Hampton Heroes inducts 12 veterans to its ranks

Hampton Heroes guest speaker Cpl. Brandon Rumbaugh of the U.S. Marines captivated the crowd as he spoke. At the age of 24, Rumbaugh retired medically from military service in September 2012 after serving five years on active duty with the 1st Battalion 8th Marines as an 81mm mortar gunner. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. During an attempt to rescue a fellow Marine who had stepped on an IED during a security patrol around their temporary makeshift outpost, Rumbaugh stepped on a secondary IED, causing him to lose both of his legs. He underwent 16 months of intensive therapy at Walter Reed. Rumbaugh is the recipient of several medals for his service: the Purple Heart, the U.S. Navy Unit Commendation and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (Combat V), U.S. Navy Unit Commendation, NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan, the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Rifle and Pistol Expert Medals.