Pharmacy technician awarded Silver Star for valor

A 32-year-old pharmacy technician from West Virginia has become the first U.S. Army Reserve soldier to receive the Silver Star for valor in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt.

Jason Fetty of Parkersburg, W.V., prevented a suicide bomber from detonating an explosive-packed vest during the dedication of a hospital emergency room built by his team in Khost. Standing guard outside the hospital, Fetty noticed the bomber approach the area, where provincial officials, soldiers, and residents had gathered to celebrate the Feb. 20 opening of the emergency room. Fetty prevented the bomber from snatching his weapon, led him behind a wall, and shot him to prevent him from getting closer to the crowd. "I can't tell you how scary it is when you blow someone's kneecap off and they still get up and come at you," he recalled. After he fired a second shot into the man's stomach, the bomber detonated his vest, wounding Fetty and several others. For months after the incident, Fetty second-guessed his actions and regretted that the bombing injured other people. But as his physical wounds healed, he realized he'd made the best of a bad situation. "You make 100 decisions in a matter of seconds?. I'm thankful that everything worked out."

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