Brooksville veteran earned Silver Star after putting his life on the line for fellow troops
Hernando veteran tells tale that earned him Silver Star
May is Military Appreciation Month, and May 1st is Silver Star Service Banner Day. It honors the sacrifices of military personnel as well as those awarded with the Silver Star. David Smith, a special forces veteran in Brooksville, earned his Silver Star in 2016 while serving in Afghanistan.
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - The Silver Star is the third-highest military decoration for bravery in combat. David Smith, a special forces veteran living in Brooksville, earned his Silver Star in 2016 while serving in Afghanistan.
While on a nighttime operation in the northern city of Kunduz, an insurgent threw a grenade at Smith and his fellow soldiers.
With disregard for his own life, he picked up the grenade and threw it behind a nearby wall. It exploded just feet from where he stood.
Although Smith was shielded from the shrapnel of the grenade, he says the blast did give him a traumatic brain injury.
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He's been dealing with the effects, including some memory loss, ever since.