On behalf of the President of the United States and the United States Army, 1st District Congressman David McKinley will present a Purple Heart Medal and a Certificate of Recognition to West Point graduate and former United States Army Captain Steven Warner. Captain Warner never received the Medal while on Active Duty due to exigent circumstances surrounding the combat situation in Afghanistan. Warner is the son of Secretary of State-elect Mac Warner and his wife Debbie.
The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 16th in the Office of the Secretary of State in the State Capitol (Suite 157-K).
The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been wounded or killed in the line of duty. Established on April 5th of 1917, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award given to U.S. military members. The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by then Continental Army Commander-in-Chief George Washington on August 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was awarded to Revolutionary War soldiers by General George Washington himself.
The ceremony will conclude no later than 11:30 a.m. to accommodate interviews and subsequent inaugural proceedings.
Steven Warner is a 2008 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He branched into the Engineer Regiment and was assigned combat engineer duties with the famed 173rd Airborne Brigade in Bamberg, Germany. During his distinguished career, Warner earned the Ranger tab, Sapper tab, Airborne wings, Pathfinder Badge, and Combat Action Badge.
Captain Warner served one year of duty in Logar Province, Afghanistan, as a Route Clearance Platoon Leader. He and his platoon distinguished themselves for having the highest “IED find to detonation” ratio for US Forces in the Afghanistan theater of operations. His Platoon saw expensive combat operations at the peak of hostilities in Afghanistan. Ten of Captain Warner’s 30 soldiers would receive Purple Hearts for injuries in combat and all of them came home alive and intact.
On April 22, 2010, the vehicle in which Warner was riding was hit by a Taliban IED. The vehicle was destroyed during the blast. Captain Warner’s driver suffered multiple muscle tears and contusions; the gunner suffered a broken back; a passenger suffered a broken back, and Warner and another passenger suffered traumatic brain injuries. Following the blast, Warner ensured that his men were properly evacuated, then retained command of his platoon, and returned to combat.
In addition to receiving the Purple Heart, Captain Warner was awarded the Bronze Star at the end of his tour for meritorious service in combat.
Upon receiving admittance to Wharton Business School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2015, Warner accepted an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army to begin his career in business. He will graduate from Wharton in May 2017.
