The Story of Captain Jennifer Moreno – U.S. Army Nurse

Date of Incident: October 6, 2013
Location: Kandahar, Afghanistan
Unit: 75th Ranger Regiment, Cultural Support Team

Captain Jennifer Moreno was a registered nurse and part of a Cultural Support Team — elite female soldiers who worked alongside special operations units in Afghanistan. Her job was to engage with Afghan women and children during dangerous missions where men could not.

On that October night, Moreno was attached to an Army Ranger unit conducting a raid on a Taliban compound suspected of housing a suicide bomb cell.

As the team approached, a suicide bomber detonated, killing several soldiers instantly and laying deadly booby traps around the area.

Jennifer heard the cries for help from the wounded and ran toward the danger, ignoring warnings that the area was laced with hidden explosives.

She sprinted forward to reach a fallen comrade—and triggered another hidden bomb.

Captain Moreno was killed instantly. She was 25 years old.

Her courage and sacrifice saved others. Despite being a nurse and not a combat soldier, she gave her life trying to save her teammates.

She was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Fellow Rangers praised her bravery, saying she embodied the warrior spirit as much as anyone on the battlefield.