FORT BELVOIR, Virginia (Sept. 6, 2016) – A New York-area Army Reservist from the 668th Engineer Company at Orangeburg, New York, will receive a personally important piece of his military equipment back from Program Executive Office Soldier officials.
Staff Sgt. Frankie Hernandez will receive the Advanced Combat Helmet that saved his life at a 1 p.m. ceremony Sept. 10 at the Orangeburg Reserve Center.
Fort Belvoir-based PEO Soldier develops, acquires, fields and sustains affordable, integrated state-of-the-art equipment to improve Soldier dominance in Army operations today and in the future.
This event is part of PEO Soldier’s Personal Protective Equipment Returns program. PPE returns of life-saving equipment builds confidence among military personnel regarding the safety and dependability of their gear.
At the return ceremony, Col. Dean Hoffman, Program Manager of Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment at PEO Soldier, will speak on his agency’s Life Cycle management efforts in developing, producing and fielding the best possible PPE. Media will also have an opportunity to interview Sergeant Hernandez and Colonel Hoffman, and photograph or shoot videos during and after the event.
Several members of Sergeant Hernandez’s unit will attend the event. Members of the 668th chain of command will take part in the presentation ceremony that will present the sergeant with his life-saving ACH. Sergeant Hernandez received the Purple Heart in July of 2012 for the wounds he received due to this event.
In 2012, Sergeant Hernandez was on his bulldozer in Afghanistan when he dismounted to look for a better path for his vehicle. He began to receive small arms fire. One round hit the bulldozer engine block. Another round struck the ACH he was wearing. Analysis of the equipment revealed that the ACH performed properly and prevented life-threatening injuries to the sergeant.