Saluting Capt. Kimberly Hampton (posthumously)

Capt. Kimberly Hampton died Jan. 2 when her Kiowa Warrior helicopter was hit by ground fire over Fallujah, Iraq. She was commander of Delta Troop of the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.

At Presbyterian College, she was remembered as an honor graduate who never lost a tennis match, known for her "Kimbo smile." She was also commander of the ROTC battalion.

Her leadership capabilities were evident even in high school, where she was student body president and captain of the tennis team.

From what I've read, I'm not surprised she was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I'm most impressed by the fact she was on the "Powderpuff Football" team.

She was in her second term of military service, having earlier served in Korea and Afghanistan. She and Army Capt. Will Braman were considering engagement when they both returned from Iraq.

She was given a full ceremonial funeral in Easley, SC, complete with 82nd Airborne casket barers, horse-drawn caisson and riderless black horse. Her parents were presented her bronse star, purple heart, and air medal.

The Kiowa Warrior flies in support of infantry soldiers on the ground. The helicopter can shoot and observe action on the ground and has radio communications to ask for more firepower. As Gen. Rowe noted:
"For the infantry, these are angels with firepower."

See this memorial page at Fallen Heroes, attached to Iraq War News.

She was the first woman in the 82nd Airborne Division to die from hostile fire. She also is the division's first company commander to die in the war on terrorism, and the first female from SC to die in Iraq. She is the first U.S. female pilot to be shot down in combat, according to the Women in Military Service for America Foundation.

These are milestones we could do without, but we knew they were coming eventually.

In October 1994 "The Risk Rule," which was used to determine which assignments should be closed to women was rescinded, and that made 91 percent of the career fields gender neutral, according to officials from the Office of the Chief of Personnel, G1. That amendment to assignments policy and others like it allowed women like Bosveld and Capt. Kimberly Hampton to get closer to the action, G1 officials said.

A 17 MAR 04 Army News article identifies other female Soldiers who have made the ultimate sacriice.

Now Kimerly is an angel in a better place, where there are no terrorists (contrary to what they are told).

16 MAR 04 UPDATE: A resolution has been submitted to the SC Assembly to name about 10 miles of State Highway 88 from State 81 to State 178 in northern Anderson County the Kimberly Hampton Memorial Highway. This section of highway passes in front of her parents' subdivision.