Forged in Combat, Honored by Eagle Nation: A Purple Heart Story

Reyes in Mosul, Iraq in 2005. Photo provided by John and used with his permission.

On 7 August 1882, George Washington signified the importance of the common soldier’s meritorious service by establishing “the Badge of Military Merit,” later known as the Purple Heart. His decision was seen by many as a renegade decree. Up until that moment, and for many decades after, only the most elite commanders and aristocrats could receive awards or medals for their actions. 

Almost as quickly as it was created, the Badge of Military Merit was forgotten. It wasn’t until 1932, almost 150 years later, that the award was redesigned and re-commissioned by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur’s intent was that the new decoration would be for “any singularly meritorious act of extraordinary fidelity or essential service.” He chose the date of 7 August to honor George Washington’s Bicentennial Birthday. During WWII the qualifications to receive the Purple Heart were changed to honor those who had been killed or wounded in combat. 

Since 22 February 1932, over 1.8 million service members have been awarded the Purple Heart. At Team RWB we recognize that sacrifice on 7 August, Purple Heart Day, as the very embodiment of what it means to be an Eagle. As part of our August Monthly Mission, we honor those valiant members of Eagle Nation through the Purple Heart Workout and by sharing their stories. 

Stories like that of retired Sergeant First Class (SFC) John Reyes. John is a Purple Heart Recipient who deployed multiple times to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He has served Team RWB  in various capacities for a decade and co-authored the memoir “Angels in Sadr City.” 

Reyes resting while on a dismounted patrol in Iraq. Photo provided by John and used with his permission.

Purple Heart Recipient Retired SFC John Reyes’ Story

SFC Reyes served in the United States Army for 22 years with and deployed seven times to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. On 9 November 2004, during the battle of Fallujah, his recon/sniper platoon was asked to reinforce a unit that had just been ambushed. Unfortunately, that reinforcement would never arrive. “During the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom we were averaging about 12 - 15 months on our combat deployments. I was wounded on 9 November 2004 during the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq. We got hit and so that reinforcement never made it.”

In the chaotic theater of war, John encountered a moment that shattered any illusions of heroics spun by cinema. A three-mortar blast landed only meters away, sending shrapnel into his femur, neck, forearm, tricep, and wrist. Reyes was also concussed and suffered ruptured eardrums from the explosion. "I hit the ground, disoriented. I didn't even realize I was hit," John recalled, his thoughts centering on the grim reality of months left in a deployment already marred by injury. "If I survive this," he thought, "I've got eleven more months of this crap."

“There were others from my unit who were wounded as well including my squad leader, our interpreter, and our RTO (Radio Telephone Operator). To be honest, I didn’t know I was hit at the time so I started patching them up and our squad leader said, ‘Hey man, you have blood all over you.’ I just thought it was someone else’s blood because I’d been helping them out. But then, I saw holes in my uniform and I noticed blood seeping out of those holes. 

That’s when the pain really hit me and my adrenaline started to wear off. I knew at that point that I’d been wounded. I passed out probably two or three times. I think I ended up losing about a pint of blood. When I snapped out of it, I rendered first aid to myself and put a tourniquet on my leg. It was instinctual. At one point, I remembered yelling at my medic, ‘Put a tourniquet on my leg…’ He shouted back at me, ‘You already did dumbass!’ (laughs) I still have about five or six pieces of shrapnel in my body to this day.

When I was wounded, that’s when I started not taking life for granted. You always think, ‘That won’t happen to me.’ Trauma is trauma and it doesn’t just happen in combat. I believe we all generally think that we won’t be struck by tragedy. But that moment of being wounded opened up my eyes. When I joined Team RWB, I started meeting other members who had PTSD and trauma.”

Reyes stands with the Flag on Pike's Peak. Photo provided by John and used with his permission.

Surviving the physical wounds became a catalyst for John's deeper introspection. “It was a wake-up call,” he admitted, reflecting on how easily life can be taken for granted. His journey of healing led him to Team RWB, where he confronted the pervasive trauma of post-traumatic stress. “There's no easy fix,” John acknowledged. His counselor, recognizing the pivotal role of sobriety in Reyes’ recovery, applauded his choice. “It's about making good decisions,” John affirmed, finding camaraderie in connecting with others who understood trauma beyond the battlefield.

“We like to call the Purple Heart the Enemy Marksmanship Badge (laughs). But in reality, I know that not that many people have received the Purple Heart. I know that when I see a Purple Heart there is a connection there – whether it’s a buddy you served with in combat or someone you didn’t serve with – you know that person was wounded in combat. You hear their stories and you’re able to share your stories with them. Another thing I’ve noticed is that those who’ve received it are humble. They don’t take life for granted. I think there’s something about receiving the award that makes you realize your life could be snuffed out in an instant. I think a lot of people see the Purple Heart as an award for valor but the reality is we didn’t choose to be wounded. In the Colorado Springs Chapter we have two veterans who received the Purple Heart. One of them served in the Vietnam War. His name is Vance Hewuse.” 

Vance's story is another harrowing example of personal courage. He served in Vietnam, where he faced harrowing conditions and fought alongside a squad that, tragically, did not survive. Vance emerged as the lone survivor, a solemn witness to the loss of his comrades. 

John spoke about Hewuse’s experiences, “Everyone in his squad was killed except for him. He was the sole survivor. And now, he’s in his late 70s and to this day he still runs. I want to be that guy when I’m his age. He’s still in shape and continues to get after it. Every time he runs, he carries a POW (Prisoner of War) Flag and he wears the names of all his comrades who were killed in action that day. We’re able to connect, share our stories, and through that talk about how we combat our traumas.” 

Reyes runs alongside his daughter at the Super Bowl Half Marathon. Photo provided by John and used with his permission.

Join us in commemorating the brave members of Eagle Nation, like John Reyes, and Vance Hewuse, who have received Purple Heart by taking on our August Monthly Mission.