1st Sgt. Katie Blackwell and Staff Sgt. Ashley Meraz prepare to raise the American flag during the 2018 Minnesota Twins Armed Forces Appreciation Day. Blackwell and Meraz are both Purple Heart recipients from the Minnesota Army National Guard. Blackwell received the Purple Heart when she was wounded after her scout vehicle struck an improvised explosive device May 29, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq. Meraz was wounded after her vehicle drove over a pressure plate improvised explosive device near Forward Operating Base Leatherneck in Afghanistan, October 7, 2009. Her driver, Spc. George Cauley, was kill

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1st Sgt. Katie Blackwell and Staff Sgt. Ashley Meraz prepare to raise the American flag during the 2018 Minnesota Twins Armed Forces Appreciation Day. Blackwell and Meraz are both Purple Heart recipients from the Minnesota Army National Guard. Blackwell received the Purple Heart when she was wounded after her scout vehicle struck an improvised explosive device May 29, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq. Meraz was wounded after her vehicle drove over a pressure plate improvised explosive device near Forward Operating Base Leatherneck in Afghanistan, October 7, 2009. Her driver, Spc. George Cauley, was killed in the explosion. (Minnesota National Guard

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Photo credit: © Barney Low / Alamy / Afripics
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