WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth indicated two members off the West Virginia National Guard shot in the line of duty in Washington D.C. will be awarded the purple heart.
The acknowledgement came as Hegseth addressed a group of guard troops in a re-enlistement ceremony Friday at the Washington Monument. Hegseth referred to West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and West Virginia Air Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe as “soon to be Purple Heart recipients.”
Beckstrom and Wolfe were shot the day before Thanksgiving while on patrol near the White house by an armed individual now identified as an Afghan national. He was recently indicted by a federal grand jury for charges tied to the shooting. Beckstrom died a day after she was shot, but Wolfe continues to make remarkable progress in a miraculous recovery.
Governor Patrick Morrisey requested the decorations for the two Guard members in December. He offered up thanks on social media after Hegseth’s remarks Friday.
“I thank Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that reflects their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation,” said Morrisey in the post to X.
I thank Secretary @PeteHegseth for announcing that U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe will soon receive the Purple Heart, an honor that reflects their courage and sacrifice in defense of our nation. Doing so during a National Guard… https://t.co/TENMFVZSs0
— Governor Patrick Morrisey (@wvgovernor) February 6, 2026
West Virginia National Guard members remain on duty in Washington on a volunteer basis to participate in President Donald Trump’s mission to improve the safety of the streets of Washington D.C.