Photo By Spc. Lalita Hazelett | Retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Burgess with the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BRAGG, N.C.—“I have the knees of a 90-year old man, my doctor told me,” he explained. “So I have been instructed to take it easy and not run as much anymore. For this reason, I will be walking the All-American five-kilometer race. Between my prosthetic right leg and my reconstructed left leg, it’s just not feasible for me to run in it.”
Retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Burgess, like many Soldiers, participates regularly in military-hosted races all over the country, to include this year’s All-American 5K which took place here March 22, 2015.
Burgess survived a near-death explosion while deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 while serving as a psychological operations specialist with the 350th Psychological Operations Company, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based out of Twinsburg, Ohio, a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). Burgess sustained multiple injuries including an amputated right leg from the knee down, an operation to salvage his left leg, traumatic brain injury and permanent lung damage. He has been and is, well on his way to healing and helping many more Soldiers like him get the support they and their families deserve.
Finishing at approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes, Burgess smiled with pride as he crossed the finish line. However, Burgess is going one step further than just merely participating in these races. His goal is to start a nonprofit group named “Team Burgess,” which will be aimed at supporting other injured Soldiers and to make sure their Families are involved as well.
“Over the past few years, I’ve been able to recover and achieve my goals such as finishing these races, and now I feel like it’s my turn to help other people achieve their goals and be their support.”
Choosing the All-American 5K may have been what was best for him physically, but Burgess made it known to all that these races are not about the speed or pace of the race, but about finishing and helping others finish.
“By walking, and not running,” added his wife, Genette. “We’re able to help more people, and ultimately that is the goal we’re trying to achieve.”
“After I got blown up,” Burgess explained, “I was in the hospital and everybody was coming in saying, ‘Oh hey, you should run the Army Ten-Miler,’ and I thought they were crazy. Then, U.S. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Michael D. Schultz challenged me. I was there in D.C. in 2012 when he ran the ATM, and after he ran the race, he gave me his challenge coin from the race and said, ‘Here, this is your motivation for next year. You will be crossing the finish line with me.’ That’s kind of how it all started.”
In 2013, Burgess ran the ATM and finished in approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes. In 2014, he ran it for the second time and finished in three hours and 10 minutes. At around mile marker seven, Burgess noticed a double amputee struggling. Staying true to the Warrior Ethos of never quitting, never accepting defeat and never leaving a fallen comrade, Burgess decided to support his fellow Wounded Warrior for the last three miles of the race.
“We slowed down to take care of him,” said Burgess, “because it was his first time and he was not getting on the vehicle to get a ride back.”
Despite being medically retired in 2014, Burgess is dedicated to serving others. His ability to bounce back has motivated him to help others reach their maximum potential despite their injuries.
“He calls it his mission; to help others through what he’s learned. He went through his therapy, and is very resilient and he wants to help others get to where he’s at right now,” boasted Maj. John Colburn, commander for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, USACAPOC(A), who walked the All-American 5k alongside Burgess.
“Maybe you can run a five-kilometer race in 20 minutes,” said Burgess. “but the guy you’re trying to help out – they’re looking at maybe taking an hour. It may be an extra 40 minutes for you, but regardless of anything you’re there by their side pushing them along the way and helping them out. It’s that motivation you’re providing for them every step of the way.”
The role of Team Burgess support will run deeper than just calling on the phone and checking up or motivating that Soldier, but to sometimes actually being there at the races to not only cheer them on, but to stand by them and help them cross that finish line and in the end you become family.
“While I was doing my recovery,” said Burgess, “so many organizations were there to help out the injured and sick. They paid for flights and hotels for so many of us to go do these races and events, but the caregivers and immediate family members; the spouses, the moms, the kids … they’re kind of left at home. So our thing is, we want to be able to help out the entire ‘package.’”
Since 2013, Team Burgess has grown rapidly over the past couple of years as they “expand their family.’” They have plans for more races and events in the future, to include the Army Tem-Miler in October, 2015, and the Bataan Death March in March, 2016.
At the end of the day it’s about showing the enemy that you will never accept defeat, you will never quit, and you will never leave a fallen comrade.
“If I don’t do anything,” Burgess remarked, “’they’ win. I’m not going to sit around and pity myself, because that’s ‘their’ ultimate goal and as long as I’m still going, I’m still beating ‘them.’”
“There are people behind him, supporting him,” said Genette. “And along the way he’s supporting others. He couldn’t run the Army Ten-Miler last year, but by not running it, they were able to support another amputee along the way who was trying his best to finish it; and that is the ultimate goal in it all.”
| Date Taken: | 03.23.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2015 21:07 |
| Story ID: | 157847 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 784 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Soldier never quits, by SPC Lalita Hazelett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT