FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Two Defense Logistics Agency service members received Purple Heart medals during a ceremony at the McNamara Headquarters Complex July 29.
Army Lt. Col. Arturo Lincon and Army Master Sgt. Shawnar Thomas received recognition for injuries sustained in support of the U.S. Central Command mission during a rapid aerial attack March 1.
Both are recovering from the injuries they sustained while working in DLA’s regional command for U.S. CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command. Lincon served as commander for the DLA Deployment Support Team Middle East. Thomas served as the senior enlisted leader for the DLA DST Middle East team.
DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly presided over the ceremony and remarked on the accomplishments of both honorees.
“The Purple Heart is not a badge anyone hopes to earn,” Simerly said. “Yet, as a nation and military, we would be remiss not to honor the visible, undeniable reminder of the cost of freedom. It represents the physical toll of combat and the enduring sacrifices of those who step into harm's way to defend our nation and freedoms. It's a lasting testament to the extraordinary bravery required to face down our adversaries.”
Simerly described the leadership and advance planning displayed by both recipients. They worked to ensure the safety of their team as well as set the conditions that ensured emergency shipments, critical repair parts, and life-saving medical supplies continued to reach regional forces without delay.
“Your sacrifices remind us exactly why our work matters,” Simerly said. “DLA personnel are present wherever our warfighters are. Across every major operation, every theater, and every service, DLA is there, sharing the same risks, operating in the same complex environments, and demonstrating the same courage.
“The readiness of the joint force depends on our ability to sustain it, no matter the danger,” he continued. “We must always maintain our focus and our drive for action because the lives of our warfighters rely on it.”
Alongside the Purple Heart, Lincon earned the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his service with the DST Middle East team from July 2025 to July 2026. Lincon directed the fulfillment of 14,256 mission-critical requisitions, increasing material readiness by 20%. He orchestrated the distribution of over $54 million in critical supplies, including $33 million in repair parts, $10 million in bulk fuel, and $11 million in construction materials, directly enabling sustained combat operations and personnel security.
Lincon said he was honored and humbled to receive the Purple Heart. He thanked those in his support network who provided aid and comfort in his recovery, with specific appreciation for Thomas.
“You made sure people made it out of there,” he said. “While others around us froze, you didn't. You patched me up and stopped the bleeding. And I think I lost count of the number of times we fell down on the way up. But every time, we got back up. We kept going through rubble until we stumbled out of what was left of that burning building.”
Thomas also earned the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for her role with DST Middle East from December 2025 to June 2026, as well as the Combat Action Badge for being actively engaged by the enemy and performing satisfactorily within the prescribed rules of engagement. She synchronized sustainment nodes to meet emergent theater requirements across several operations, as well as coordinated extraction and accountability of employees.
Alongside tearful gratitude to the strength of her mother, Thomas described her appreciation toward fellow Purple Heart recipients.
“While reflecting on my journey, I am reminded of the spirit of service and sacrifice that binds us together.” Thomas said. “Receiving the Purple Heart is not just an honor; it is a powerful testament to the sacrifices made and the battles fought. It symbolizes the unbreakable spirit of all who serve. This recognition is not solely mine — it belongs to every soldier who has fought bravely, every family member who has endured heartache and every soul we have lost along the way.”
The Purple Heart is the U.S. military’s oldest recognition, originally established by George Washington in 1782 as the Badge of Military Merit. It is earned by service members who are wounded or killed as a direct result of enemy action.