Staff Sergeant Matthew Trout with the Iowa National Guard was awarded the Medal of Merit for his heroic efforts in assisting an individual who crashed on Highway 163 in December. He is active locally mainly as a recruiter at area schools, including Pella.

“This award is not about me–it’s about the exceptional training that the Iowa Army National Guard gives its 7,000 Soldiers to be prepared and ready to step up when others need our help,” Trout says. “Because of the medical training I received from the Guard, I was able to effectively assist.”