1. Monica Beltran was born on 1985 and is a retired soldier of the Virginia Army National Guard who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for actions during a 2005 battle in the Iraq War.
12 Facts About Monica Beltran
1. 2.
Monica Beltran lived in the Elizabeth, New Jersey area before moving to Northern Virginia, where she graduated from Gar-Field Senior High School.
3.
In late October 2005, Monica Beltran was in Iraq as part of the 1173rd Transportation Company.
4.
Monica Beltran had been in Iraq for over 10 months by that point and was nearing the end of their mission; her unit's primary duty was providing armed escort for convoys of military vehicles in the country.
5.
Monica Beltran's vehicle was hit by enemy fire, including rocket-propelled grenades, injuring the driver.
6.
Fellow soldier James Witkowski, one of Monica Beltran's friends, was killed in the ambush, and 5 other soldiers were injured.
7.
Monica Beltran's actions helped save 54 other soldiers from suffering serious injury.
8.
In 2006, Monica Beltran worked for Lockheed Martin as a dispatcher.
9.
Monica Beltran served with the XVIII Airborne Corps and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013.
10.
Monica Beltran retired from the Army National Guard in August 2023.
11.
Monica Beltran has a younger sister who was in kindergarten in 2006.
12.
In 2012, Monica Beltran was given the Virginia Women in History award by the Library of Virginia.