Wounded 82nd Soldier awaits Army medical board decision

by Janice Burton
USAJFKSWCS Directorate of Training and Doctrine

While some Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division are gearing up for another deployment, one paratrooper is bracing himself for the fight of his life.
For Staff Sgt. Dan Metzdorf, squad leader, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, that battle will take place in the safe confines of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where Metzdorf has spent much of this past year. On Tuesday, Metzdorf will make his final appeal to the Medical Readiness Board in an attempt to remain in the Army.
Metzdorf lost his leg in Iraq on Jan. 27 during a routine patrol when an improvised explosive device was detonated. Three of the members of his squad were killed, while the remaining three suffered a variety of injuries. Even while undergoing treatment at Walter Reed in March, Metzdorf had one goal — to stay in the Army.
“They aren’t through with me yet,” said Metzdorf during a March interview at Walter Reed. “I want to stay around Soldiers. I’m going to show them I can do a lot more than they think.”
Metzdorf’s road to recovery has not been without setbacks. While in Fayetteville for a visit, Metzdorf noticed pain in his leg and swelling. He immediately called the doctors at Walter Reed who insisted that he return to the hospital. Once there, the doctors determined that Metzdorf had developed an infection in his leg and in his hand. Similar to staph, the infection had to be cut out to keep it from spreading. “I didn’t think it was that big of deal, and then next thing I know I’m going into surgery,” he said. The surgery opened about five inches of Metzdorf’s scar from his amputation which put him behind on his physical therapy.
“You know there’s going to be set backs. I’ve seen lots of guys go through them,” he said. “But you keep thinking maybe it’s not going to happen to you. This just kind of reminded me that I didn’t just skin my knee - it’s really a pretty bad injury.”
While recovering Metzdorf has spent a lot of time talking about his injuries, the war and Soldiers to many audiences. He has spoken to veterans’ groups, to charities, civic groups and to newspapers. “People need to hear good news. They need to hear something good about the war,” he said. “I’d rather they hear it from me, rather than somebody who blames the Army for something that has happened or who is whining because they have to deploy. I try to let people see that there are a lot of positive things going on.”
While not spreading that message, Metzdorf has been working steadily to improve his physical stamina. He recently went to the range with his unit. “It was a little tougher than I imagined it would be,” he recalled. “I wore all the gear, the body armor, and everything, and I started sweating. I was like, ‘Woo, it’s hot in here.’ We were doing some close quarter drills and shooting into houses, I spent a lot of time talking to the younger Soldiers and letting them know what they can expect when they are really in that situation.”
And it’s for that reason that Metzdorf wants to stay in the Army. “They need me,” he said. “It’s not an ego like thing, like I’m the best Soldier in the world, but the Army needs to retain Soldier with experience. I’ve deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, so I know what’s going on. This is a time when people need to start looking to more mature Soldiers. When these young guys go out on missions, they are looking to their squad leaders to make judgment calls - and they have to be morally right. I not only like what I do, I’m good at what I do. I’ve been doing this for nine years, I’ve got a lot of knowledge and that’s mostly why I want to stay in the Army - it’s for the Soldiers, because I think I can give something back to them.”
Metzdorf isn’t alone in that belief, since he has started his campaign to the stay in the Army, he has received support not only from his company commander and battalion commander, but also from the 82nd Abn. Div. commanding general and sergeant major of the Army.
“Staff Sergeant Metzdorf is one of the best squad leaders with whom I have served. He brings this tremendous positive leadership style that motivates everyone around him. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, his squad was always selected for the toughest missions. We could rely on him to get the mission accomplished with outstanding results and usually a good laugh as well. Since his injury, he continues to bring the same level of positive leadership and excellence to everything he does. The difference now is that we now have to share him with people outside the battalion,” said Capt. Matt Hardman, Company B, 2nd Bn., 505th PIR.
Metzdorf thought this support would be enough.
“When I was at Walter Reed I thought there wouldn’t be a problem with my staying in,” he said. “I heard so many fairy tales, and I thought it was going to be so easy, but when I got here, I came back to reality and I found out what you really have to do.”
Metzdorf has spent a lot of time gathering physical evaluation paperwork and getting letters of support for him to stay in the Army. As a paratrooper, who cannot jump out of planes, Metzdorf was found unfit for duty in the first phase of the medical boards. “I got this kind letter from the ladies at Walter Reed saying, ‘Thanks for the past nine and half years, but we don’t need you anymore,’” he said. “So I appealed, and then I got a second letter saying no.”
He noted that his interaction with the medical board staff has been less than encouraging. “After I appealed, one of the ladies there told me ‘Most amputees are choosing to get out. It’s easier,’” he recalled. “I told her I didn’t want easy. Then she told me that if I didn’t accept the 80 percent compensation they were offering, that I might get less later. I looked at her and said, ‘Look, you can’t give me my leg back, so it’s not like you can change the compensation.’”
Metzdorf took his campaign to a higher level. “I met the sergeant major of the Army shortly after my last surgery. I talked to him about my situation, and he told me if I needed help to give him a call,” he said. “I contacted his office and they responded immediately. They said they were going to get me squared away, but I told them that I wanted everything to be on the up and up, and I only wanted to stay in if they can give me a job where I can be hard charging and then let me go to work. I don’t want to be a burden or be a Soldier that people have to make excuses for. If a Soldier gets a back injury or gets hurt some other way, then he can reclass and do another job. I know there is a job, that doesn’t involve jumping out of airplanes, that I can do that will allow me to serve.”
Under the regulations, Metzdorf must be found fit for duty in his current military occupational specialty. “I thought people would use common sense and not look at the old cut and dry regulations. I think they need to look at things on a case-by-case basis. No, I can’t jump out of a plane, but there are a lot of other things I can do. This has been a trial, but it hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm for the Army, because of the total support I’ve received from my fellow Soldiers. They are pumped up about me staying in, and that support has really encouraged me.”
That support will continue on Tuesday when members of the 82nd Abn. Div. travel with him to Walter Reed for his final hearing. “I think it’s cool that they are willing to stand by me and give me the same loyalty that I’m giving the Army.”
“When the ladies at Walter Reed told me most amputees were getting out, I looked at them and said, ‘I’m sorry if that’s what they want to do, but I’m not a quitter, and I’m not going to quit,” he said.

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Amputee Refuses To Give Up Army Career

Fayetteville (NC) Observer ^ | September 25, 2004 | Justin Willett

Staff Sgt. Daniel Metzdorf wasn't willing to give up his Army career just because he only has one leg.

The 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper had his right leg amputated above the knee in January after being injured in a homemade bomb blast near Baghdad.

Metzdorf, 27, underwent rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center this spring and looked forward to returning to his unit, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

This summer, however, the Army deemed him unfit for duty.

Metzdorf appealed twice and on Friday learned that he would be allowed to stay in the Army and with his unit.

"I hope guys can learn from my situation, and I feel very grateful that I can stay with this organization," Metzdorf said.

"I'm pretty pumped up about it." More

Then-Maj. Andrew Lourake talks with Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Metzdorf (center) and Army Sgt. Maurice Craft about their progress learning to use their prosthetic legs during physical therapy. Sergeant Metzdorf, an airborne infantryman, lost his leg when his fire team was ambushed while on patrol in Iraq.

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