Photo By Sgt. William White | Dave Roever, a motivational speaker and Vietnam veteran meets Spc. Christopher...... read more read more
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KABUL, Afghanistan - Sinking hopelessly to the bottom of a river in the middle of Vietnam, the skin burning from his face and chest, Dave Roever knew he was done.
He had not asked to be there. He had originally followed the footsteps of his father, a preacher, but received a draft notice calling him to active duty. He joined the Navy hoping to serve his tour of duty away from the fight, but instead ended up as a river boat gunner at the height and heart of the Vietnam War.
Months later, in an unfriendly jungle, Roever found himself sinking in the river. Seconds earlier, he had intended to throw a white phosphorus grenade to clear some underbrush and expose an enemy bunker on the riverbank. As he prepared to throw, an enemy took a shot and hit the grenade in Roever’s hand – detonating the grenade, and covering Roever’s face and upper body with burning white phosphorus.
Into the river he went, engulfed in burning phosphorus, which tends to stick to the skin and burn through until the phosphorus is depleted. In searing pain and certain his life was ending, Roever prayed to God for a last time and, according to Roever, God answered, telling him to stay alive.
Roever listened and swam up. When he resurfaced, the phosphorus was still burning. His men pulled him to shore and wrapped him in a wet blanket. Roever made it out of the jungle, leaving behind nearly half of his skin. It was easy to see that his injuries would change his life forever, but the impact they would have on his own life – and thousands of others – was yet to be seen.
Forty-five years later, Roever is again serving overseas, carrying a message in place of a gun. He traveled to Afghanistan in September to speak to U.S. and Afghan Soldiers and encourage them to remain resilient and committed to their mission.
“I thank God for those of you that are willing to stand up and fight any enemy that would take down the most prized possession of humanity: the human right to freedom.” Roever said to an international crowd during a Patriots’ Day commemoration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 11.
Roever has traveled to military bases around the world to speak to Soldiers. He visited Soldiers in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and has also launched a humanitarian organization in Vietnam, returning there many times after his injuries.
On his most recent visit to Afghanistan, Roever also had a message for the Afghan people. He visited the wounded warriors of the Afghan special forces Sept. 10.
“To those special forces in the Afghan army, I lost part of my heart,” Roever said. “I was so amazed at the quality and commitment of those men. As fellow sufferers for the cause of freedom, I connected with some of the finest young men I could’ve ever met.”
Roever said language and cultural barriers did not get in the way of the bond he shared with the Afghan wounded warriors. One of the Afghan Soldiers told Roever he knew freedom wasn’t free and his scars were a symbol of sacrifice, an ideal Roever has been preaching for decades.
Roever was moved by his experience with the Afghan wounded warriors and shared a special message the following day at the Patriots’ Day commemoration.
“I want to speak directly to the Afghan people today,” he said at the Sept. 11 commemoration. “It is an honor to serve for the cause of freedom shoulder to shoulder with a great nation and I am convinced that until there is a sacrifice for freedom there will not be a true appreciation for freedom. If there is not an investment of some kind, how can we place a value on anything?”
Roever spoke of the attacks Sept. 11, 2001 as scars of our nation and a call to action.
“Our nation is scarred from that day,” he said. “That scar is not something to be ashamed of; it’s something to be proud of. Our greatest weapon is to remember.”
To a joint crowd of more than 20 nations worldwide, Roever’s Sept. 11 commemoration message was one of strength and unity through sacrifice.
“I am certain that through your commitment collectively as nations, we have exactly what it takes to stand whatever they throw our direction,” he said. “Our moral standard must never fail that it is freedom across the board. The nations across the earth should live in freedom.”
After the commemoration, Soldiers from around the world lined up to meet Roever and thank him for his message and sacrifice. Afghan ground forces sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj.Mohammad Ali Hussaini thanked Roever for his message and for sharing hope with his wounded warriors.
Roever then circulated around Afghanistan to share special messages with distinct groups of Soldiers who perform mentally and emotionally taxing missions. Chaplains, mortuary affairs Soldiers and infantryman were among the groups he spoke to. Roever was not just speaking when talking to the Soldiers, he was identifying with each group the struggles they may face in their line of work and encouraging them to stay in touch with emotions.
He told the mortuary affairs Soldiers they carry a heavy burden and to keep a soft heart. Tears suggested the Soldiers knew what he was talking about and many of them hugged and thanked him.
“You get over here and everything changes,” Roever said to a group of infantry Soldiers. “But you have to keep a soft heart and stay in touch with your family. You’re tethered back there, you’re not tethered here.”
Roever has spent the decades since his injuries speaking to those in need of encouragement and promoting humanitarian and international partnership efforts. He has impacted many lives and continues to do so both nationally and internationally.
“I am proud of my scars; I have no regret for serving my country. My injury, as serious as it was, only served to move me forward,” Roever said. “I’m happy to use my experience to encourage our troops today.”
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2014 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 142144 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 335 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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