DemiShadow
Unverified
Hello everyone,
First off thank you for allowing me the privilege of joining the sight and the opportunity to connect with fellow soldiers from all walks of life. I joined the US Army in August of 2005 as a 92F, completed basic and then airborne school. Was assigned to 1-508 PIR, 82nd ABN. Was deployed January 2007 to Afghanistan and helped run the RIF in Salerno. Had the privilege of meeting and working with some great guys from 3rd SFG and 7th SFG at that time, as they kept us at full capacity most of the time. I served as a .50 cal gunner on numerous missions with the HUMINT team assigned to our RIF, and was later tasked out as QRF while our engineers were building Shank. Towards the end of my deployment was critically injured falling down a mountain during a dismount, and that inevitably ended in seven surgeries altogether and my forced medical retirement. I made it back to the states in April 2008 and was PCSed to Fort Lee and had all my surgeries at Portsmouth NMC. I was medically retired in May of 2010. Now I am currently a student in pursuit of my bachelors degree in psychology and one day have hope to help soldiers struggling with PTSD or similar issues related to combat. When I was getting squared away with the VA after my retirement, it seemed that there was little to no care for people with PTSD, and most of the providers would try to empathize with something they knew little to nothing about. I just want to do what I can to help out, as I'm tired of losing brothers in arms to suicide or worse. I feel as if it would be easier to open up or relate to someone who has been there and done that. Out of the army, but never out of the fight. I hope I can continue to grow learn from some of America's finest. Once again I appreciate the opportunity to do so. Thank every one of you for your service, dedication, and your sacrifice.
First off thank you for allowing me the privilege of joining the sight and the opportunity to connect with fellow soldiers from all walks of life. I joined the US Army in August of 2005 as a 92F, completed basic and then airborne school. Was assigned to 1-508 PIR, 82nd ABN. Was deployed January 2007 to Afghanistan and helped run the RIF in Salerno. Had the privilege of meeting and working with some great guys from 3rd SFG and 7th SFG at that time, as they kept us at full capacity most of the time. I served as a .50 cal gunner on numerous missions with the HUMINT team assigned to our RIF, and was later tasked out as QRF while our engineers were building Shank. Towards the end of my deployment was critically injured falling down a mountain during a dismount, and that inevitably ended in seven surgeries altogether and my forced medical retirement. I made it back to the states in April 2008 and was PCSed to Fort Lee and had all my surgeries at Portsmouth NMC. I was medically retired in May of 2010. Now I am currently a student in pursuit of my bachelors degree in psychology and one day have hope to help soldiers struggling with PTSD or similar issues related to combat. When I was getting squared away with the VA after my retirement, it seemed that there was little to no care for people with PTSD, and most of the providers would try to empathize with something they knew little to nothing about. I just want to do what I can to help out, as I'm tired of losing brothers in arms to suicide or worse. I feel as if it would be easier to open up or relate to someone who has been there and done that. Out of the army, but never out of the fight. I hope I can continue to grow learn from some of America's finest. Once again I appreciate the opportunity to do so. Thank every one of you for your service, dedication, and your sacrifice.
