The Wounded Come Home (Time Cover story)

[UpInArms]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031110-536257,00.html

For several seconds after the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) drilled through the back of their armored M113 "battle taxi," the soldiers inside, mainlining adrenaline, continued firing. Then they started screaming. "It blew my leg clean off," says Private First Class Tristan Wyatt, who was standing at the rear of the armored personnel carrier (APC), unloading an M-240 machine gun at a dozen or more Iraqis who had ambushed them minutes before. He was the first to be hit. The RPG then passed through Sergeant Erick Castro's hip, spinning him violently to the floor. His left leg was still attached — but barely. "I picked up my leg and put it on the bench," he says, "and lay down next to it." Finally, the RPG shredded Sergeant Mike Meinen's right leg. "It was pretty much torn off," he says. "There was just some meat and tendons holding it on."

There is horror and there is luck, and in war they sometimes come together. The RPG that severed three legs in a fire fight late last August near Fallujah didn't explode, which probably saved the lives of Wyatt, Castro and Meinen. But even a dud traveling at nearly 1,000 ft. per sec. can slice through limbs like a meat cleaver. The three men were alive, but there was a real danger that they would bleed to death in minutes amid the smoke, dust and confusion. As troops on the two other APCs continued firing, the lone medic among the 15 soldiers on the patrol climbed up the back ramp into the compartment. "'Holy s___!' was the first thing out of his mouth, and it looked like his eyes were about to pop out of his head," Wyatt remembers. "That's kind of disheartening when he's talking about you."

<snip>

October was the bloodiest month yet for the U.S. military occupation of Iraq, and the number of wounded is plainly on the rise. Daily attacks against U.S. troops have tripled. The number of U.S. troops who have died in hostilities in Iraq from May 1, when President Bush declared "major combat operations over," through last week has topped the 114 who died in the invasion and its immediate wake. By week's end 122 U.S. troops had been killed in action in Iraq, for a total of 236. But the number of U.S. wounded since May 1 is 1,242, more than double the 551 injured during the war.

...more...

[Spazito]

1. Good for Time! I am glad at least one media outlet is giving due ...

honor to those who have been wounded and doing it with some depth.

[maxrandb]

19. You Mean

They didn't run this through a group of RNC "scholars" before they released it? Oh the horror of the murikan people to actually have to pull their eyes away from Joe Millionaire, or the Girls Gone Wild infomercials.

Watch for the right wing boycott of Time and Newsweek to kick in. Didn't they learn their lesson from the CBS fiasco.

If the media does not get their head out of their asses, or if we don't start to organize and boycott the boycotters we are all going to be like Tesio in the Godfather; "pretty soon there won't be one place in Brooklyn where I can hang my hat".

[RapidCreek]

30. Hey this story must describe the "good things"

the liberal media filter has heretofore prevented us from witnessing! I applaud president Bush for pointing out the error of their ways and Time for its patriotic compliance. I wonder if we'll be shown other "positive developments" like our kids coming back from Iraq in hero sacks. We really need to address the Pentagons liberal media filter next.

RC

[northernsoul]

2. absolutely gut-churning

Let this be 'Exhibit A' when B*sh, Rummy, and the rest of the cabal are brought to justice.

These guys are going to need intensive treatment for PTSD as well as artificial limbs.

I want all of the armchair generals and war cheerleaders to take a long hard look at the obscenity they've been cheering for from their comfortable sanctuaries...

[damnraddem]

15. Meanwhile, the 'support the troops' Bushistas ...

try to cut veterans' benefits.

[peterh]

18. Yeah…they’re great at verbal support…

Just like the pro-lifers….but it’s your problem afterwards…

[lovedems]

3. Isn't this the week Newsweek has Bush's* billion dollar mess on the cover

Wow, is it really starting to happen? Are the media elite turning their backs on these fools running our govt?

[chiburb]

4. Maybe Time is "busy", but link doesn't work for me. n/t

.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Don't know how to read this material without eyes swimming in tears

What a damned, damned shame. Can only hope kindness greater than the suffering they've experienced will find its way to these young Americans, Private First Class Tristan Wyatt being one of so many.

[snooper2]

6. Check out the last two paragraphs...

"The three wounded soldiers are united not only in their good humor but also their unequivocal support for the war. Wyatt doesn't much care for those who think Bush fudged the intelligence on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. "That makes you feel like you fought for nothing or you fought for a liar," he says. "They're telling me I went out there and I got my leg blown off for a liar, and I know that's just not true." Wyatt says he would stay in the Army if he could remain in a combat unit, but he knows that's unlikely. So he's considering college.

Castro says he just did what he signed up to do. "Someone has to do the job, and we did it," he says. "The price was my leg." He plans to return to college — his four-year hitch was up a week after he lost his leg — and marry his fiance Elizabeth Gonzalez, who quit her California job and moved to Washington to help him recover. Later this month, if all the paperwork comes through, Castro should reach another milestone: becoming a U.S. citizen."

[Barrett808]

8. But they *are* fighting for a liar

Better to stay in a deep state of denial, I guess.

[VLC98]

9. I'm confused.

When I read what Wyatt said, "..I got my leg blown off for a liar and I know that's just not true"... I started to wonder what is better, a maimed soldier with a positive attitude and the thought that it was for his country; or a maimed soldier who was distraught because he knew the truth. I do support the troops (my husband is active duty) but do they want the support of an anti-war liberal bush hater, such as myself?

[UpInArms]

11. it is a conundrum -

many in the military have expressed anger at the war protesters - saying that protesters undermine their service -

but then again there are others that encourage protesting as a way to make certain their country remains true to its ideals.

I have to believe (at least for myself) that to remain silent in the face of lies is to aid the liars.

[shance]

16. Are you asking if its better he believes the lies that got him to Iraq?

In the first place?

Or are you trying to state your own opinion with your question.

Should he support a group that is using him for their own monetary gain, or should he support someone that knows the truth, knows this war is immoral and wants him home safely.

Perhaps that is the better question.

[VLC98]

23. My opinion is that....

I know the war was/is bullshit and I would expect maimed soldiers to be angry at the government. I was trying to find a way to send a card or letter of support to the injured at Walter Reed but, having read that article, wondered if it was necessary. Were the three soldiers hand picked because of their optimism & 'favorable to AWOL' attitudes, or would all the injured feel the same way.

Thankfully my husband is not deployable for medical reasons, because he knows the truth and would probably kill himself if he ended up at Walter Reed with a missing limb.

[LizW]

20. Don't be surprised if the troops don't want our support

It seems crazy, but I can understand why soldiers and their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice of life or limb in this war would be in denial about why they were sent over there. They are still trying to recover, so denial is the easiest place for them to be. Just think how much anger there is for someone who has to face that he has been maimed for the profits of rich corporate kings. Remember Ron Kovic's story? For these brave and good young men, it destroys everything they believed in. I can completely understand that they would hang on to the fiction that their mission was just, and that their blood wasn't shed for lies.

Don't be surprised if they hate us for being right about the war and if they cling for a while to the belief that Bush* told them the truth.

[RapidCreek]

31. That's not a positive attitude

It's an attitude of denial. He's knows the truth....it's just easier to ignore it. Doing so makes him a hero in his own eyes.....if he were to leave his fantasy world....he would feel like a moron....a one legged moron, at that. The sad thing is, we have a country filled with people just like him, and we always have....guys like Bush know this and capitalize on it. These unfortunate fellows make themselves Bush's tool. Without them, he would amount to nothing more than an irrelevant, feckless, cowardly fool, one who people would laugh at and deride. Mentalities like the ones described above allow Bush to transform himself into a very dangerous, feckless, cowardly fool.

Ignorance is bliss.....until it bights you in the ass.

RC

[saigon68]

17. Guess what boys---- when you get out you will have no job

And no one will care.

The people who sent you there, care more about the price of EXXON on the NYSE and their golf handicap than your mental or physical wounds.

They privately think you are Cowboys and fools.

They wil not help you at all.

Ask any Viet-Nam Vet of their experiences---the above was mine.

[jaysunb]

25. Amen ! Brother....

Too bad it'll be too late, when the light comes on for this fellow.

[this_side_up]

29. My neighbor does not care

They are busy spending their 90K+ tax cut.

She isn't interested in sending Care packages, much
less one package.

[metisnation]

33. thanks for your service saigon 68

History like this must not repeat itself.

[northernsoul]

22. can you imagine how devastating it would be to admit

that your body (and probably your psyche) have been irrevocably shattered all for a complete lie?

Of course these guys need to convince themselves that we've been maimed for a good cause right now, it's the only coping mechanism they've been provided with.

The denial is unfortunate, but very understandable.

[roguevalley]

27. They're in a psyched mood, geared toward survival.

Don't worry about what they think now. Wait until they
unwind. They will come around. Right now there is only
INCREDIBLE pain from the wound. My sister lost her leg
and it plays not only hell from the INCREDIBLE pain but
with your mind too.

They will be so sad to think they were maimed for life
on a lie. Right now, they can't face it and no one
should hold it against them. They are worried for buddies
still there, in pain and medicated and hoping this wasn't
what it is. Give them time.

[Paschall]

7. Almost 11,000 wounded and evacuated for health reasons?!?

"While the Air Force has flown 1,513 battle casualties from the Iraqi theater, 9,341 have been flown out for other health reasons, including mental stress."

[Pillowbiter]

10. My Nephew got sent home (alive - thank goodness)

because he seriously hurt his back digging a ditch. The doctor said it wouldn't have required surgery if he had been adequately hydrated.

PB

[pansypoo53219]

12. maybe

all the soldiers should mail george all the un-needed shoes/socks/mittens/gloves.
pile them on the WH lawn.

[maxrandb]

21. Gives me a great idea

Couldn't some enterprising DUer in DC buy 368 uniforms from an Army/Navy Surplus store and display them accross from the WH. Then add one as needed. If Chimp won't let the media show americans the returning dead, maybe someone could force him to look. Need another 5000 or so for the wounded.

[peterh]

13. It seems to be rarity that coverage is placed on the wounded….

But where you have a big tragedy like the helicopter one, I guess coverage just spills over…

5 More Wounded Soldiers Arrive in Germany

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3347706,00.html

Three of the soldiers flown in Monday were stabilized in the intensive care unit and were being flown to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, said Maj. Allan Philp, a doctor at Landstuhl.
``They were stable enough to tolerate the transport,'' he said Tuesday. ``We are trying to conserve space and make beds available.''



It’s sad statement of affairs when you have to make beds available…

[Pale_Rider]

14. Oh Lord ...

... how long before the unbelievers, our conservative breathen, see the light that our Resident in the White House has gotten this country and our troops into a mess that will never heal. Oh Lord, how long oh Lord.

[leftchick]

24. they are dying for Freedom!

I am not quite sure how that works into anything but that is the catchy 3 inch title on MSRNC TV coverage.... :puke:

[rocktivity]

26. Time HAS been doing us (and journalism) rather proud lately

But of course, this is my favorite, because having worked in advertising, I know you're supposed to get fired for including his crotch:



My only regret is that Russell Crow is on the cover.


rocknation

[aeon flux]

28. Wow is that a parady

or an actual cover?

[kskiska]

32. Marlon Brando's first movie was "The Men"

where he played a bitter paraplegic at a VA hospital, trying to get his life back. Different era, same story.