Armyofone-25, Terrorists-0

[ArmyofOne]

thought everyone would like to see whats been going on lately. I feel wretched today. I got pulled from mission status last night for medical reasons. I have been in the army 7 years, Been on 3 combat tours (2 Iraq, 1 afghanistan), and struck 24 IED's...Until the 17th of September. I was on day 2 of a Route Clearance mission, in my wrecker. Came down into a waddie (water washout in the sand), towing a civilian truck with fertilizer on the back. I struck my 25th IED, was approximately 60 lbs of HME (Home Made Explosive). We keep a tight lid on fertilizer, which is why I was towing a civilian truck. It was carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer which is extremely easy to turn into HME. We have to keep positive control of it from the time its made till the time it goes on the ground. Once exposed to direct sunlight, it can no longer be used as explosive.

Anywhoo, Here's the damage. The wrecker was brand new, barely 100 miles on it. 2.7 Million Dollars down the drain:

^from inside the truck I had to ride in to the next FOB, where I was medivac'ed by Blackhawk helicopter.

^her current resting place, taken after I was on a chopper headed to Kandahar.

[ArmyofOne]

It is likely a total loss. My Commanding Officer told me today, that due to my deployment history, and medical history of 5 Traumatic Brain Injuries, Moderate to Severe Post Traumatic Stress-Disorder and 25 IED Strikes over 3 tours he was pulling me off mission status due to the risk factor.

Only problem is, I feel like I got fired from my dream job, and was given a bull**** excuse. I may have all those issues, but I work very hard to ensure they do not affect my job performance. I am a soldier, and I do not belong stuck on the base doing paperwork, I belong on the ground with my guys recovering all the crap that my guys destroy and blow up, and fixing what I can.

I am REALLY bummed here ya'll. I think this might just be a career ender.

Anyway, I got checked out, I have my 5th Traumatic Brain Inury (Concussion) of my career, but I am doing ok. I should fuly recover in a few weeks. I am just totally bummed out. Oh well, I will take it for what it is.

What towed my rig to the boneyard was one of these:

M984 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck-Wrecker (or HEMiTT Wrecker for short). It towed my truck which was 110,000 lbs while my truck still had the civilian truck with half a load on it, attached. We had no way to run the hydraulics on my truck to get the civilian truck off of my underlift. The civilian truck weighs in at about 50,000 lbs with its load. That wrecker towed 160,000lbs for 8 miles until we made it to the boneyard.

A pic of what my MaxxTow Wrecker looked like new, for reference:

Here is a pic of what they store the HME in and bury it in. They pour it into 20 litre jugs (5 gallons) and they bury it, put a blasting cap in it with an initiator (usually a "pressure switch") to activate it, so when you run it over, or step on it...KABLOOOEY.

I found that 150meters from the blast site.

[lenore]

Low life b#####sturds....Glad to hear you are OK Josh...Whatever you do make sure you get all copies of your medical records for in the future....Dont trust the Army to keep them safe for you....Great pictures by the way...God Bless you.

[cduluk]

Thanks for sharing that with us, and good to hear you're alive! It looks like that truck did its job and at least kept everyone's lives protected. <_<

If that's what a roadside bomb does to a multi-million dollar army truck, i can only imagine the damage it could cause to a human or small car. It's a shame there are people out there building weapons like that, i see now what it's so important to have you guys over there making sure these people are eliminated.

Good work out there, we appreciate what you're done for us!

[ArmyofOne]

Thanks for sharing that with us, and good to hear you're alive! It looks like that truck did its job and at least kept everyone's lives protected. <_<

If that's what a roadside bomb does to a multi-million dollar army truck, i can only imagine the damage it could cause to a human or small car. It's a shame there are people out there building weapons like that, i see now what it's so important to have you guys over there making sure these people are eliminated.

Good work out there, we appreciate what you're done for us!

For sure, that truck is the only reason I and my copilot are not dead. Every time someone thanks me for my service, silently I thank THEM for paying their taxes, enabling me and my buddies to have the best protection money can buy.

And yes, it is very important for us to be here. These are the kind of SOB's we DO NOT need on american soil. Can you imagine if they planted one on a NYC street and detonated it next to a bus? Or how about on a rail in a DC Subway? It blows the ever loving crap out of a truck with 3 layers of 6 inch thick armor, how will an aluminum skinned bus or train car fair?

[cduluk]

I didn't even think of that! Hopefully these types of bombs can be eliminated and none show up here in the US. You guys make it look easy, but without your service our country wouldn't be as safe as it is- we take it for granted too often, too. :(

[ArmyofOne]

It is official. I have my 5th Traumatic Brain Injury.

Nowadays, mTBI (mild Traumatic Brain Injury) and TBI makes servicemembers eligible for the Purple Heart. Paperwork is in as of this morning. The Regulation was amended last year to state "...Any injury (immediately apparent or not) due to enemy action and sustained in the line of duty..."

[ArmyofOne]

double post...oops

[lenore]

You deserve it Army....Now there is no denying any type of disability when it becomes necessary....

[SW03ES]

Sorry to hear about your experience and injury Josh, but as others have said thank you for your service...

Keep us posted and let us know if there is anything we can do to help...

[ArmyofOne]

Thanks Steve. I am good, just adding to the PTS-D LOL. My recovery is going well. Its been about 2 weeks now, ringing in the ears and headaches have become intermittent instead of constant. I am still trying to fix my vestibular and balance issues though.

[nc211]

Well, Army, after seeing what you did to that Ford several years ago, we kinda knew you were a little off balance! You didn't need to go blow yourself up a dozen times for us to tell you that!! Just kidding!!!

Come home, soldier. Last time I checked, you didn't have a tail "not that I checked" and I think that many IED encounters would make cat with 9 lives be lucky as is! You could make a killing with your mechanical experience here in Chicago, because if it has a motor around here, it breaks down after suffering through these winters!

Be safe man!

[ArmyofOne]

Well, Army, after seeing what you did to that Ford several years ago, we kinda knew you were a little off balance! You didn't need to go blow yourself up a dozen times for us to tell you that!! Just kidding!!!

Come home, soldier. Last time I checked, you didn't have a tail "not that I checked" and I think that many IED encounters would make cat with 9 lives be lucky as is! You could make a killing with your mechanical experience here in Chicago, because if it has a motor around here, it breaks down after suffering through these winters!

Be safe man!

LOL< what did I do with the ford? I dont remember? the crazy amount of mods? or the fact that I floored it everywhere I went?