Lone Airman at Combat Outpost Keating recounts enemy attack: "Being the only Airman assigned to an Army Combat Outpost on the outskirts of Afghanistan-Pakistan border can be a little intimidating and scary.
Being assigned to COP Keating while under attack by hundreds of insurgents armed with assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades is absolutely frightening, and exactly where Staff Sgt. Matthew McMurtrey found himself on the morning of Oct. 3.
Sergeant McMurtrey is an Airman from the 755th Air Expeditionary Group based at Bagram Airfield and was attached to the Army's 3rd Squadron, 61st Calvary, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at COP Keating. His job there was to set up and maintain a satellite system used to provide Soldiers with Internet accessibility. While under direct enemy fire, he overcame his fear, performed his assigned duties admirably according to Army and Air Force supervisors.
The large, coordinated attack began with rocket-propelled grenade and machine-gun fire at approximately 6 a.m., rocking him out of a sound sleep.
'Basically it knocked me out of bed. It was a pretty big hit,' said the nine-year Air Force veteran deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. 'The room was covered in dust and I started to hear more explosions. (I) figured OK, this is an attack,' continued the Spokane, Wash., native.
Sergeant McMurtrey grabbed his M-16, put on his individual body armor [IBA] and just as he had practiced in a battle drill a week ago, he ran out of his sleeping quarters, turned left and went to his battle position at the COP Keating's aid station."
