Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Erica Jaros | Gary Sinise jams with band member Kimo Williams. The Lt. Dan Band with Gary Sinise...... read more read more
BEAUFORT, S.C. – Of the more than two million men and women serving in uniform, over half of them have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan at least once. According to the Defense Casualty Analysis System, as of Sept 19, 2012, there have been 49,849 service members wounded during the Global War on Terror. Among those wounded there are approximately 1,600 amputees. Beyond that, hundreds of thousands of service members are believed to have sustained injuries causing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“We didn’t know what would happen, but we all raised our right hand,” said Army Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Jesse Acosta in his remarks to a group of wounded veterans, caregivers and volunteers here for the Lt. Dan Weekend 3 (LDW3). Acosta was blinded during a mortar attack in Iraq in 2006.
The Lt. Dan Weekend began out of a partnership between the Independence Fund and the Gary Sinise Foundation to raise money for veteran care and as a way to give severely wounded veterans time to get away from their everyday issues and reconnect with fellow veterans.
“I very seldom leave my house,” said retired Army Staff Sgt. Jonah Hughes. “These events help get me out of the house and socialize and slowly reintegrate back into somewhat of a normal life. That makes a difference in the quality of my life.” Hughes had brain damage, physical injuries and PTSD after encountering a roadside bomb in Iraq.
The 74 veterans, spouses, parents, and caregivers were housed at the Palm Key Retreat in Ridgeland, S.C. from Sept. 10 – 16.
Veterans came from 13 different states. Daily activities took place at the retreat as well as day trips to other locations. Some events were open to the public like the Lt. Dan Golf Classic on Cat Island or the 5k run and 11-mile Independence Bike Ride at the Marine Corps Air Station. For some of the veterans, it was their first opportunity to ride a bike since their injury.
“It was hard but it’s good to be able to get out and do it,” said veteran James Graham of the bike ride. Graham has limited use of his right arm and completed the 11-mile course in a recumbent bike.
“They challenge you to have fun,” retired Army Staff Sgt. R.J. Thorman said. “Take just one week to be yourself.”
The Vetpalooza concert on Sept. 14 kicked off the weekend events. All three bands that played had military ties. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Mike Corrado opened the show. He started writing songs while he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. The second act was Outlaw 21 named for the drummer’s radio call sign. Drummer, Dale Beatty, lost both legs while he was deployed to Iraq with the Army. The headliner was singer Rocky Lynne, who was an Airborne Infantryman in the Army before he became a musician. They all have a special connection to and understanding of the current service members and veterans.
“It was pretty scary when I got hurt,” said Beatty. “I called one of the guitarists from Germany and said ‘Hey, they cut one of my legs off, but I think I can still play the drums again.’ I came home after four months and played a little session and it was good therapy.”
During his deployment, Corrado would gather with his Marines and pass the guitar around on Friday nights.
“Music is a great healing tool,” Corrado said. “You can express yourself; get things off your chest. It can be fun, it can be sad – whatever. It’s all about expression.”
The main event of the weekend was the Lt. Dan Band concert with actor Gary Sinise playing bass. They played for a crowd of 3,500 at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park’s outdoor stadium Sept 15. The band and the event got its name from the Lt. Dan Taylor character Sinise portrayed in the 1994 movie, Forrest Gump.
“The role [of Lt. Dan] means something to people. It means something to disabled veterans,” said Sinise. “It’s a good feeling to know you can play a part in a movie and have it make a difference. I have great respect for our veterans. We don’t want our warriors to fall through the cracks.”
However, LDW3 is not just about the veterans. It is also about the people who care for them and support them through every challenge.
“For service members going through the recovery process it’s important for them to have a strong family support network,” said Corrado. “Those who don’t have family, it’s important to have community and organizations that will help, and step in to be there for them.”
This event is a time for veterans to reconnect with their family. At Palm Key there are no TV’s or other electronics. It is a 350-acre private island retreat surrounded by salt-marshes at the head of the Broad River.
“It brings you back to the basic element of human interaction, quieting your life and mind. This kind of rest is so reconstructive, rejuvenating and sort of inspirational because you begin to share stories with other veterans and get stuff off your chest and have time to reflect,” said retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall who had multiple crushed vertebra in her neck and TBI from an improvised explosive device on her second deployment to Iraq.
Pearsall was not only attending LDW3 as a veteran. She was also giving a photography class at the retreat.
“I wanted to sit down and share the art of photography with other veterans like me who have been wounded in combat,” Pearsall said. “To use what I’ve learned not only as a photographer and an educator but as a wounded veteran to translate the art of photography into something they can put to use in everyday life.”
Many of the veterans attending and supporting LDW3 have a quirky sense of humor, an infectious smile or a passion for golf that, upon meeting one of them, masks all the challenges they encounter on a daily basis.
“My biggest challenge was making sure I was reconnecting with my family,” said Beatty. “When you are thrust right back into the family environment, things can be pretty rough. I had to get my kids to know me again and not stress my wife out too much.” A smile spread across his face as he laughed, “I’ve almost got that down.”
“The physical wounds take time. I went through 38 medical procedures to fix my neck injury,” said Pearsall. “Then the TBI was another hurdle. PTSD is something that will be a lifelong challenge.”
‘Challenge’ was a frequently used word with these veterans. The thing about challenges is that there are ways to overcome them. Challenges don’t mean that the veterans can’t do something. It just means they have to find another way.
“Never stop trying to do the things you did before. Getting over that fear, and that challenge is what bolsters your self esteem and lets you move on to the next challenge,” said Beatty. “That’s what it takes to get back to life.”
Moving past their injuries and creating a life beyond their military careers is what defines the strength of these wounded veterans. It’s also why the Lt. Dan character is the embodiment of this event.
“Lt. Dan’s was a hopeful and resilient story. He’s someone who put the pain and hardship, tragedy and trauma of what happened to him behind him and moved forward,” Sinise said. “A lot of warriors come back and face similar injuries to what Lt. Dan did – double amputee. When you look at these guys, they are so courageous and so dedicated to getting better and moving on with their lives. They can put their experience behind them and move on so they do have hopeful stories.”
After the physical injuries heal, many of the issues these veterans face involve connecting with people who have no knowledge of the military. Creating relationships with people who don’t understand why veterans do something a particular way or even why they feel a certain way about an event can be frustrating.
“It’s easy to be consumed by what’s happening in your world and become resentful of those who haven’t experienced what you have. Then you focus on that resentment,” said Pearsall. “We have to understand that people are only limited by their experience and can’t know what we’ve been through. In the end, a majority of people do care; they just don’t have the right understanding. Be patient with them because that person may be your caregiver.”
“I encourage folks to talk about what’s going on in their mind and share it with someone who’s been there, done that,” Beatty said. “People have such a fear of showing weakness and have a fear of misconception that they’re afraid to open up and that’s really what it takes. Communicating and telling people how you feel are how to get past it.”
The veterans need programs like this but, the LDW3 event would not have been possible without the hundreds of volunteers who manned tables, sold tickets, coordinated with local businesses and helped out at Palm Key. Many of the volunteers were also veterans or a military spouse or parent.
“We can’t all contribute monetarily, but that’s not always what organizations like this need. They need bodies to volunteer to cook, drive vehicles, lead day trips,” said Pearsall. “Here, everyone has a skill and a talent that they contribute.”
Hughes thought the most powerful thing people can do is volunteer. The next best thing is to give some kind of donation whether it be food, time, a vehicle, or like this event – lodging. When he has extra money he donates grocery cards to different organizations.
“The people here are great,” said Thorman. “When you come here everyone has a smile. They might be a volunteer or they work here, but even veterans and caregivers always have a smile.”
The LDW3 event has such an impact on the veterans and their caregivers. It’s a chance to relax, commune with others who know what they are going through, and see the outpouring of support from the community.
“Seeing people give up so much free time to do this for others makes you realize how great the world is,” said Hughes. “It makes you forget anything bad in the world. It’s nice to have that moment of peace.”
“When people say ‘thank you for your service,’ I say ‘thank you for your support’ because we need that,” said Thorman. “LDW3 is all for the soldiers and caregivers, it’s family oriented. I’ve seen veterans at their worst and then I see them smile and you can tell there is something here.”
Ultimately, this event does something special for a wounded veteran. It brings them back into the fold of their brothers and sisters in arms. It’s like a family reunion even though none of them may have met before. The one thing that they share is that they have all been affected by life altering events and this family knows how to adapt and support one another.
“We have a unique lifestyle, not only because we go to war but because we spend every day in a fraternity of sorts that serves something bigger than ourselves. We understand the concept of helping each other,” said Pearsall.
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.20.2012 12:45 |
| Story ID: | 95053 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 600 |
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