From A Soldier To The Reagan Round Up
Hello everyone at Reagan RoundUp,
Hello, my name is Rick and I've been receiving cards and letters from your wonderful organization for about six months now. I just wanted you to know how much they mean to me and all the other soldiers in this great country. The things those men go through over there, and then to receive such letters and cards as you guys write are always well received. To come back from a long mission and realize that you have mail always brings a smile to your face. It doesn't matter who it may be from or even what it might say, just to know that it is from someone that we are protecting, honors us.
Then there are the soldiers who have been injured overseas. I am one of those soldiers, I had all of my cards hanging up on my walls in my hospital room and then on the wall in my apartment. Just seeing those cards every day let me know that what happened to me did not happen in vain. I have no regrets and will never have regrets about the choices I have made to defend my country and the people in it. I know no soldier or at least no friend that has regrets about the choices they have made.
I know you know my name and some of the story, but I am not sure how much of the story you know. So I am going to tell you a little about myself and what I've been through the last 10 1/2 months.
On September 1, 2006 myself and two others got into our Bradley Fighting Vehicle (like we did every day) for a patrol on the outskirts of Baghdad. I was the gunner, Sergeant Luis Montes was the Bradley commander, and Specialist Andrew Loe was our driver for that day. We left Camp Liberty, Baghdad and started our patrol. About two hours into the patrol we stopped for a short halt. We were the last vehicle in our convoy and decided to move up a vehicle when we started moving again. There were a total of five vehicles in the convoy, 3 HUMVEEs led and two Bradleys trailed. So now we were the fourth vehicle in the convoy. About two minutes after we started moving again our Bradley was hit with an IED. The blast happened to hit our fuel cell which ignited the vehicle and crew instantaneously. As I jumped off the Bradley I broke my ankle which happened to sever the artery in my ankle. I tried to look up what artery it was but found a couple different names. Anyways, I try to stand up after I hit the ground but realized that there was something wrong with my ankle. At this point my entire body was covered with flames because I was covered in fuel. All I could think of was stop, drop and roll. As I was attempting to roll back and forth I realized the only thing I was doing was setting the grass on fire. To this day I still believe that something in my head told me to roll one way which I did and eventually rolled into a canal. The canal put the fire out but the fire was still chasing me down the hill as I left a trail of fuel. Two of the guys in the platoon found me and carried me up a very large embankment. After they got me out of the canal they started working on me and found me a litter to carry me away from my vehicle. They had to get me away from the vehicle pretty fast because the rounds inside started exploding. The two other guys in my vehicle and I waited for the Blackhawk medevacs to pick us up. I'm not sure how long it really took but it ended up seeming like at least 30 minutes. If it was 30 minutes then I didn't feel pain for the first 25. The last 5 minutes I got a little nervous but stayed awake the whole time. I remember the helicopter ride and talking to the medics on board trying to keep us awake and alive. I remember talking to my two friends who were in the incident with me. We arrived at a small medical station and the last thing I remember was a female nurse sticking a needle in my arm and then I don't remember much for about 3 months.
Pretty much all the first three months From the small medical station we flew to Balad, Iraq and then to Landstuhl, Germany and then to our final destination at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. We were injured on September 1 and arrived at the hospital in Fort Sam on September 3. Because of the very fast response, I am here today. I definitely believe the canal I rolled into was a godsend but at the same time it gave me many infections and funguses such as cholera and Aspergillus. Because of the Aspergillus they had to cut my palms off on both hands so the fungus would not spread. I was on and off dialysis for some time while was in ICU. I ended up in ICU for 3 1/2 months and then a step down unit for 2 1/2 months. I ended up losing my right leg below the knee and received 60% burns covering my arms, hands, face, legs, and half of the top of my head.
I definitely consider myself lucky because I came away with the most important thing a person can have, which is life. Unfortunately we lost one of my best friends and one of the best soldiers I have ever met. Sergeant Luis A. Montes died seven days later at Brooke Army Medical Center. Sergeant Montes moved up the ranks very quickly and became my Bradley Commander which I was very happy to hear. I knew I had a good leader on my vehicle. He was a great leader in life and he will be a great leader and death. He gets me through every day. He inspires me to do what I'm doing today and will be doing in the future. I was in a platoon full of heroes, but that one will be etched in my head for ever and ever. My very good friend Specialist Andrew Loe was burnt over 20% of his body and was released from the hospital three months after the accident and returned to Fort Hood, Texas and works with our old unit in the training room. While we were in Iraq we were receiving gift packages while Sergeant Montes was sending money home. He would help anybody out on any day of the week. He always took charge in any briefing or mission.
Sergeant Luis A. Montes
(11 March 1984 - 7 September 2006)
As for myself I am doing some motivational/inspirational speaking which I enjoy immensely. I do rehab twice a week at the CFI (Center For the Intrepid) and have occasional surgeries at the hospital. I know everything I have to my wonderful family who gave up so much to be here with me throughout this period. My mom has been here since September 3 and within the 10 1/2 months she has been home for a total of two weeks. Our family is from Upstate New York in the Binghamton area where my dad and my other brother are living. My parents have been together for 25 years and if they can make it through this tough time then they can make it do anything. I cannot thank them enough for the sacrifices they have made.
I just want to finish by saying again thank you for everything you have done for me and my family and my friends who are going to be heading back overseas in a couple months. I think I can speak for all of my brothers overseas and they are saying thank you even if you don't hear from them. What you have done and what you are doing shows what mankind is capable of. The love and respect you give us means everything and will never be forgotten. I would love to give a little back by joining in writing and sending care packages to the soldiers overseas and the wounded soldiers here stateside. I can't thank you enough but I can try by keeping my spirits up and reading one of your cards when I get a little down. You mean the world to us and Thank You.
SPC. Richard S. XXXXX
United States Army
Active-Duty
P.S.
Please send more walls I am running out of room for cards in our apartment.