St. Andrews Presbyterian College | Laurinburg, NC | Athletics

St. Andrews Honors Fallen Soldier

January 26, 2012
By: Mary Murphy, Laurinburg Exchange

St. Andrews University took time on Wednesday to remember a former staff member who touched the lives of students, but also made history as one of the first female casualties in a “new and vital” wartime attempt to gain the trust of Afghan women.

Prior to the start of Wednesday’s men’s basketball game, the St. Andrews University Athletic Department held a special remembrance to honor 1st Lt. Ashley White Stumpf, who was killed in October 2011.

The 24-year-old Alliance, Ohio native was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan where she was serving as a member of a cultural support team working with a Joint Special Operations Task Force. She was on leave from St. Andrews where she worked as an athletic trainer.

“She was in the cultural support team, which is an all-female volunteer force,” said Emily Beeson, another St. Andrews athletic trainer who worked closely with Stumpf. “Their purpose was to go into situations with a Ranger team and talk to the Afghan women when it would be inappropriate for them to talk to men.”

Stumpf was one of 135 women of the 6,230 U.S. troops who have died during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A statement issued by the family said, in part, that Stumpf “died doing what she loved and knowing she was making a difference in the lives of countless Afghani women and children.

“Our family is overflowing with pride. Pride at the person Ashley was. Pride at the endeavors she chose to pursue, and pride in the service she gave to our country.”

While at St. Andrews, Stumpf tired to help anyone who might need it, Beeson said.

“We started here at the same time, and we shared an office for a year,” said Beeson. “She was a very good person, always tried to help you out. No matter what she was doing, she would always drop whatever it was to go help whoever needed her.”

St. Andrews athletes who worked with Stumpf noted a smiliar disposition in their athletic trainer.

“She was really positive and always made you feel at home,” said Brandie Hunt, a sophomore on St. Andrews’ softball team. “Not only was she my softball trainer, but I considered her a really good friend - I could go talk to her outside of softball if I needed to and she was always there for me.”

Stumpf’s team player attitude will be missed deeply among St. Andrews athletes and staff.

“She’s going to be really missed at St. Andrews,” said Beeson. “She was very good with her sports teams. She was always a friend and if you needed something, she would do it. She was that type of person.”

Stumpf deployed to Afghanistan in August. She was married to Army Capt. Jason Stumpf, who is stationed in Fort Bragg.

She was assigned to the 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina National Guard, and was commissioned in the Army as a medical service corps officer.

Stumpf will be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Combat Action Badge.

“She was not just accepted by the Rangers she worked with, but loved, admired and respected,” said Col. Mark O’Donnell, deputy commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, a unit Stumpf served with on her first combat tour.

Athletics

Sports

Athletics

Athletics

Other Important Links