LAHS graduate First Lt. Micah Jay Andersen receives the Purple Heart. Courtesy photo
Staff Report
First Lieutenant Micah Jay Andersen received the Purple Heart Aug. 13 from 4-star General Daniel B. Allyn, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces Command.
The Los Alamos High School graduate was serving as an Armor Officer in Afghanistan June 1 and suffered severe combat injuries when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a combined dismounted patrol.
The Purple Heart award ceremony was attended by members of his family including his father Skip Andersen who works at Los Alamos National Laboratory as well as medical and military staff who have cared for Andersen and provided support to his family.
Andersen continues to recover very slowly and is still in the burn intensive care unit at the San Antonio Military Medical Complex, at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. He continues to undergo skin graft surgery and is experiencing significant pain from his injuries. It appears Andersen and the medical team have beaten the severe fungal infection that threatened his life. Linzi, Andersen’s wife, and his mother Brenda Andersen remain at his side as much as visiting hours will allow. His three-month old son Jay is healthy and doing well.
“As a family, we offer our deep and heartfelt gratitude for all that has been done by family, friends, churches, social organizations, and charitable organizations to help Micah recover and to provide assistance to his family,” Skip Anderson said. “Your prayers, positive messages, care packages, cards, and donations have been most helpful. Most of all we extend our gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and staff that have helped Micah to survive and begin his recovery. He has truly received the best care available.”
Anderson was a member of the Los Alamos High School Junior Reserved Training Officer Corps (JRTOC). In 2011 he graduated from Boise State and received his commission as a US Army Officer, Armor Branch. Prior to attending Boise State, Andersen served for three years in the US Army. He completed basic and advanced individual artillery training at Fort Sill, Okla., then served as a crewman on the testing team for the military’s new heavy portable artillery, and spent a year as an NCO in Iraq protecting convoy’s from Al Taji to Baghdad.
