Meet Maj. David Rozelle - Sister Toldjah

Just got done reading this wonderful story about Maj. David Rozelle, who lost his right foot in a landmine explosion in Iraq on June 21, 2003. Via Griff’s Notes:

It’s Maj. David Rozelle, the Administrator for the Amputee Care Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Maj. Rozelle was leading a convoy in Hit, Iraq, west of Baghdad on 21 June 2003 when a landmine claimed his right foot. By June of 2004, just one year later, Rozelle became the first amputee in history to redeploy to the battlefield in Iraq to command troops again.

Maj. Rozelle is also the Team Captain of the “Missing Parts in Action” (Yes, he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humor) running team for the Army Ten Miler here in Washington on Sunday. Rozelle started the team four years ago with 6 guys who wanted to overcome incredible odds â€“ this year there are 30 team members. And I am going to attempt to keep up with them.

When I asked Rozelle what the significance of the race was for him, here’s what he told me:

“It’s a message to the enemy: I’M STILL STRONGER THAN YOU. I’M NOT BEAT.”

Make sure to read it all.

Reminds me of our own courageous NC Cop, who I’m sure is intently watching that Indians/Yankees game right about now

Hat tip: Lt. Col P at OpFor

NC Cop says:

October 8, 2007 at 8:37 pm

What a great article!!

Maj. Rozelle is also the Team Captain of the “Missing Parts in Action” (Yes, he certainly hasn’t lost his sense of humor) running team for the Army Ten Miler here in Washington on Sunday.

You can’t lose your sense of humor, if you do you’re gonna be miserable. I remember when I was sitting outside of my church when I was still in a wheelchair, we were talking about heaven and hell and I said to my buddy “All I know is, I better go to heaven!”, he looked at me and said “Well, at least you know you’ve got your foot in the door!”. I laughed and laughed and laughed! If you lose your sense of humor, you’ll lose your mind.

“It’s a message to the enemy: I’M STILL STRONGER THAN YOU. I’M NOT BEAT.”

Exactly!!! I can’t tell you how that comment makes me feel!! That’s exactly what I told my chief when he asked me where I wanted to start when I came back. I told him I wanted to go back to patrol for the exact same reason that Major Rozelle did.

Give ’em hell Major! God Bless you!!!!

Now, on a sadder note the Yankees are losing to the Indians 4-0 in the second inning. Those dirty, rotten…….(happy thoughts!!!)

camojack says:

October 9, 2007 at 3:45 am

Good man.

The following is a letter from a friend of mine who’s currently in Iraq; he’s a major, too.

Hello from Baghdad

Jack,

Sorry it has taken me so long to e-mail. Been busy.

Things are going well here. Gen. Petraeus is correct. The surge is working, no matter what the liberal media says. I know it is. I see the results. Iraqi citizens are turning on Al Qaeda in more and more areas every day. The concerned citizens program is paying off big time. Lots of good news that often does not get reported, of course.

Still though, there is a lot of work to do. I believe that getting AQ out of Iraq will go a long way toward the end state of having the Iraqi government provide security for their own country. After that is accomplished, it is only a matter of time before the sectarian violence diminishes.

You know, the problem now, in my humble opinion is that all the different groups have seen “victory” as their own end state. Everyone wants “peace,” but still they have been using “victory” as a means to get to “peace.” That is changing. The local Shieks have begun to take steps to establish peace in their own neighborhoods. It is working. I would not be surprised to see many areas of Iraq clean up their own AOs much like the Kurds in the north have done.

Bottom line – local guys are cleaning their own house.

The wild card remains what the Iraqi national government will do. Who knows. We cannot count on our own congress to be a role model, so I don’t think there is any reasonable expectation for Jeffersonian Democracy to break out in the Iraqi national gov’t.

It won’t matter if the locals can just keep peace in their own neighborhoods. Kind of like a “trickle-up” effect.

That’s my ramblings for today.

Take care and write back.