Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, 7th Infantry Division commanding

Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, 7th Infantry Division commanding general, presented the Army Commendation Medal to Spc. Brian Avalos, of Whittier, Calif., July 18, at the division headquarters. Avalos, who was severely wounded in combat and receiving care at the Warrior Transition Battalion, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., came to work for the former 7th ID deputy commanding general for support, Brig. Gen. Billy Don Farris, after the WTB asked soldiers for volunteers. "When went down to the WTB and talked to a lot of soldiers, one soldier came forward. One soldier said, 'I'll serve.' ... When you want to talk about character, when you want to talk about what makes up a person, when you want to talk about the profession - this young man right here, he is a special kind of person because he said, 'Take me, I'll serve,'" Lanza told the crowd. "If you want to know what to takes to be a person of character, a leader of character, look right here Spc. Avalos, because this is ... what it means to be a soldier." Avalos, choking back tears, thanked Lanza and the team for making his last assignment in the Army "one with meaning" before he shook hands and gave hugs to those he worked with. Avalos transitioned back to the WTB, where he will finish his time in service before being medically retired.