Ivic's Purple Heart

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By Ben Valencia 
Steel Country Bee Editor
 
An Avinger man, Zach Ivic, received a purple heart award over the summer for his heroic efforts in Afghanistan last year, where he was an explosive ordinance technician. 
The 33 year-old, who hails from Pennsylvania, recently moved to Avinger from Virginia with his wife, who is a native of Avinger. 
Ivic was born in State College, Penn. where he graduated from high school and also attended Penn State University studying forestry. 
He joined the Navy in 2005. 
While in service in Afghanistan, Ivic was injured after an insurgent fired a grenade at his team 
"We were under attack. One grenade came in and landed by some of our guys and then another one came into the compound and we were running back through an alley, so we turned and I heard the grenade launcher, and I had a feeling it would be close," Ivic said. "So I grabbed the interpreter and jumped over him before the grenade went off. I limped over into a structure and got inside of it and the medics came in and started providing aide."
Ivic has frag remnants in the left side of his body, which has made him medically retired for the severity of his injuries. After the blast, Ivic suffered from perforated ear drums, a concussion and the fragmentation in the left side of his body. 

 

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