Grissom Marine to be awarded Purple Heart Published Nov. 1, 2012 By Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Commissioned by George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart has long been a sign of extraordinary gallantry and selfless sacrifice of America's finest warriors. Such a warrior, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. E. Markus Trouerbach, will receive a Purple Heart in a special ceremony held 10 a.m. Friday at the Marine Corps Reserve Center here. The Purple Heart is awarded for wounds as result of an act of any opposing armed force, as a result of an international terrorist attack or as a result of military operations while serving as part of a peacekeeping force. Trouerbach was wounded while deployed in 2008. Shortly thereafter, the commanding officer putting Trouerbach in for the medal was wounded by enemy small arms fire, subsequently delaying the award. Four years later, U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Roger Machut, commanding general, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve, will present Trouerbach with his medal at Grissom, where the captain is an inspector instructor for Detachment 1, Communications Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group. Trouerbach started his more than 25-year Marine Corps career as an enlisted Marine in April 1987. With both active-duty and reserve experience, he served as a radio operator, communication center operator, satellite communications operator, amphibious assault vehicle operator, aviation electrician, aerial observer, and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter machine gunner. The Marine captain has deployed in direct support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. In 2003, while deployed to Iraq, Trouerbach was meritoriously commissioned as a second lieutenant. After graduating from the Basic School for Officers with the prestigious Gung Ho Award, 1st Lt. Trouerbach reported to Basic Communication Officers School, after which he was assigned to Communication Company, 3rd Marine Division Okinawa, as a platoon commander. In 2008, Trouerbach was assigned as a team leader and advisor on Embedded Training Team 7-3 and was responsible for an infantry company of the Afghanistan National Army based in Nuristan, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Trouerbach's military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor with three awards, Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation, Navy Aerial Observer Wings, the Navy and Marine Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the NATO service medal, the National Defense Medal with two awards, the Korean Service medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwaiti Liberation Medal from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the Good Conduct Medal with three awards, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Marine Corps Reserve Medal, Sea Service deployment ribbon with seven awards, Navy unit commendation ribbon, and Marine Corps unit commendation. Grissom, home to the Marine Corps Reserve's Detachment 1, is also home of the 434th Air Refueling Wing and three Army Reserve units. The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen, Soldiers and Marines routinely deploy around the world in support of the Department of Defense mission and U.S. strategic objectives. For more information about the ceremony, contact Grissom Public Affairs at (765) 688-3348. Stay connected with Grissom on Facebook and Twitter.
