yet all this soldier gets is an ARCOM-V for something far more meritorious than anything I ever did? His CoC should be hanging their heads in shame, this is disgusting.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Definately not trying to downplay what this Trooper did, he's a tiger. MSM and AAM were never intented to be awarded in a war zone so they are awarded for "non combat related" tasks. And for all those of you who have "PCS'd" with an ARCOM with V device you need your head examined, because that never happened. At face value I agree that this young Trooper should have been put in for a higher award, but we don't know the details. It's a far stretch to go MoH on this information- was that really above and beyond the call of duty? On this info, BSM/V or SSM. Let's not prostitute the awards system any more than it already is.

    ReplyDelete
  43. An arcom is a fucking pcs -every e 4 and under gets one for completeing a deployment granted im sure theres two sides to every story but when is the purple heart ever not paired with something higher than a fucking arcom?

    ReplyDelete
  44. A freakin ARCOM? I received ARCOM's for deployments and did nothing even close to what this kid did. I also received one for an ETS award.

    I've saw a PL get a bronze star for a deployment award after only being there for half the tour. This dude got screwed big time.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Even if for whatever reason they don't think that this is worthy of a medal of honor.... don't you think it's worth more than an ARCOM with V.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Whoever put him in for this should be beating their fucking faces. Probably the officer who he saved; afraid a private's dress blues might look better than his.

    ReplyDelete
  47. are you fucki*g kidding me only a arcom, HE should have a DSC!!

    ReplyDelete
  48. It never fails soldiers doing what others wouldn't have even thought of gettin the shaft. During my several deployments I seen E-6's and above get bronze star just for being that rank. Hear I am my troops and I laying down bad guys and plenty of them walking out the war zone with an Arcom. Had he been higher ranking he would have at least gotten a bronze star with a V device. This soldier did not leave his post cuddos, could not use his legs, risked being completely paralyzed and protected his solders before passing out. His COC is bout as worthless as they come. I bet all the COC got higher recognition for doing hardley nothing

    ReplyDelete
  49. SPC Robert Coones26 June, 2012 13:44

    Great job PFC Keene. The Army is nothing without great dedicated soldiers like yourself. I would salute you any day with or without a medal of honor! Hooah Brother!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Everyone call your senator or representative...let's get this man what he deserves.

    ReplyDelete
  51. You people need to look up the history on-the-medal of honor! Then you'll see why he is not even close to meeting those minimum requirements! Once again, please know what your talking about!

    - Good job on doing your duties as a soldier!

    ReplyDelete
  52. I will disagree with those of you who have said that this Soldiers actions are MOH material. This Soldier definetly also does deserve much more than a damn ARCOM. I'm sure he received this because some one on a staff some where thought he shouldn't get a Silver or Bronze Star with a V for his first award. Hypocracy, Poor Leadership, and Buerocracy at it's finest.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Ok, I hope somebody is looking out for him and working on an upgrade. I can't see how an ARCOM even with Combat V is sufficient for this action. I believe he should be getting a Silver or Bronze Star with Combat V minimum.

    LTC L

    ReplyDelete
  54. The story from those on the ground with him is a little different and that's all I'm gonna say... This Soldier did sacrifice a lot but not the way this blog has highlighted. Please don't alwAys believe what you read in a blog... And I do know what I'm talking about I'm part of his unit!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sense pogegness and jealousy. And by the way this link was posted in the army's fb. Just saying. So way to go fobbit.

      Delete
  55. Please note that this story was not written by this blog. It was written by Tim Trainor of the Montana Standard newspaper. We have quoted from that story and linked to it.

    We understand that reporters don't always get everything right, so your point is well taken.

    ReplyDelete
  56. I agree this soldier deserves at least a bronze star with a V! Thank You for your serve!

    ReplyDelete
  57. This soldier was one of my own before i retired a few months ago. He was never was awarded anything other than his Arcom with Valor. We had put him in for a Bronze Star with valor but a General in Afghanistan downgraded it to an Arcom w/V, most likely because of his rank. had he been and NCO or officer i bet his award would have gone through. Another fine example of high ranking officials serving the needs of themselves and their buddies. Pfc Keene, now SPC Keene has never once complained of be robbed of this award, it goes to show the character of the soldier who didnt do it for an award he did it to save his brothers.

    ReplyDelete
  58. we need a president to review this, he deserves the medal of honor, this was above and beyond the call of duty, and THAT is the yardstick.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.