Robins Airman wounded in attack earns Purple Heart Published Dec. 17, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A Robins Airman was awarded the Purple Heart after surviving a suicide-bomber blast at an army base in Afghanistan. Capt. Jordan Lindeke, a 78th Medical Group flight commander, was among 18 people injured in the Dec. 5 explosion at the army base in Gardez. Two NATO servicemembers and at least two civilians were killed, according to the Washington Post. Lindeke was awarded the Purple Heart the following day in her hospital bed at Bagram Air Base, Iraq. She was later transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where she spent a few days getting treatment before being released Tuesday. She is expected to arrive back at Robins within a couple of weeks, said Lt. Col. Duane Bragg, 78th Medical Support Squadron commander. He said she will be bringing some valuable experience to her new job here as a medical readiness officer. Bragg has been in regular contact with Lindeke since the explosion. "She seems very upbeat," he said. "I think she was disappointed mainly that she had to leave early because she was really enjoying what she was doing." She deployed in July to serve as part of a medical-imbedded transition team mentoring Afghan medical professionals. She mentored 165 personnel at a 60-bed regional hospital and was responsible for moving 400 patients to a higher level of care, Bragg said. She was originally scheduled to return in January. "She was excited to go down and support the war effort," Bragg said. "She is a strong woman and strong officer and will do well in her recovery."