Reservist wounded in Iraq gets big honor

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Paul Flipse
  • 920th Rescue Wing
Purple heart awardee and Air Force Reservist Senior Airman Diane Lopes, 920th Rescue Wing security specialist here, was selected to sit with Laura Bush during President Bush's last State of the Union address Jan. 28.

Airman Lopes is currently undergoing extensive physical therapy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the D.C. area and was singled out by the White House to be Mrs. Bush's guest as an Air Force representative.

Airman Lopes was severely wounded Sept. 21 when a mortar landed 25 feet from her at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. A week later, she received a Purple Heart Medal from Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, Air Force Reserve Commander, marking the fifth time in the history of the Air Force Reserve a woman was wounded in combat.

The explosion and resulting shrapnel snapped the tibia and fibula of her left leg, slashed through 80 percent of the tendons in her right wrist, collapsed one of her lungs, burned the backs of her legs, perforated her right eardrum and sprayed her body with shrapnel.

Originally from Connecticut, Senior Airman Lopes calls Tampa, Fla. home. With a background in corrections, she was hired by Tampa police in March, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said in a Tampa newspaper.

Lopes had just completed the police academy and spent less than three weeks riding with training officers when she got her call to active duty in August.

Despite her experience in Iraq, Airman Lopes said she wants to return to duty as a Citizen Airman serving as an Air Force Reserve security specialist with the 920th Rescue Wing and as a Tampa police officer. "It's not going to keep me from doing this," she said.

"We're very proud of Senior Airman Lopes' being selected to accompany Mrs. Bush to the State of Union address," said Col. Steven Kirkpatrick, commander of the 920th Rescue Wing. "She is a great Airman and a great American. We're all privileged to serve along side her."