Photo By Sgt. Angel Turner | Lt. Col. Andrew Deaton, the III Corps deputy director of protection, pins the Purple...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas - It was ten years ago that retired Sgt. James Wilson was in an explosion that would change his life forever.
Then, he was a specialist in Iraq, and he was on sentry duty. He was caught in an insurgent-led explosion. But now, his road to recovery is a bit more complete. On July 11, he was awarded the Purple Heart during a ceremony at III Corps here.
Formerly assigned to Bravo Company, 27th Main Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Divison, as a motor transport operator, Wilson was wounded while deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2004.
Wilson was on sentry duty at Castle Gate at Camp Taji, Iraq, controlling the entry of local nationals when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device exploded near his location, throwing him in the air.
The VBIED resulted in a mass casualty incident. Despite Wilson’s own injuries, he continued to provide aide to the wounded for the next 12 hours.
“Every bit of my training kicked in,” said Wilson, a native of Orrick, Missouri.
Wilson said he remembered the little details from basic training that helped him make vital split second decisions.
“When you know someone’s hurt and you know that there’s two Navy Seabees outside the gate, you have to find them. You have to account for everybody,” he said.
Wilson said he did not know he was hurt and attributes that to his adrenaline.
Wilson was medically retired in 2006 following the VBIED explosion and the resulting burns from a fuel tanker fire and explosion in the Camp Taji motor pool.
“I miss the Army,” said Wilson. “Probably the saddest day of my life is when they retired me.”
The Journey
Wilson said the people who visited him while he was in the hospital recuperating from his injuries helped reenergize him and start his road to recovery.
“I’m not dead and I have a voice,” Wilson said, recalling his thoughts when in the hospital. “I can use my voice regardless if I’m in a wheelchair, on crutches, or anything else, to talk about it and help other veterans.”
This realization pushed Wilson to help veterans through various organizations.
“I might not be in uniform, but I’m still serving,” said Wilson, referencing his working to help veterans through various organizations.
Wilson met now Lt. Col. Andrew Deaton, the III Corps deputy director of protection, during an event for one of those nonprofit organizations.
Deaton heard Wilson’s story and found out Wilson was never awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries. Deaton made Wilson a commitment to at least try to get him the award, not making any promises on the outcome.
“It was actually Halloween of last year,” Wilson said. “I checked the mail and saw a letter from the Department of the Army. I opened the letter at the mailbox which is unlike me.”
I saw it was my orders – I was shocked. I figured it was going to be a lifelong mission.”
Deaton submitted Wilson’s award submission while deployed to Afghanistan last year.
“I was home on R and R when I received the message,” Deaton said.
Deaton said he was home no more than three days when he received the text message saying Wilson received the approved award. Deaton was asked to pin the award.
“He absolutely blew me away when he gave me the honor and asked me to pin the Purple Heart on him,” Deaton said. “This is one of the top highlights of my entire military career.”
The Purple Heart is awarded to personnel of the Armed Forces wounded in action against an enemy of the United States, or as a result of an act of such enemy, that requires treatment from a medical officer.
“You don’t want to have to pin a Purple Heart on somebody, because that means something bad happened,” Deaton said. “But if it is necessary, to be asked to do that makes me feel absolutely humbled.
He could have asked anyone to pin it.”
Since retiring, Wilson dedicates his time to helping veterans recover from the mental and physical impacts of combat. Currently, he is an ambassador for Food Industry Serving Heroes, a nonprofit organization.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2014 12:00 |
| Story ID: | 136145 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | ORRICK, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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