[Ohio-talk] Fw: Blind Soldier

Sat Dec 4 22:53:48 UTC 2010

Thanks Paul. Good article
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Dressell" <pmdbmd at fuse.net>
To: <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Karren Innis" <kbi at fuse.net>; "Paul Jordan" <paujor at fuse.net>; 
"Marianne Denning" <Mdenning at cinci.rr.com>; "Chuck Donaldson" 
<ssalpha1 at cinci.rr.com>; "Dale Barta" <dbarta at fuse.net>; "Vincent Fugate" 
<Vincentf at zoomtown.com>; "Robert Crawford" <rcrawford11 at fuse.net>; "Jeanette 
Wade" <jw6kids at hotmail.com>; "Deanna Lewis" <Deannakay618 at yahoo.com>; "Bob 
Marquardt" <bobmarquardt at netzero.net>; "Judy Rudig" <rudigja at yahoo.com>; 
"Dave Perry" <Daveperry at fuse.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2010 3:51 PM
Subject: [Ohio-talk] Fw: Blind Soldier


Thisis from David Perry, Cincinnati chpater member. Paul
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dave Perry
To: DMKS77 at aol.com ; GARY KERLEY ; sakchip at aol.com ; kiley shumard ; 
jendubois at cinci.rr.com ; Jones, kenneth ; Reni Jackson ; Gatton, Greg ; 
Cronk, Don ; Smith, Linda ; Mary Harrod ; Adam Ruschival ; Carla RUSCHIVAL ; 
JAPatterson1955 at aol.com ; Emma Batchelor ; Frances Schueler ; 
lkidwell16 at insightbb.com ; grader at fuse.net ; Swafford, Lonnie ; Saylor, 
Sarah ; Mullins, Bo ; Bob Marquardt ; MelSch3 at aol.com ; Paul Dressell ; 
Sheri Albers ; Deanna Lewis ; Deborah Kendrick ; M. E. Bartley ; Vincent 
Fugate ; Dennis Runyan ; jamie davis ; LRats at aol.com ; bill.hosking at fuse.net 
; babuzek at mimlaw.com ; jacque horn ; Peskoe, Melanie ; Nickie
Cc: Dave Perry
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 8:14 PM
Subject: Blind Soldier


Blind Soldier
Blind soldier from Pasco finds niche in military
MICHAEL HILL ASSOCIATED PRESS
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Since a car bomb blinded Capt. Scott Smiley in Iraq,
he has skied Vail, climbed Mount Rainier, earned his MBA, raised two
young boys with his wife, won an Espy award and pulled himself up from
faith-shaking depths.
Smiley, 30, has snagged attention for his big accomplishments. But the
daily ones are telling too, including the recent tour he gave of his
staff's offices at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he was
scheduled to attend President Obama's address of the Class of 10 on
Saturday.
Unable to see the path around the workers' cubicles, Smiley stepped
forward with a joke to the camouflage-clad officers he was showing
around: "I walk around, and when I hit things, I move," he said.
An aide trailing him said softly, "Turn right, sir," at a doorway.
Smiley turned.
Smiley, of Pasco, is one of only a handful of soldiers who chose to
remain on active duty after being blinded by fighting in Iraq and
Afghanistan, a practice that's rare but one that military officials say
benefits both parties.
Though unable to return to his old infantry duties in Iraq, Smiley has
thrived in stateside postings such as his latest at West Point, from
which he graduated in 03. He now commands the Warrior Transition Unit
at West Point for ailing or wounded soldiers.
Voice software allows Smiley to listen to e-mails, books and pamphlets.
Aides help him navigate and tell him what order he's signing. It's a
little like changing his son's diapers at home: He's fine as long as he
knows where everything is.
His resiliency and energy helped him earn the 07 Soldier of the Year
commendation from the publication Army Times, as well as an ESPN Espy
award in 08 for best outdoor athlete.
He earned his master's of business administration at Duke University and
has spoken to the Olympic and Duke teams coached by Mike Krzyzewski, a
fellow West Point alum. He has a memoir coming out this year titled,
Hope Unseen.
Smiley said he's not trying to prove anything with his exploits.
"In terms of getting an MBA, climbing Mount Rainier, it's what I always
wanted to do," he said. "Why should I stop that?"
Smiley was injured April 6, 05, six months into a deployment to Iraq.
He led patrols through Mosul, a dangerous city where a too-high pile of
garbage could be hiding explosives and the enemy blended in with the
populace.
Sgt. 1st Class Mike Branham, who served as a squad leader under Smiley,
said his fellow serviceman was a topflight officer, one who stood out
for his deep Christian faith and detailed knowledge of his soldiers.
"He knew their names, he knew their wives' names, he knew their likes
and dislikes," Branham said.
Smiley was leading a patrol in an armored Stryker vehicle when, from his
perch in the forward hatch, he spotted a silver Opel that matched
intelligence descriptions of a potential car bomb. The trunk appeared to
be weighed down and the driver acted as though he didn't understand
Smiley, who fired warning shots at the ground when it looked as if the
driver was going to pull forward.
The driver raised his hands, and the car went up in a fireball.
Shrapnel tore through Smiley's left eye and lodged in his frontal brain
lobe; another fragment the size of a pencil lead pierced his right eye.
Slumped unconscious in the Stryker hatch, Smiley was rushed to a medical
center, where he briefly flatlined as friends prayed at his bedside.
Branham recalls, "I didn't think he was going to make it past that day
at all."
He was left permanently blinded and temporarily paralyzed on his right
side.
Stabilized and shipped stateside, Smiley struggled with his fate. He had
vowed at his wedding to take care of his wife, Tiffany, and there she
was, taking care of him. The exertion of wiggling his big toe required a
three-hour nap.
He received his Purple Heart on his hospital bed. A video posted on
YouTube of the ceremony shows his brother Neal struggling to maintain
composure as he reads the citation. Smiley, looking beaten and
uncomfortable in his bed, turns his head away.
"When I got to the hospital and I finally realized what happened, what
my life was going to be like, I didn't believe in God. I questioned my
faith. I questioned everything that was ever said to me before," Smiley
said. "Because in my mind, why would God allow something like this to
happen to me?"
Smiley credits his wife, family and faith for helping him accept his
condition. Ultimately, he decided he didn't want to be like the Lt. Dan
character played by Gary Sinise in Forrest Gump, the officer who wants
to be left to die when he loses his legs in Vietnam. He would push on.
And if his path kept him in the Army, that was fine.
"I was totally prepared to get out," he said. "But still in the back of
my mind, it was: 'I still have so much to give. I love serving my
country."'
The Army says at least four other totally or partially blind soldiers
have remained on active duty since Iraq and Afghanistan.
Capt. Ivan Castro lost his sight and suffered other serious injuries in
a 06 mortar attack in Iraq and is now stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.,
with the Special Operations Recruiting Battalion. Castro, a 42-year-old
who runs mara-thons and 50-mile races, appears to share some personality
traits with Smiley -- and says he also felt he still had something to
serve after being injured.
"I've been doing this for over 18 years," Castro, who was born in
Hoboken, N.J., and grew up in Puerto Rico, said in a phone interview.
"This is all I know. This is what I love. This is what I live for."
Castro's commander, Lt. Col. Fredrick Dummar, said the continued service
by blind soldiers fits with the military philosophy that everyone has
unique abilities and that "there's always somebody on the team that can
accomplish a mission."
Smiley was at first posted at Accessions Command, which oversees
recruiting, and later earned his MBA. He returned to West Point last
year to teach and took command this year of the Warrior Transition Unit
here this year. He lives on post with Tiffany and their two young boys.
After the West Point graduation ceremony Saturday, he plans to pin
lieutenant bars on one of the roughly 1,000 cadets who will become new
Army officers.
Smiley conceded that he might have a better understanding of the ailing
soldiers under his command but is quick to add that his overriding
concern is maintaining Army standards -- for his soldiers and for
himself.
09
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<P DIR3DLTR><B><FONT SIZE3D6 FACE3D"Arial">Blind soldier from Pasco
finds niche in military </FONT></B></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><B><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">MICHAEL HILL ASSOCIATED
PRESS </FONT></B></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Since a
car bomb blinded Capt. Scott Smiley in Iraq, he has skied Vail, climbed
Mount Rainier, earned his MBA, raised two young boys with his wife, won
an Espy award and pulled himself up from faith-shaking
depths.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley, 30, has snagged
attention for his big accomplishments. But the daily ones are telling
too, including the recent tour he gave of his staff's offices at the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he was scheduled to attend
President Obama's address of the Class of 10 on Saturday.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Unable to see the path around
the workers' cubicles, Smiley stepped forward with a joke to the
camouflage-clad officers he was showing around: "I walk around, and
when I hit things, I move," he said. </FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">An aide trailing him said
softly, "Turn right, sir," at a doorway. Smiley
turned.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley, of Pasco, is one of
only a handful of soldiers who chose to remain on active duty after
being blinded by fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, a practice that's
rare but one that military officials say benefits both
parties.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Though unable to return to
his old infantry duties in Iraq, Smiley has thrived in stateside
postings such as his latest at West Point, from which he graduated in
03. He now commands the Warrior Transition Unit at West Point for
ailing or wounded soldiers.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Voice software allows Smiley
to listen to e-mails, books and pamphlets. Aides help him navigate and
tell him what order he's signing. It's a little like changing his son's
diapers at home: He's fine as long as he knows where everything
is.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">His resiliency and energy
helped him earn the 07 Soldier of the Year commendation from the
publication Army Times, as well as an ESPN Espy award in 08 for best
outdoor athlete.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">He earned his master's of
business administration at Duke University and has spoken to the Olympic
and Duke teams coached by Mike Krzyzewski, a fellow West Point alum. He
has a memoir coming out this year titled, Hope Unseen.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley said he's not trying
to prove anything with his exploits.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">"In terms of getting an
MBA, climbing Mount Rainier, it's what I always wanted to do," he
said. "Why should I stop that?"</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley was injured April 6,
05, six months into a deployment to Iraq. He led patrols through
Mosul, a dangerous city where a too-high pile of garbage could be hiding
explosives and the enemy blended in with the populace.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Sgt. 1st Class Mike Branham,
who served as a squad leader under Smiley, said his fellow serviceman
was a topflight officer, one who stood out for his deep Christian faith
and detailed knowledge of his soldiers.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">"He knew their names, he
knew their wives' names, he knew their likes and dislikes," Branham
said.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley was leading a patrol
in an armored Stryker vehicle when, from his perch in the forward hatch,
he spotted a silver Opel that matched intelligence descriptions of a
potential car bomb. The trunk appeared to be weighed down and the driver
acted as though he didn't understand Smiley, who fired warning shots at
the ground when it looked as if the driver was going to pull
forward.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">The driver raised his hands,
and the car went up in a fireball.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Shrapnel tore through
Smiley's left eye and lodged in his frontal brain lobe; another fragment
the size of a pencil lead pierced his right eye.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Slumped unconscious in the
Stryker hatch, Smiley was rushed to a medical center, where he briefly
flatlined as friends prayed at his bedside.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Branham recalls, "I
didn't think he was going to make it past that day at
all."</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">He was left permanently
blinded and temporarily paralyzed on his right side.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Stabilized and shipped
stateside, Smiley struggled with his fate. He had vowed at his wedding
to take care of his wife, Tiffany, and there she was, taking care of
him. The exertion of wiggling his big toe required a three-hour
nap.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">He received his Purple Heart
on his hospital bed. A video posted on YouTube of the ceremony shows his
brother Neal struggling to maintain composure as he reads the citation.
Smiley, looking beaten and uncomfortable in his bed, turns his head
away.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">"When I got to the
hospital and I finally realized what happened, what my life was going to
be like, I didn't believe in God. I questioned my faith. I questioned
everything that was ever said to me before," Smiley said.
"Because in my mind, why would God allow something like this to
happen to me?"</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Smiley credits his wife,
family and faith for helping him accept his condition. Ultimately, he
decided he didn't want to be like the Lt. Dan character played by Gary
Sinise in Forrest Gump, the officer who wants to be left to die when he
loses his legs in Vietnam. He would push on. And if his path kept him in
the Army, that was fine.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">"I was totally prepared
to get out," he said. "But still in the back of my mind, it
was: 'I still have so much to give. I love serving my
country."'</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">The Army says at least four
other totally or partially blind soldiers have remained on active duty
since Iraq and Afghanistan.</FONT></P>
<P DIR3DLTR><FONT SIZE3D2 FACE3D"Arial">Capt. Ivan Castro lost his
sight and suffered other serious injuries in a 06 mortar attack in
Iraq and is now stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., with the Special
Operations Recruiting Battalion. Castro, a 42-year-old who runs
mara-thons and 50-mile races, appears to share some personality traits
with Smiley -- and says he also felt he still had something to serve
after being injured.


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