Without looking closely, it's not obvious that 1st Lt. Ed Salau is an above-the-knee amputee until he does something dramatic like twist his prosthetic leg at the "joint" as demonstrated Oct. 15 at Camp Ramadi, Iraq. Salau and six other wounded warriors traveled to Iraq for closure to their traumatic experiences thanks to Operation Proper Exit, a program co-sponsored by the United Service Organizations and Troops First Foundation. Among those seeking closure were five amputees, one blinded by an improvised explosive device detonation and one who suffered from traumatic brain injury causing him to lose the ability to write, read and communicate for a period of time. Physical rehabilitation is essential for these troops but visiting Iraq helps bring them mental and emotional recovery. Giving them an opportunity to enter and leave the combat zone on their own terms gave them back the power they were seeking. "The doc didn't have a say; the enemy didn't have a vote," said Salau.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2009 08:28 |
| Photo ID: | 213486 |
| VIRIN: | 091015-A-2315M-032 |
| Resolution: | 1900x1264 |
| Size: | 1.6 MB |
| Location: | RAMADI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 313 |
| Downloads: | 25 |
This work, On Their Own Terms [Image 14 of 14], by Liesl Marelli, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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