Heres my early Veterans Day tribute. It was March 2006 I was working in the hospital in Balad Iraq. We wheeled in a young man with a very graphic leg wound. His leg was intact, no broken bones, no lacerations, but it was dark purple from the knee to the tips of his toes. I found out later that he was on a convoy from Kuwait to Northern Iraq. They had stopped at our base for food, fuel and a break. He was the gunner on a HUMVEE, and not wanting to wait until the four men riding below him exited the vehicle, he decided to step out of the gun turret, onto the hood and then step onto the bumper, then the ground. Since his was the lead vehicle it had a second bumper that held a device called a rhino - which is intended to set off roadside bombs before the vehicle arrives at the site of the bomb. As he stepped down he missed both bumpers, his leg went between the bumpers - to the ground and then his body followed. When I met him he was already sedated and his thick Puerto Rican accent made it difficult to understand his story. But being a hospital volunteer I chatted with him and offered to help where I could. Soon after Adm. Mullins - the chairman of the joint Chiefs, the second highest ranking person in the military - arrived at the hospital for a visit. Adm. Mullins had his own personal security, and media teams. They recorded the brief conversation between the Adm. and my friend, and then moved on to visit other patients. As they moved away, my newfound friend looked at me and said do you think they will play that tape in America? I told him I dont know but what makes the difference? He replied My wife doesnt know Im in Iraq. We both laughed out loud... Seven years later we are still friends, on a later mission he sustained a traumatic brain injury and was forced to retire. We stay in touch, and I love him like a brother. Happy Veterans Day GGiovanni Febres Thank you for your service, and thank you for your sacrifice for our Nation.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 04:54:51 +0000
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