John Rice Carter: “tonight I stand here to recognize one of Texas's finest soldiers and a true Texas hero. On March 31, 2003, Alan Babin of…”

“tonight I stand here to recognize one of Texas's finest soldiers and a true Texas hero. On March 31, 2003, Alan Babin of the First Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment started his second day of war. On that day, the third platoon, a platoon that he had recently joined, was working to secure a bridge on the Euphrates River near Samawah when enemy fire intensified and a soldier took a shot in the head. Alan, who was a paratrooper medic, gave up cover and sprinted the 20 meters to aid the soldier. In that sprint, Alan took a shot in the belly. That single action has warranted Alan the title of war hero; a purple heart, a bronze star medal with V for valor. However, neither Alan's brave action nor the rewards that followed came at a small price. Alan is a fourth generation military man. Both his mother and father served in the military. Now he is fighting a second battle, and it is a long battle. He is fighting that battle from a hospital room. Today he has undergone over 70 surgeries. He has battled severe infection, meningitis, and stroke. Alan lay on the battlefield for 3 hours in pain until he was evacuated to the USS Comfort where he received excellent medical treatment by the folks there and very loving people that took care of him; but in the process, he suffered a stroke, and this infection grew rampant in his entire abdominal cavity. Most people did not think Alan was going to make it.”