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Paralyzed Marine wit Robotic Exoskeleton Receives Bronze Star with V
Stars and Stripes ^
| 12/3/2014
| J Hlad
Posted on 12/03/2014 7:19:07 AM PST by w1n1
When Capt. Derek Herrera was called to stand in the place of honor Friday at his retirement ceremony, he pressed buttons on what appeared to be a wristwatch as a fellow Marine came to his aid.
After another push of a button and three short beeps, Herrera rose, legs shaking, and walked deliberately toward his commander. With each step, the exoskeleton he wore emitted a robotic whirring noise, as though it were Iron Man striding through the cordoned off parking lot in digital camouflage.
Herrera was paralyzed from the chest down in June 2012, when he was shot in the spine while leading a team of special operations Marines on a patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
But Herrera, a 2006 graduate of the Naval Academy and the type of Marine who always ran to the sound of the gun, did not let the devastating injury end his career, said Lt. Col. John Lynch, commander of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion. Read the full story here.
TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: bronzestar; hero; specialoperations; usmc; valor
1
posted on
12/03/2014 7:19:07 AM PST
by
w1n1
To: w1n1
A true hero. He LIVES with the consequences of injury in battle and sets a shining examples of bravery.
To: w1n1
3
posted on
12/03/2014 7:21:28 AM PST
by
thackney
(life is fragile, handle with pray<br>er.)
To: w1n1
God bless you Captain! A genuine American hero.
To: w1n1
God bless him. He’s an inspiration.
5
posted on
12/03/2014 7:24:19 AM PST
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: cloudmountain
6
posted on
12/03/2014 7:24:55 AM PST
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: trisham
Ow Rah! And, thankfully, he wasn’t subjected to the humiliation of having to receive his awards from the cinc. Bless you Captain and may your struggles be met with the same strength and courage you have already exhibited. The cinc isn’t fit to polish your boots. Not that he’d have a clue how to anyway. At least not to mil spec.
7
posted on
12/03/2014 7:50:46 AM PST
by
rktman
(Served in the Navy to protect the rights of those that want to take some of mine away. Odd, eh?)
To: w1n1
True grit from one of America’s finest. God bless him.
8
posted on
12/03/2014 7:58:15 AM PST
by
ScottinVA
(We either destroy ISIS there... or fight them here. Pick one, America.)
To: thackney
God’s blessings on this brave soldier, and another blessing to those who helped design and create this marvelous piece of equipment that helps him to ambulate as normally as possible.
9
posted on
12/03/2014 7:58:38 AM PST
by
CyberAnt
("The hope and changey stuff did not work, even a smidgen.")
To: rktman
10
posted on
12/03/2014 8:12:37 AM PST
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: w1n1
Oorah and Semper Fi Captain and may God make your life a comfortable from here out.
11
posted on
12/03/2014 9:58:23 AM PST
by
jmaroneps37
(Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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