Trip to Walter Reed hospital results in memorable Christmas

The Leaf-Chronicle Local News ^ | Sunday, December 28, 2003 | CHANTAL ESCOTO

[Kaslin]

Call me crazy, but spending Christmas at Walter Reed Army Community Hospital in Washington, D.C., was probably one of the most memorable holidays I've had in a long time.

While most people headed out of D.C. on Christmas Eve, I arrived by car in the afternoon with my husband and 15-year-old son in tow. Believe me, it took some time to convince them to drop the comforts of home and satellite television in Clarksville to drive 12 hours to a place under a high terror alert, random bomb searches and lots of traffic. But when I heard about Blanchfield Army Community Hospital's commander traveling to Walter Reed with some of his staff to play Santa Claus and deliver donated presents to the badly injured Fort Campbell soldiers, I knew I wanted to be there.

[Kaslin]

I just saw this in our local paper

[jaz.357]

Great story..

Great post Kaslin.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[tgslTakoma]

I had the honor of talking with Sgt. Rodriguez when we (Taxman, Staytrue, Kristinn and me) went to WRAMC's Birthday/Christmas party a few weeks ago; he'd only been there a few days at that time, and his beautiful young wife was at his side. He had two young daughters, 3 and 5 IIRC, and he was looking forward to them traveling with their grandparents to WRAMC for Christmas. Although he is from Peurto Rico, his English was perfect, and he told me that all the soldiers were focused on their mission; and they knew how much we all supported them, even if the news reports didn't show it.

He talked about the tons of letters and pictures that little kids had sent them; and said that every day the chaplain made sure they all had some mail from us back home. As the Army keeps them well armed with the tools of war, it sounds like their chaplain keeps their souls strong and well armed, too. I didn't talk too long with him, as he was in obvious pain; but he made the trip down from his room to the cafeteria anyway, and that had to take a lot of inner strength to do. I am so moved to read and listen as they tell their stories, with no bitterness at their situation. They are truly the best of the best that this country has.

And we must never forget the price that all our military members pay, for us.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you, Kaslin, PYW. Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Call me crazy, but spending Christmas at Walter Reed Army Community Hospital in Washington, D.C., was probably one of the most memorable holidays I've had in a long time.

On Christmas night, I was lucky enough to be allowed up on Ward 57 where most of the soldiers from Fort Campbell are recovering from serious injuries or illness...All the soldiers on Ward 57 encouraged one another, especially the new guys who they knew were pretty scared... I met some incredibly brave men on Ward 57.

As the BACH employees passed out 101st decals and t-shirts, one soldier, Staff Sgt. Heath Calhoun who lost both his legs in a rocket-propelled grenade attack last month, held the 101st sticker in his hands and showed it to his family. "This means more to me than it ever did before," he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 Holiday Appeal for Walter Reed Hospital Soldiers ~ JOE GALLOWAY ~ ALOHA RONNIE  

Regular reports from visitors to WR, w/ updates on needs of our Soldiers. DC Freepers and TruthNtegrity report, show how we can help. Send cards, phone cards to FR visitors ~ and they will reach the troops.

See also:
8 Military Blood Program Seeks Holiday Donors 
8 Ground Zero, Iraq ~ Camp Anaconda, Balad 

[tgslTakoma]

(correction) Puerto Rico

note to self: Proofread more carefully.

[SAMWolf]

Bump

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Would you mind posting your WR visit reports on the Joe Galloway thread? They're reading the reports, making sure our troops are being cared for.

We're also hoping to keep it as a running thread ~ to inspire others to help, and let Freepers know what the troops need.

The DC Freeper mailing address is also posted on the thread, for Freepers to send you stuff to take to the troops.

Thank you, tgslTakoma!

[Kaslin]

There is another article by Chantal Escoto about Sgt 1st Class Rodgrigress in our paper, you might find interesting.

Soldier's prayers answered

Lilliam Rodriguez checks a monitor for her husband, Sgt. 1st Class Luis Rodriguez, inside his hospital room at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Sgt. 1st Class Rodriquez lost his right leg and received numerous shrapnel wounds from a roadside bomb in Mosul, Iraq Nov. 24. He will stay at the hospital until his leg heals enough to get a prothesis fitted.

[McGavin999]

You just wish you could hug every one of them. We must not forget about them, they have years of struggle ahead of them and we can't allow them to think we forget. Is anyone doing anything about finding them jobs once they're recuperated? I think the US government should give them first choice on hiring if they're interested.

[blackie]

Support our wounded heros!

[MAGEE]

That was a good read. Thanks to Chantal and her group as well. These personal articles always reach home.

We have to stay on top of this because these men and women are doing the work for us and when they need our help, we have to be ready to give back as they have given to us.

Never forget.

[maxwellp]

"They are truly the best of the best that this country has."

That they are!

[Kaslin]

I agree 1000%

[tgslTakoma]

Thanks for posting the link to the article. It was very good to read about his progress, and to see the photo of him and his wife. It's difficult to believe that he's old enough to have been in for 15 years, but I guess that says more about my unwillingness to admit my own aging than anything else.

;-)

[tgslTakoma]

Both times I went to WRAMC I was very much moved by what I saw and the words I shared in conversation with the soldiers. I don't want this to sound rude, because I surely don't mean it to be, but I didn't post a detailed report on my visits because I wanted to honor their privacy. I read about, and see on TV, politicians who have showed up to gladhand these soldiers and get photo ops for campaigns, and that bothers me. The visits to WRAMC are instances which I probably won't post much about; not because there isn't anything to say. Words just won't convey the emotion of the time there and the good men and women I have met.

When I read the article that Kaslin posted and recognized Rodriguez' name, I broke my own privacy rule - probably because I was happy to read that he is recovering well.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[wtc911]

Some posters know I was supporting a squad of the 101st for the past six months or so. Last week I visited one of the squad members who is now on ward 57 at WR. A few days earlier the President visited the ward and personally awarded the PH to every soldier there. He and Laura spent time with each soldier. I was told that he was real, genuine and fatherly.

The day I was there one of President Eisenhower's grand-daughters was also visiting, just to remind these young men that they and their extreme sacrifice is not and will not be forgotten.

I will be back there again this week. It is a humbling trip.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

You are right about the politicians and those who would exploit our wounded troops for their own personal ambitions. I am so sorry it never occurred to us at the WR thread, not even those who are counting on our reports.

We forgot that it wasn't simply our FR family reading the posts. No one at the WR thread is in it for themselves, I promise you.

Names should never have been used on a public forum....and will not be in the future. I will see to that, and share your concerns with the other inspired and too eager Freepers who also didn't think of this.

See what wisdom and experience you could have been sharing with those at the WR thread? *g*

The reports do inspire and educate. Those who asked us to post them, I promise, are not putting vanity first ~ and are only interested in the welfare of our troops.

I think we can do what you ~ the DC Freepers and other FR 'ralliers' did during election 2000 by sharing rally reports ~ often first-timers, afraid but doing it anyway...inspiring people across the nation to take a stand, and to then inspire others to help our troops.

Your reports will inspire others to help. They do teach 'civilians' about the character of our troops, and help us all understand the sacrifices others are making for our freedom. We can make sure that our troops never get treated the way our Vietnam Vets were treated by our 'cultural' elites ~ who 'inspired' Americans to spit on them.

If you're concerned that you're putting yourself ahead of the troops by posting these reports, I would be glad to post them for you, and to let any and all criticism fall on me!

You have Freepmail.

[windchime]

Bump!