God bless you, AP (no, not the press)

I'd like you to meet someone. He's a Marine. His name is Faoa Apineru, and he should be dead - but he's not. Instead Apineru, or "AP" as they call him, is learning to live with PTSD, and the aftermath of his terrible injuries.

The VA hospital in Palo Alto has a lot of people like AP. Mostly men and some women who were injured while in uniform, most of them from Iraq or Afghanistan. The VA has a polytrauma center, so troops with more than one injury can get help for all their problems, and a brain injury rehabilitation unit, called BIRU, for the guys who took one to the head.

He hangs out with other wounded Marines. Cpl. Jason Poole, who also had a severe head wound and nearly died, is his best friend.

"I don't have much family around here, so the Marines are my family," AP said. "That's what attracted me to them in the first place. It reminds me of my culture."

AP is from Samoa - but he doesn't remember his childhood, because the injury to his brain destroyed a lot of his memory.

In 2005, AP was in Anbar Province when his unit was attacked. Being a true Marine, his first concern was for his men - but he was the one who was terribly injured:

"The first thing I remember is screaming. I remember trying to stop screaming. You know, that Marine Corps crap about not showing your feelings. Then I heard my Marines. They were doing the same thing. They were screaming, too. So I let go and it went blank. Then I heard my Marines yelling, 'AP! AP!' and they were trying to pull me out of the vehicle. Then I went blank again."

AP went in and out of consciousness. He remembers someone trying to cut off his bloody uniform, and saying that he didn't appear to be hurt.

He thought he was shaken but physically fine. He took off his protective glasses and looked in what was left of the humvee's side mirror. Blood sprayed from his nose and a big gash close to his ear.

"I just thought, 'Oh my God. I'm f -- ed,' " he said.

He thought maybe the gash was just a deep scratch. He tried to stem the flow of blood with his finger. His finger sunk in deep.

"I remember getting cold, real cold, even though it was hot outside as hell," he said. "I remember my lance corporal talking to me, saying, 'Come on, AP, the chopper is coming. It won't be much longer.' But I couldn't really hear anything. My hearing was blocked. I saw everything in black and white."

AP wasn't listening to the medic or the other Marines. But his training kicked in when his lieutenant came over and told him to stay awake.

"I kept thinking, 'This is a lieutenant in the Marine Corps, I better do what he says. Thank God he did that."

Thank God that AP is a Marine - thank God he listened to and obeyed his lieutenant!

You need to go read the whole article and see how bravely our troops face the consequences of their choices. They may demur, but when it gets right down to it, each and every one of them is a hero. **OUR** job is to give them the respect and honor they so richly deserve, and to make sure that America finishes the job with dedication and determination.

Do not let their sacrifices be in vain. Do not let America drop the ball because of cowardice or boredom. Do not let America ignore their service and tarnish their honor.

Do not let America become unworthy of her sons and daughters who stand on the front lines and fight for freedom.

(Thanks, Raven.)

Comments

[Raven]

1.

Lemme link to this. My post is much longer and is about the effects of memory loss for those who survive TBI...I think many people assume these Marines and soldiers are going to be OK...it's not quite like that.

[Raven]

2.

Oh and I love the new theme!!