Ready For Combat Without A Hand

Ready For Combat Without A Hand
Category: Military
The gold medal of Honor is hanging around this soldier's neck, but you can see the prosthetic in his hand that catches your attention.

The hand is able to hold a glass or shake someone's hand, just like the one that a ranger used last week to shake President Obama's hand as he became the 2nd living veteran since the sixties to be awarded the highest honor offered by our nation.

These hand movements are all controlled by a motion sensor that is connected to the brain and allows the user to do many normal actions.

When he needs to, the soldier can change his hand to suit different circumstances. When he's doing some work in the kitchen he can take off the hand part and put a knife blade on his arm so that he can prepare food easily for his family.

When he's out with his friends golfing he can attach another special device that helps him hold the golf club correctly so he can swing just as well as the other players.

"I'm not the best player in the world, but I have a good time" the soldier said in a meeting with the press. "I'm able to really relax and have a fun time. Plus I've met a lot of fantastic people doing it."

The soldier lost his hand when he was trying to grab a hand grenade and throw it in another direction. By doing that he saved the lives of two fellow soldiers and was awarded a medal at the White House.

When he was a child he always saw the medal as something that would be an honor to be awarded. However, when he won it he felt completely overwhelmed because of all the attention he was receiving.

Over the last week he travelled all around, including visit to Ground Zero, and also waving to fans at a baseball game in New York.

But it is his new hand that has gotten the most looks, showing some of the improvements in military technology that are letting more injured veterans to serve on after injury in the military.

"I just want to say that your hand is pretty awesome before we get into the show," said a famous show host before he began an interview with the soldier.

The soldier stated his experience with the advances in military medicine came when he was first in a hospital for burn victims and amputees.

"When I walked around the place I was amazed. I couldn't even tell the difference when I saw a guy with a fake leg when he had pants on," the soldier said. "I was amazed. The technology has come so far that there's nothing that they can't do."

He also has been brought down to earth by the "great moods" of other soldiers with medical problems much worse than his. In his current job he helps injured military personnel from all areas and their families.

He gives advice to soldiers and also assists families set up transport, meals and a place to stay.

But he, even after being injured, wanted to go back to serve. Earlier this year he went back to the Middle East for his 8th tour in a war zone.

"Over the past couple of years I've been seeing the other men training, and it's fantastic to finally be back and serving again," he said.

"The most difficult thing about this was having my wife understand why I wanted to go back. She said that I had already lost so much, why would I want to go back?"

The soldier said to her that his risk isn't any more than the other soldiers already over there serving.

She responded by saying that she knew it was important for him and that he should be with his men.
See more from source: seattletimes.com
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