A varsity letter winner in wrestling from 1982-85 and a 1984 State Tournament qualifier for East Union, Sgt. Major Brad Kasal has had a distinguished military career, since enlisting in the Marines in 1985. He has received the Nay Cross, two Purple Hearts, a Combat Section Ribbon and several other awards for his service to his country. The Navy Cross citation, in part, reads "for extraordinary heroism while serving as First Sergeant Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 13 November 2004. First Sgt. Kasal was assisting an anti-armor platoon as they provided an over watch for 3rd Platoon when he heard a large volume of fire erupt to his immediate front, shortly followed by Marines exiting the structure. Upon learning that Marines were pinned down in the house by an unknown number of enemy personnel, he joined a squad making entry to clear the structure and rescue the Marines inside. Entering the first room and immediately encountering and eliminating an insurgent, he spotted a wounded Marine in the next room. While moving toward his comrade, he and another Marine came under heavy rifle fire from elevated enemy combatants with both severely wounded in the legs and being immobilized. When insurgents threw grenades in an attempt to eliminate the wounded Marines he rolled on top of the younger Marine and absorbed the shrapnel with his own body, When he was offered medical attention and extraction he refused until the other Marines were given medical attention." Although severely wounded, he shouted encouragement to his fellow Marines as they continued to clear the structure. AU told Sgt. Kasal was wounded by seven rounds from AK-47 fire and hit by more than 43 pieces of hot fragmentation from the grenade, while protecting his younger comrade. His refusal to quit fighting is credited with saving the lives of several Marines during the U.S. assault on insurgent strongholds in Fallujah. Sgt, Major Kasal served at the Recruiting Station in Des Moines, from May 2006 until January 2010 before returning to Camp Pendleton for training marines and infantry tactics. He was promoted to Sgt. Major in 2006. His story has been captured in book form entitled "My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story"