While providing religious support on a Forward operating
base on February 11, 2012 at approx 11:26 We were engaged by the Taliban. I heard a loud explosion from the impact of an
incoming recoilless round into the Mosque, I grabbed my IOTV and ACH and with
SGT Jones and headed for the Forward Surgical Treatment , as we left our
building the second round landed impacting in the blimp yard and the explosion
was heard, closer this time. At this
time the call for direct attack on the base defense was called over the
speakers. As we ran to the FST, we ducked in behind a truck when the third
round impacted 30 meters to the right of us by the DFAC, (dining facility) spraying rocks and
shrapnel into the side of the buildings, the FST and cars. We stepped out
behind the truck and stared in a bit of shock at where it impacted in the midst
of the coalition partners next to us, assessing that we were not injured we
moved toward the ramp. Some of the uninjured Afghan fluor workers scooped up
one of the injured partners in a
makeshift jacket litter and began carrying him towards us, we directed them
into the Surgery room door, blood from
the femoral artery left a blood trail about 2 feet wide up the ramp to the FST. Other walking wounded and non ambulatory
began to make their way and be carried into the FST.
Unable to assess where the recoilless rounds were coming
from, Sgt Jones did not return fire, but posted herself as security at the FST door,
while I went into the FST and assisted in the trauma room for the next three
hours with the 7 casualties, sadly, as I held onto the leg of the first patient
attempting to provide comfort and aid, died about 15 minutes after arriving in
the FST from severe facial, neck, and femoral trauma.
Over the next several hours I helped in the ER, prayed for
staff, and wounded alike, helped in whatever way I could…the blood from the
first patient covered the floor and all of the equipment from his femoral
artery bleed. I counseled, prayed and
assisted with the rest of the injured. As I helped mop up the blood and change
out the bed for the next patient, I kept leaving bloody footprints all over, it
was surreal how much, and how bright red it all was, it truly looked like a
slaughter house floor.
Another patient with severe head trauma begin to vomit what
looked like raw hamburger all over the place and needed to be tilted to keep
from choking, I prayed for him as well and did what I could to help comfort and
support him and the staff.
The third patient, an American contractor, who had taken
shrapnel to his leg and knee, was the next patient I spent time praying and
helping comfort and support. I stayed
with this patient until his bleeding stopped, and broken leg was splinted, I
helped place on the helicopter to Jaff.
I then went from room to room praying for the less injured,
and talking and trying to encourage the patients as well as the staff.
After seeing all of this and being personally involved, I
chose to stay rather than leave to ensure proper diffusing/trauma event
processing of all involved Soldiers and Civilians alike.
Sgt Jones and I were supposed to fly out that afternoon, but
after seeing the shock of the victims and care givers alike, we stayed to
facilitate a critical incident stress debriefing with the FST staff, counseled
the co workers of the FST casualties, and counseled the civilians of the
blimp…who were narrowly missed.
Three rounds from a recoilless rifle struck FOB …one into
the MOSQUE, one into the dirt by the
Blimp, and one into the gravel, just off the main street, by the DFAC, PRT FST
building.
Over the next 36 hours I counseled 21 Soldiers, provided a
CISD for 17 of the FST staff, visited the civilians of Fluor praying, and
counseling them as well, then I visited the civilians in charge of the sky
security blimp….
After returning to my home FOB , I contacted Combat Stress
and asked them to please make a trip to up north to support our Soldiers,
Sailors, Airman and Civilians. They
advised they would try to go this week.
Sgt Jones who is my assistant and body guard and I were
awarded the military Combat Action Badge for engaging and being engaged by the
enemy in close combat. Through our year
deployment we experienced “taking fire” more times than we could count and yet each time God brought us through physically unscathed.
