Fort Lewis medic to receive 2nd highest honor for valor

Published 9:58 am Wednesday, October 22, 2008

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — A combat medic will be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in a ceremony at Fort Lewis.

Christopher Waiters evacuated two injured soldiers and attempted to rescue a third who died in a burning armored vehicle in April of last year in Iraq.

The Olympian newspaper reports the Army’s vice chief of staff, Gen. Peter Chiarelli, will present the award at Thursday’s ceremony. The Distinguished Service Cross is second only to the Medal of Honor in recognizing combat valor.

Waiters has been deployed twice to Iraq with the 3rd Stryker brigade. He says he was doing what he was trained to do.

The 26-year-old who went to Timberline High School in Lacey has been promoted to staff sergeant and transferred Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Information from: The Olympian, http://www.theolympian.com