[nabs-l] Blind ambition: U.S. Army's only blind Special Forces officer set to inspire at Huntington ISD's Veterans Day event

Sun Nov 15 05:16:47 UTC 2009

I wonder if anyone has told him about the NFB. I would love to hear
him speak in general session at convention.

Domonique

On 11/12/09, Alberto Arreola <alberto.2500 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I think that is very cool he hasn't given up.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Darian Smith
> Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 2:51 PM
> To: cabs-talk; Nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nabs-l] Blind ambition: U.S. Army's only blind Special Forces
> officer set to inspire at Huntington ISD's Veterans Day event
>
> I found  this to be  fitting considering the  most recent holiday.  I
> hope you  enjoy and  great discussion comes from this.
>  Darian
>
>
> Blind ambition: U.S. Army's only blind Special Forces officer set to
> inspire at Huntington ISD's Veterans Day event
>
> By
> ASHLEY COOK
> The Lufkin Daily News
>
> Wednesday, November 11, 2009
>
> An exploding mortar from Iraqi insurgents may have robbed him of his
> sight, but it didn't darken U.S. Army Capt. Ivan Castro's clear vision
> of his future.
>
> The only blind member in active duty with Special Forces, he is one of
> a handful of blind active duty soldiers in the entire country. Castro,
> who among
> other things runs marathons and advocates for rehabilitation services
> in addition to his career with Special Forces, will be sharing his
> story - his determination
> to never quit - as an inspiration to others at the Veterans Day
> program at 10 a.m. today at Huntington High School.
>
> U.S. Army Capt. Ivan Castro is the only blind member of Special
> Forces. Injured in a mortar attack in Iraq in 2006, he has since run a
> number of marathons
> and advocated for better rehabilitation services for the blind while
> also serving in active duty. He is the keynote speaker at today's
> Veterans Day event
> at Huntington High School.
>
> And making the event even more meaningful, Castro will be reuniting
> with several of his brothers in arms as several members of his platoon
> are flying in
> for the program.
>
> In September 2006, Castro was serving in Iraq as a first lieutenant.
> During a battle with insurgents, a mortar round exploded a few feet
> from him, killing
> two men and injuring Castro. Shrapnel tore through his body, damaging
> his shoulder, breaking his arm, fracturing facial bones and collapsing
> his lungs,
> according to a narrative written by Tony Santiago.
>
> Sgt. Travis Womack, now serving as a U.S. Army recruiter in Lufkin,
> was there the day in Iraq when Castro was injured.
>
> "He was my personal lieutenant. I was there when he got blinded in
> combat," Womack said.
>
> In a special reunion, most of Castro's platoon will be flying in from
> all over the country to attend the ceremony in Huntington, Womack
> said.
>
> "It's going to be awesome. I've only seen him once since that day. For
> most of the guys, it's the same way," Womack said. "The last time we
> saw him was
> in the helicopter. They day we got back from deployment he was there,
> and it was pretty cool."
>
> Shortly after his injuries in Iraq, Castro was stateside again at a
> U.S. Naval hospital in Maryland. He had a finger amputated due to
> extensive blast damage.
> His right eye was blown away, and he had metal fragments in his left.
>
> "Doctors questioned whether Castro would make it through another
> week," Santiago wrote.
>
> Two months after his injury, he was in a hospital bed with no idea of
> what to do next, when he overheard a doctor and nurse discussing two
> upcoming military
> marathons. That's when he decided to make running both of them his
> goal. Since then, he has completed both, and more.
>
> "Since then, he's been determined to stay in the Army and find a way
> to serve. He went back to Special Forces, and he's run the Boston
> Marathon, the Marine
> Marathon, among others. The Bataan (Memorial) Death March (Marathon) -
> a 26-mile road march," Womack said.
>
> Castro's motto is, "I'll never quit," according to Womack.
>
> Castro was promoted to captain in April 2007. He continues to run
> marathons, and serves as executive officer of the 7th Special Forces
> Group at Fort Bragg.
> Additionally, he and his wife, Evelyn, support and participate in
> sporting events hosted by the Blinded Veterans Association.
>
> Castro is an advocate for rehabilitation funding for the blind, and
> has visited members of Congress in his quest, according to Santiago.
>
> Castro has numerous awards and decorations, including the Purple
> Heart, Army Commendation and Meritorious Service medals. He was
> awarded a plaque in Braille
> at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Ga., thanking him
> for his continued service.
>
> The event today begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the community. Emcee
> is Danny Merrell, from KYKS 105. Veterans are invited to arrive at 9
> a.m. for coffee
> and registration. Valet parking is offered to arriving veterans.
> Veterans are invited to stay for a complimentary meal after the event.
>
> Huntington ISD Superintendent Eric Wright said the program is one of
> the district's signature events, because it includes their No. 1
> mission of producing
> high quality, productive citizens, and gives the district and the
> community an opportunity to thank veterans and active duty military
> "for their sacrifices
> which have allowed all of us to enjoy the freedoms we have and to live
> in the greatest country in the world."
>
> The district is able through the event to integrate patriotism along
> with history, fine arts, graphic design and more into its curriculum.
>
> "Our soldiers and former soldiers are our heroes and for at least one
> day per year, we get to express our appreciation," Wright said.
>
> Wright thanked J'Nelle Short, program coordinator, for her hard work
> and dedication to the event, for making a program that seems better
> and better each
> year. Wright added that he was pleased the students will have an
> opportunity to listen to Castro, a decorated veteran who is an
> inspiration with such a
> "can-do" spirit.
>
>
> --
> "And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny
> calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching
> before us;
> if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our
> slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe
> past and future generations,
> then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with
> you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be
> done, and
> usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth."- Baraq Obama
>
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