Pfc. Monica K. Smith
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Dave Roever, a Vietnam veteran, served in the Navy as a river boat gunner in the Brown Water Black Beret. Eight months into his tour of duty, Roever was unrecognizably burned when a phosphorous grenade he was preparing to throw was shot by a sniper and exploded in his hand, inches from his face. He was hospitalized for 14 months and underwent numerous surgeries.
Today, Roever is a motivational speaker on his fourth visit to Iraq thanking Soldiers for the sacrifice they make in serving their country. He spoke to 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers at Camps Victory and Striker, Nov. 28.
"Every time I come (to Iraq) I see the progress and I see the cost that was made," Roever said to Soldiers at the Combat Aviation Brigade flight line in Camp Striker. "I'm here today to say to my living heroes, 'thank you.' My wife slept good last night and my little grandchildren don't even know a war is going on (...) and that's because you kept it over here and you wouldn't take it back home."
Roever says he enjoys speaking to Soldiers in theater and is especially concerned about the welfare of the families of deployed Soldiers.
"The sacrifice (Soldiers) make, it's amazing," Roever said. "It rips my heart out because the things you are asked to sacrifice – no one is asked that of them."
Betsy Brown, with Heartsong Ministries, a non-profit organization, introduced Roever at Camp Striker and sang an original song called 'Thank you for being faithful,' to the Soldiers present. She closed for Roever singing an arrangement of 'God bless America.'
"We appreciate you," Brown said. "That's why we're here today – to say 'thank you.'"