Saturday, November 19, 2016

Kabul: Operation Proper Exit

Cheesy.

That was my first impression when we were asked to line up along a red carpet waving miniature American flags.  When the wounded warriors entered the room to thunderous applause and strode the 30 meters to the stage, however, I changed my tune.  Despite the cheering and clapping, I felt a lump in my throat as the delegation passed.  The columns of waving flags weren’t cheesy after all; they were a perfect tribute.

rolling out the red carpet for good reason

In total, six servicemen and -women joined us as part of Operation Proper Exit – a program run by Feherty’s Troops First Foundation that allows wounded warriors to return to the place of their injury and leave the country on their own terms.  Most of those who came to speak to us did not remember leaving Afghanistan the first time due to the trauma they had endured.  Some had spent months in medically-induced comas.

After the grand entrance, a few of the Operation Proper Exit organizers gave some remarks as did the Embassy’s deputy ambassador.  Then the guests of honor each took a turn at the mic.

First up was MSG Leroy Petry, U.S. Army, who in 2008 was shot multiple times and lost his right hand while attempting to throw a grenade away from his position.  His actions saved two fellow soldiers.

Next was MSG Neal Benson, U.S. Army, who sustained severe facial and head injuries from an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kajaki in 2007.  A significant portion of his skull was reconstructed from titanium plates.

There was MSG Raymond Castillo, U.S. Army, who lost both legs and suffered organ damage also from an IED, and SCPO Ren Hockenberry, U.S. Navy, who was involved in a green-on-blue attack, whereby an Afghan soldier, supposedly a “friendly,” fired on her group.  She was shot twice in the stomach, once in the groin, and twice in the leg, shattering her tibia.  She still requires the use of a cane.

SSG Earl Granville, U.S. Army, lost his left leg to a roadside bomb in 2007, and last but not least, SSG James Fitzgerald, U.S. Army, was shot in the right leg and knocked down a ravine, fracturing his knee and femur in the process, while in a firefight in northern Afghanistan in 2010.

All of the wounded warriors had received the Purple Heart, and in addition, Petry was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama.

While I think one of the guests was medically retired following his injuries, most returned to active duty after months, and in many cases years, of surgeries and rehabilitation.  Leaving their units behind was the hardest part of being injured, most of them agreed.

Some of the warriors approached the Embassy event with humor, and others were more serious.  Some were emotional, and some were nostalgic.  There were recurring themes throughout, though.

First, most of them downplayed their injuries, noting that they were the lucky ones.  All of them had seen buddies and colleagues killed in battle, often in the same incident that had resulted in their own injuries, and they all took the time to reflect on this ultimate sacrifice.

Second, all of them were exceedingly gracious and humble.  We were here to honor these heroes, but one after the next, they took the podium and thanked us for coming out to see them, for taking time out of our busy schedules.  They thanked us for supporting the troops, for working in harm’s way, and for striving to develop Afghanistan.

Lastly, in what came as a bit of a surprise to me, no one seemed to bear any ill will toward Afghanistan, and most expressed hope for the country’s future.  As SCPO Hockenberry put it, “A few bad apples don’t spoil the bunch.”

All the while, I was thinking about my older sister who had served two tours as a trauma surgeon at the military hospital at Bagram Air Base.  She had patched up dozens of injured military personnel, and had possibly played a role in saving the life of someone standing on the stage before me.  It was a humbling notion.

After the presentation, the wounded warriors formed a receiving line, and we all lined up to shake their hands.

I’ve heard it said when people face catastrophic injury or illness, their pre-injury personalities are often magnified by the experience.  Negative people come out with bitterness and bile, while positive people emerge with gratitude and optimism.  With this group, the latter definitely seemed to be the case.

The receiving line was moving slowly, so I had three or four minutes to talk with each guest.  SSG Fitzgerald and I both hail from Tennessee, so we chatted about that.  I talked with SCPO Hockenberry about Hawaii, her home state and current duty station and one of my favorite holiday destinations.  Everyone was interested in my life in Kabul and my career in the Foreign Service, and I was keen to hear the details of the rest of their trip.  We were toward the end of their two-week tour through Afghanistan, so they had already seen and done quite a bit.

The event took place on a Saturday – “Casual Saturday” to be precise – and I was wearing a Hawaiian shirt as I’ve done the past 13 years.  This didn’t go unnoticed, and it was unanimously agreed by the warriors that it was the best shirt ever.  MSG Benson even proposed we trade shirts, but, alas, he and I were clearly not the same size.

Last in the line-up for hand-shaking was MSG Petry.

“I’ve seen your story on AFN [the Armed Forces Network],” I told him.

The network routinely airs clips featuring Medal-of-Honor recipients.

“Oh, geez,” he remarked, “I’m not sure how I feel about being an AFN celebrity.”

“I guess it’s better than being the guy with alcohol poisoning in the public service announcement,” I replied.

We both laughed, and he gave me a fist-bump with his prosthetic hand.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Chris. Very nice abd moving tribute. Thanks for sharing, Bill Monroe

Anonymous said...

Nice. Thanks!!
Loveu!
Dad

Unknown said...

This one had me in tears,Chris. Thanks. Ellen

Unknown said...

Chris,

I couldn't read without tears... This is a real reminder of how precious life can be.
Thanks for the military and God Bless America!!
Thanks again for the sharing precious story!

Betty Ulrich said...

Oh Chris, what a great tribute. Did not know about this program until your article. Thanks for sharing.

Ollie and Floyd said...

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! Thank you for your beautiful writing and for sharing your experiences over there. Thank you most of all for just being there doing such important work supporting our country and - on this occasion particularly - our troops.

I loved the last line of your blog entry -- I really miss AFN!

Mary Ann said...

Thanks Chris for sharing your moving description of the event and the wounded warriors. It brought me closer to Afghanistan and the people who serve there.

Rena said...

I always enjoy reading your posts, Chris. Thank you for all of the work that you put into writing them, and for the sacrifices that you make each day to be where you are. We will be thinking of you this holiday season and wish you a very Merry Christmas!! <3

Rachel said...

Hi Christopher!

Wonderful story about the very excellent Operation Proper Exit. They didn't have this program yet during my first deployment in 2010. When they brought wounded warriors through Bagram/Craig Joint Theater Hospital on my 2nd deployment in 2014, it was too powerful for words. We were all researching the troops to see if any of us had taken care of them at our other deployments. It is so rewarding to see these guys and gals doing so well. And you are spot on with the warriors' reactions. At Bagram for my first deployment during the troop surge in 2010, we were so busy taking care of hundreds of our nation's finest. The first thing these troops did when we lightened their sedation after we got them through surgery and before we cleared them to travel to Germany, was to tell us "thanks". The second was to ask how their unit was doing, how was so-and-so doing/did so-and-so make it, was anyone else injured, etc. The third was wanting to ask if their parents knew. Then family and kids. Then they would be ready to hear about how they were doing. They all took convincing that it was the best thing for them to leave and continue getting care - but they truly didn't want to leave their units behind. Just like you said. Amazing nobility and courage. Truly humbling. Glad you had that opportunity to meet them!

Thanks as always for your stories that highlight our humanity!

love,
Rachel