EOD Tech On Cutting Edge: Master Sgt. On Front Lines of Prosthetic Research After Losing 3 Limbs! Two years after losing one arm and both of his legs to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, Master Sgt. Joseph Deslauriers wields one of the most technologically advanced prosthetic limbs, enabling him to tackle one of the most important jobs. “When you lose three limbs at once, it’s very difficult to figure out how you’re going to interact with the world around you now,” Deslauriers told lawmakers July 31. “I’m a husband, I’m a father, how am I going to hold my child? How am I going to interact?” Deslauriers was on patrol Sept. 23, 2011, as an explosive ordnance disposal craftsman with the 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron in the New Zad District. Traveling as part of a 25-vehicle clearance patrol element in Operation Desert Tortoise, Deslauriers dismounted to disarm one improvised explosive device and conducted three post-blast analyses within four hours. Using a hand-held detector, Deslauriers reached a disabled vehicle with an injured Marine and brought him back to safety. After ordering other personnel to stay in their vehicles while he cleared the area, Deslauriers stepped on a buried IED trigger, critically wounding him. He didn’t give up, passing along information on nearby IEDs while teammates were treating him. His actions helped extract two injured Marines, two disabled vehicles and let his team finish their mission. For his actions, Deslauriers was awarded the Silver Star.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 22:33:36 +0000
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