FORT BENNING, Ga., (July 31, 2013) -- The Captain Travis Patriquin Award will be presented to Capt. Sam Kriegler on Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. in the Marshall Auditorium at McGinnis-Wickam Hall.
Kriegler is the first recipient of the writing award, which is named after a fallen Maneuver Captains Career Course graduate.
Patriquin, 32, was serving with the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division when he was fatally injured by a roadside bomb near Ramadi, Iraq in December 2006.
A graduate of the Infantry Captains Career Course class 1-04, he is recognized for his role in "The Anbar Awakening," a movement that empowered the people of al Anbar to fight back against al-Qaida forces.
His life is the subject of the book A Soldier's Dream and many of his articles on cross cultural military operations are implemented in MCCC programs of instruction.
According to MCCC, the award is presented to the student with the best analysis on an area of conflict focused on that area's drivers of stability, meaning factors that support stability in a country, such as functioning elected government and a functioning security force, and developing a training plan decision paper for their unit.
The awardee is chosen from among all students in the class by small group leaders based on overall analytical ability and applicability. Kriegler, a native of Germany who joined the Army as an enlisted Soldier nine years ago, said he was humbled by the recognition.
He said he witnessed Patriquin's impact in Iraq firsthand when he deployed to the Anbar province with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, in 2007 and again with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, in 2010.
"Capt. Patriquin played an intricate part of laying that foundation in making Anbar one of the safest regions in Iraq," Kriegler said. "I was able to see how the foundation that he helped lay changed an area and know that what he did saved the lives of countless U.S. Soldiers as well as Iraqi civilians and security forces in that area. It's amazing to see that an idea can be implemented and has such as a great affect on an area."
Kriegler's paper focused on political, economic and social factors of Somalia and suggested battalion training that would foster the country's drivers of stability.
"My main focus of the paper is what I believe Army leaders at all levels should make a priority, which is junior leader development," Kriegler said. "That includes the understanding of doctrine and the operational environment in order to enable junior leaders to effectively plan and execute joint training and maximize the effects of combined arms operations. "
Patriquin's Family will attend the ceremony to present the award to Kriegler. His father, Gary Patriquin, said his son is remembered as a kind-hearted visionary who was passionate about serving in the Army.
"Travis was a unique individual … from the time he was a kid he was different and always thought outside the box," he said. "He talked about joining the Army since he was 3 years old … He was really into writing and he loved to read, especially Greek mythology. He would've been honored by this award."
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