Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Matthew Braddock from Vancouver, Wash., with the 3rd Battalion, 116th Combined...... read more read more
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By Pfc. Philip Steiner
I am an American Soldier
I am a warrior and member of a team
I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values
I will always place the mission first
I will never accept defeat
I will never quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills
I always maintain my arms, my equipment, and myself
I am an expert and I am a professional
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life
I am an American Soldier
Every American soldier speaks these words during their entry phase into the military. This is the Soldier’s Creed. It lays out a guiding set of principles that every soldier tries to live up too.
Sgt. Matthew Braddock brings this creed to life. He is a part of the Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Combined Arms, Oregon Army National Guard. Braddock is a soldier first and a civilian second. He chose to always be a soldier even after losing his left leg to a roadside bomb in Kirkuk, Iraq, five years ago on his last deployment with the 116th Cavalry Brigade.
Now he is back again… for another deployment. The 3rd Battalion will deploy to Iraq this fall with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, Idaho Army National Guard.
Braddock lives in Vancouver, Wash., and spends most of his time there or with his family in Texas.
When it comes to Braddock’s American dream it’s pretty simple; “To go home and ride scooters and get drunk,” he says laughing.
Braddock has a hobby of re-building classic Italian scooters, like the 1958 Series 1 Lampretta, Li 150 he is currently working on.
“I was into motorcycles, but then I crashed one. That was my only vehicle, so my buddy loaned me a scooter, and I just never looked back,” said Braddock. “One thing I noticed about people is that they don’t take themselves as seriously because they are riding mopeds.”
Braddock’s career with the military was brought about by the generations of his family, but Braddock was more than eager to be a part of the Army.
“Ever since I finished basic training I told people, if I could be anything, I would be a soldier,” said Braddock. “Do I really want to do it full time after our last deployment? I don’t think so. But I still get to serve my country part time in the Guard.”
Five years ago, Braddock volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 116th. The mission was full-spectrum combat operation, which included kicking down doors and finding the enemy. The 116th had been in theater for about 3 months and Braddock was a truck commander on a routine convoy through Kirkuk. However, this convoy drive turned out differently than the rest.
“I got blown up by an anti-tank mine,” said Braddock. “I was in the second truck in the convoy, and thought I was in the same tire tread as the truck in front of me, but I was a hair off.”
“When I first got blown up it was like someone had taken a flash and I just saw dirt and rocks and was like ‘S--t, what happened!?’ I somehow ended up in my steering wheel, and my gunner came down and did first aid on me. After the gunner did first aid, I was transported back to the (forward operating base) in 13 minutes,” said Braddock. “We had great offline medic training, both my gunner and I, and he saved my life.”
After being transported to his FOB, Braddock was transported to
Tikrit and then to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany. Finally,
Braddock went to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas for treatment and rehabilitation.
For Braddock, it took about three months to start walking, about five months to walk well, and then eight months to walk distance. However, Braddock isn’t your typical recovery story either.
“I pushed a little farther than the physical therapist wanted me too. I was already running and the therapist wanted me to go do pool therapy,” Braddock said with hidden hint of pride and determination.
Braddock was not thrilled to go to pool therapy, but he adjusted the therapy to make it his own.
“I hate chlorine water, but if you order me to go I’ll go, but I’m wearing a Speedo.” said Braddock. “They didn’t believe me but they called me out on it just to see if I would. I had these pants with buttons down the side so I didn’t have to mess with my cast when I took them on or off, so I figured I would use those as part of it.”
“It was like Chippendales pants,” said Braddock with a wide-smiled laugh. “They had a Speedo store at the San Antonio mall, and I found a desert combat uniform Speedo. So I get to the pool therapy, and they are all like ‘ok, is he wearing a Speedo?’ I whip the pants off, and they all look relieved and glad I’ve got at least something on.”
“You know, after that I was never asked to go back to pool therapy,” said Braddock chuckling.
Braddock finished his rehabilitation and now has 3 prosthetic legs for different activities.
“There is one for dancing, one for casual walking, and the renegade, which is the all purpose leg, kind of like the Jeep of prosthetic legs,” said Braddock.
Even with the loss of a leg, Braddock’s attitude and personality remain positive through it all.
“I have a lot of practical jokes with it too,” said Braddock. “The way I see it is I can either be upset or depressed, or I can have fun with it.”
Braddock not only stays positive, but shares the feeling and demonstrates the personal courage and dedication he has for the Army. He has volunteered to go on another deployment with the same unit he deployed with before, the 116th CBCT. He does this for himself, but also to set an example and help inspire his fellow soldiers.
“Especially with staying in the military and the same battalion, those guys who were out there with me the first time and now having them see me out here motivated again, it helps them, because with a lot of them, I see that they are a little messed up about the deployment and what happened to me. Then they see me out here motivated doing infantry stuff, and they are like ‘ah I guess it isn’t that bad,’ ” said Braddock.
On this deployment, Braddock is once again a truck commander and isn’t worried about what may lay ahead for him overseas.
“I think I’ll react fine to whatever happens,” said Braddock. “I’ve already been blown up once, so I think I have all my bad luck out of the way.”
Braddock’s positive attitude and dedication to the Army has made him the person he is today.
Braddock states his position quite simply, “I love being a soldier, this is what I love doing.”
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2010 00:26 |
| Story ID: | 55692 |
| Location: | IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 320 |
| Downloads: | 9 |
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