Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman revealed the incident that lead to him receiving a Purple Heart medal during his impeachment testimony.
Rep. Jim Himes asked Vindman, who appeared to the hearings on Tuesday wearing his military uniform, to explain some of his medals. Vindman said he received the Purple Heart after being wounded in Iraq.
“In 2014, in the ramp up to probably the largest urban operation in decades, outside of Fallujah, we were conducting a reconnaissance patrol in conjunction with the Marines, and my vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device that penetrated the armor,” Vindman revealed.
He also said he received a Combat Infantryman Badge for taking fire in combat.
Vindman began serving in the Army’s infantry branch in January 1999. He deployed to Iraq from September 2004 to September 2005. Prior to his current role, he served on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon from September 2015 to July 2018.
In addition to his Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman Badge, he has received a number of other commendations, including two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal, among others.
Vindman, the top Ukraine specialist on the National Security Council, testified that he listened to the July 25 phone call between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. That call was the driving force behind the whistleblower complaint that sparked the impeachment effort against Trump. Vindman said the phone call was “improper.”
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UPDATE: Vindman misspoke about the year he was injured. He was wounded by an improvised explosive device while in Iraq in October 2004 but served the rest of the deployment.
