May 4, 2007 Visit the Fort Carson Web Site At
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Vol. 65, No. 18 Publishedished inin thethe interinterest of Division West, First Army and Fort Carson community May 4, 2007 Visit the Fort Carson Web site at www.carson.army.mill Photos by Rebecca E. Tonn 41st returns Above: At the welcome home ceremony Monday, Sgt. Scott Rayl, Company C, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry, 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, holds his son, Jacob, 7 months. Rayl’s wife Joani holds their son, Collin, 2. Left: The 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, deployed to Afghanistan in June 2006 as part of the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, which trains the Afghan National Army. The brigade and 230 of its Soldiers were welcomed home Monday at the Special Events Center. INSIDE THE MOUNTAINEER Carson Soldiers visited Opinion/Editorial Community Briefs . .12 Soldier’s mom praises care . .2 Motorcycle rodeo . .13 by Sgt. Clint Stein and see if there was anything they Fort Carson baby shower . .13 Mountaineer staff could do to make the Soldiers’ time News Remembering Cinco de Mayo . .14 there more comfortable. New Warrior Transition Brigade . .3 Chapel update . .15 Trail West spaces still open . .16 Despite recent reports of sub- At the time of their visit two weeks Military Remembering Bill Joslyn . .18 standard living conditions at Walter ago, there were 15 Soldiers from Fort Military Briefs . .6 Info about contracts . .19 Reed Army Medical Center in Carson who were receiving treatment 3rd BCT builds relationships . .7 Civilian education system . .20 Tune tacklers . .8 VIDITalk . .21 Washington, D.C., Fort Carson Soldiers at Walter Reed. The majority of the Soldiering occupational therapy . .9 Understanding divorce in Colorado ..22 who are being treated there are reporting Fort Carson Soldiers there are in the MWR events . .27 nothing but good things about the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Community Volunteers honored . .11 Feature healthcare facility and their treatment Infantry Division, which is currently Training with the 64th BSB . .24-25 according to Col. Karl D. Reed, chief of deployed to Iraq. MUST SEE staff, senior mission command Addy was made an honorary mem- MUST SEE Sports Youth basketball . .29 During their recent visit to ber of the 2nd BCT last year and said he On the Bench . .30-31 WRAMC, Reed, along with Don felt compelled to visit “his boys” who Athlete of the Week . .33 Addy, president of the National were wounded while serving their coun- Happenings Homeland Defense Foundation, and try abroad in a war zone. “They took me Military month at Royal Gorge . .35-36 president of Citizen Soldier Connection, in as part of their family and it was the Get Out . .37-38 saw firsthand the professional care and least I could do to show my appreciation first-class accommodations wounded for what they’re doing for me and so Classified advertising (719) 329-5236 Soldiers are receiving. many other Americans,” he said. Training to man entry control points. Display advertising (719) 634-5905 See Pages 24-25. Reed and Addy said they decided Although Reed and Addy could not Mountaineer editor (719) 526-4144 to visit Walter Reed, not to investigate see all 15 Fort Carson Soldiers who Post information (719) 526-5811 Word of the month: Honor Post weather hotline (719) 526-0096 the conditions of the facilities there, but to check on Fort Carson Soldiers See Walter Reed on Page 5 MOUNTAINEER 2 May 4, 2007 Opinion/Editorial Mother praises Walter Reed chief neurosurgeon explained the knew Solomon would bust his chops. surgery they planned on performing But he couldn’t wait to get to therapy The following is by Carol J. Slavin, mother of the next morning, Tuesday. He drew a when the Cowboys blew a big game! Sgt. Thomas “T.J.” Slavin, who received care diagram on the white board in T.J.’s Solomon was more than a therapist; he at Walter Reed Army Medical Center room. They would go in through was a friend. Carla and Solomon are after being severely wounded in Iraq. his side and remove all the bone dedicated to our Soldiers. They treated fragments, some of which were T.J., Tom and me with compassion, piercing his spinal cord, and replace respect and gave their all to our son. his lumbar spine with a steel cage With their expert knowledge and Commentary by Carol J. Slavin the Walter Reed Army Medical Center filled with a manmade bone material. dedication, T.J. is now walking. Family member at 6 a.m., Monday, Aug. 28. He was It was an extremely delicate surgery. T.J. had occupational therapy immediately taken to the operating We arrived back at the hospital every day. Nancy was T.J.’s Amid all the news reports of the room for his second leg surgery. at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning to spend occupational therapist. Because of his “deplorable” conditions at the Walter His dad and I arrived at 4 p.m. some time with T.J. before his surgery. injuries, T.J. had to learn to do Reed Army Medical Center, I would We were met at Reagan Airport and He would be in surgery for 12 hours. everyday things all over again. Tom like to share my family’s experience. It brought to the Mologne House. Again, One of us was in the waiting room at and I tried to have one of us with T.J. is most distressing that America’s best because we are divorced, and only one all times. A nurse would periodically at all times, but there were days when doctors and nurses and all hospital room per family is allowed, I elected call in to give us a progress report. that weren’t possible. Typical mother, personnel at Walter Reed are being to stay at the Mologne House, located Eventually the neurosurgeons walked I worried about his laundry. Nancy painted with the same brush. It is not on the Walter Reed compound. The into the waiting room all smiles and said “no problem, we’ll do it for fair. There is another side of the story. Army provided a room for Tom at asked for the Slavin family. They all occupational therapy.” Nancy took T.J. Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Free shuttle gave “thumbs up!” Happy, happy on his first “field trip” to the Mologne motto: “We Provide Warrior Care.” service was provided. tears! They said we could see T.J. in House. T.J. would be staying at the August 23, 2006, my son, Sgt. After checking in, we were taken to about an hour. They warned us ahead Mologne House when he became an Thomas “T.J.” Slavin was severely the Family Assistance Office at the of time that our son was intubated outpatient. Nancy made sure T.J. injured in Iraq. August 24, I received hospital. We were introduced to Ms. and not to be alarmed. The multiple was able to take care of himself once a phone call from Fort Hood, Texas, Belita Spencer, a woman whose surgeries and anesthesia were too much he became an outpatient. Nancy is his home base, informing me T.J. had assistance, caring, compassion and ded- for him. He needed help to breathe. dedicated to our Soldiers. been severely wounded and was in ication to our Soldiers and their families It was devastating to see T.J. on T.J.’s psychologist was Jonas serious condition. I was told the were amazing. She asked if we were life support. It’s an image that will Fineman. Mr. Fineman met and talked Humvee he was traveling in hit an OK and if we needed anything. All we stay with me the rest of my life. with T.J. concerning any issues T.J. IED. IED — improvised explosive needed was to see our son. Ms. Spencer He had Wednesday off. Thursday, might have. Mr. Fineman is dedicated device — how I’ve come to hate that escorted Tom and me to the intensive his third leg surgery was performed. to the well being of our Soldiers. phrase. T.J. was airlifted by helicopter care unit to see our son. Absolutely The hardware was removed. His leg Maj. Ann Hall was T.J.’s nutritionist. to the 10th Combat Support Hospital nothing can prepare a parent for that was cut open from knee to ankle on Ann visited T.J. daily. She assured him in Baghdad, Iraq, where he underwent long walk to the ICU at Walter Reed the inside and outside of his leg. The he would get his strength and body back emergency surgery. to see your son for the first time. doctors used a manmade bone material in shape. We learned that severe trauma I have often thought of the heli- I remember trying so hard to be and pieced his tibia and fibula bones could bring on diabetes. T.J. had to take copter pilot and medics who, under strong. Trying so hard to keep it back together. A steel rod was placed insulin. This was very distressing. Ann hostile conditions, kept their cool and together. Trying so hard not to cry. in the center between the bones and visited T.J. every day and reassured him did their “jobs.” Later, when T.J.’s father Tom kept saying, “I just want to see screwed to his knee and to his ankle. that it was temporary. He was to eat, and I were thanking the doctors at two legs and his ugly puss!” He did! Surgery stage is complete — four get his strength back and his sugar Walter Reed, his orthopedic surgeon And the tears came.