Tag Archives: Walter Reed

Articles of Interest

Josh Hall, Soldier Who Lost Leg In Afghanistan: ‘I Got To Bleed For My Country And I’d Do It All Over Again’ (VIDEO)

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By The Huffington Post News Editors

Josh Hall made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and says he would do it all over again, if he had the chance.

While securing an area in Afghanistan taken from the Taliban last summer, Hall, 23, stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device and lost his left leg in the blast, WJHL reports. The resilient soldier spent months recovering at Walter Reed, a time he describes as one his darkest, because he was laying idly while his fellow servicemen continued pursuing their duties.

But Hall has no regrets. He told the news outlet that he’s considering going to medical school to become a trauma surgeon and says he would return to combat if he could.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

News, Politics, Government

Remarks by the President Welcoming the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride

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By The White House

South Lawn

3:54 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you. Welcome to the White House. Thank you, Rick, for your introduction and for your leadership at the VA. And I want to thank all of you for coming out today.

This is actually good — a little overcast to keep you guys not too hot. This is one of my favorite events of the year.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Mr. President!

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Laughter.)

We obviously meet at a time when our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Boston. Our hearts are with the families of the victims. And now we send our support and encouragement to people who never expected that they’d need it — the wounded civilians who are just beginning what will be, I’m sure for some of them, a long road to recovery.

It’s a road that the remarkable warriors and athletes here know all too well. And, as a consequence, they’re going to serve for all of the families as well as all Americans a continued inspiration.

We do this every spring, and as all of you know, it started in a bar — where a lot of good ideas start. (Laughter.) Chris Carney and some of his buddies, who are here today, were talking about what they could do to support our wounded warriors, and Chris came up with the idea of biking coast-to-coast to raise money and awareness.

Now, even he has admitted in hindsight, “It may have been the beer muscles talking.” But he followed through, and he started in Long Island, he ended in San Diego. Along the way, he inspired people all across the country. And since then, more than a thousand wounded warriors have joined soldier rides across America. This is the fourth time I’ve had the chance to welcome these rides here at the White House. And, as always, we’ve got Army. (Applause.) We’ve got Navy. (Applause.) We’ve got Air Force. (Applause.) And we’ve got some Marines in the house. (Applause.)

Together, with your outstanding families, you represent what’s best in America. When we needed patriots to defend our freedom, you have answered the call. You’ve risked everything for our country and for each other. And you’ve made sacrifices most of us can barely imagine.

So thanks to your courage and your resolve, we’ve been able to end one war; we’re beginning to wind down another. But for you, as is true for all of our wounded warriors, coming home doesn’t mean that the fight is over. In some ways, it’s just begun.

You think about folks like Sergeant Sean Karpf. I first met Sean last June at Walter Reed — he had just lost his left leg to an IED in Afghanistan, he knew that there was a long

From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/17/remarks-president-welcoming-wounded-warrior-projects-soldier-ride

White House Press Office

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at Wounded Warriors Reception at Winfield House

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By The White House

Hello, everyone! Thank you, Marjorie, for hosting us here today and for your ongoing collaboration as we support our service men and women and their families.

As Second Lady, and as a military mom, I have been honored to spend time with our troops, and our recovering service members—and I am so inspired by the strength and resilience of both British and American military families and veterans. Major Peter Norton, thank you for your service.

I know a spirit of service is deeply ingrained in all of you … that the warrior mentality doesn’t leave you when you return from war – or when you separate from the military.

Over the past few days, I have visited with Wounded Warriors and medical staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center … and spent the day with soldiers and their families at a US Army base in Germany.

With each visit, I am reminded that our service members and their families have done so much for us … and we can all do something in return.

That spirit is what fuels the Joining Forces initiative the First Lady and I started to support and honor our troops and military families.

And I am very pleased to not only visit with some of the heroes that make the British military so strong, but also all the organizations here that support them.

I know that over the past 10 years, you have all worked so hard to improve the lives of the men and women who have sacrificed so much. It is your dedication and support that has made all the difference for so many veterans and their families.

You are truly Joining Forces.

The bonds that British and American troops share are unbreakable. You have served alongside one another every step of the way. Over 250,000 British troops have served alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. You are brothers and sisters in combat, but also in healing.

In 2010, a soldier named Brian attended a holiday gathering Joe and I hosted in our home. Brian was newly injured at the time, and he and his young family were adjusting to his new normal – walking on prosthetics … separating from the military … and caring for a newborn while healing from amputations and internal injuries sustained during a blast in Iraq.

Almost a year later, I was visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed hospital when I met another young soldier who had just been injured in Afghanistan.

He told me that he had been struggling to adjust to losing his legs, and to the long healing process ahead of him.

But he said he was feeling much better because a fellow injured soldier had reached out to him and was mentoring him. That soldier was Brian.

Just a year after being injured, Brian was thriving. He gave other wounded warriors confidence that they too would once again be whole.

I use Brian as an example of that same inner strength we have seen in you as many of you have pursued physical challenges beyond what you ever imagined you could accomplish after your injuries.

Not only do you inspire countless other recovering warriors, you inspire me … my husband Joe … President Barack Obama … First Lady Michelle Obama … and all Americans.

To our heroes and your families, thank you for your sacrifice and service, and to our British partners and friends, thank you for your ongoing commitment to our service men and women.

Source: White House Press Office

News, Politics, Government

President Obama Welcomes the Miami Heat to the White House

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By <a href="/author-detail/475">Colleen Curtis</a>

As NBA world champions, the Miami Heat are used to receiving honors and acclaim, but during a reception today with President Obama, the team's standout forward — and reigning league MVP — LeBron James made it clear that this celebration was unlike any other. “We're in the White House right now,” he said. “This is like, hey, mama, I made it.”

The team was invited to commemorate their award-winning 2012 season, but in his remarks, President Obama thanked the group for spending time with some wounded warriors at Walter Reed, and paid tribute to the important role team leaders including James, Chris Bosh and captain Dwayne Wade, also play off the court:

One of the things I’m proudest of is that they take their roles as fathers seriously. And for all the young men out there who are looking up to them all the time, for them to see somebody who cares about their kids and is there for them day in and day out, that's a good message to send. It’s a positive message to send, and we’re very proud of them for that.

You can watch the whole event:

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The White House

White House Press Office

Remarks by the President in Welcoming the Miami Heat

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By The White House

East Room

1:44 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Everybody please have a seat. Well, today I am honored to welcome a little up-and-coming basketball team — (laughter) — to the White House called the world champion Miami Heat. (Applause.)

Now, for many of teams that come here, this is a lot of cameras in one place. It’s a little overwhelming. (Laughter.) But for the Heat, this is what practice looks like. (Laughter.) This is normal. I know this is the first trip for some of these players, but a few of them were here a couple of years ago for a pickup game on my birthday.

Now, I’m not trying to take all the credit, Coach, but I think that it’s clear that going up against me prepared them to take on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. (Laughter.) It sharpened their skills. It gave them the competitive edge that they needed. And I think part of the reason they came back today is they want another shot at the old guy. (Laughter.)

But first, I have to congratulate the Heat on their well-earned title. This team traveled a long road to get to where they are. In 2011, the Heat got all the way to the finals only to come up short. But when you fall, the real test is whether you can ignore the naysayers, pick yourself up and come back stronger. And that’s true in basketball, but it’s also true in life. That’s exactly what these guys did.

Instead of getting down, they got better. Dwayne Wade worked on his core. LeBron learned some post moves from Hakeem. Shane Battier came on board. They became a more complete team. They got to know each other better and trust each other more. And they became more fun to watch.

In Game Four against the Thunder last year, we saw LeBron carried off the floor with cramps, only to come back a few minutes later and hit a dagger of a three-pointer to put the Heat ahead. During Game Six, we saw him pull off one of the greatest performances in basketball playoff history, dropping 45 points — and he had a scary look in his eye. (Laughter.)

We saw Dwayne Wade, the heart and soul of this team, continue to do whatever it takes to win, including leading the team in blocks. And at the post-game press conferences, he dressed well enough to land himself in GQ magazine. (Laughter.) Show them your kicks here, Dwayne. (Laughter.) If any of you can pull this off — (laughter) — other than Dwayne Wade, let me know. We saw Chris Bosh get injured, but get healthy right at the perfect time and do outstanding work throughout the rest of the playoffs.

And it wasn’t just the Big Three. Mike Miller could barely walk. Mike, you look better now. (Laughter.) You looked broke down last year — (laughter) — but still hit seven three-pointers in the final game. I don’t know how he did it because he could not walk. He looked like an old man. Mario Chalmers earned himself a nickname from Dwayne Wade that I’m not allowed to repeat. (Laughter.) But he did a great job.

Shane Battier, as always, played impeccable defense, hit big threes. Juwan Howard — “Grandpa” — became the first member of the Fab Five to win a ring. And Coach continually set the tone and kept these guys motivated the entire way.

So that team mentality — with everybody doing their part — is what finally put the Heat over the top. And it’s especially impressive when you think about everything they’ve had to deal with over the last few years. This team inspired a lot of passions on both sides. And I’m just talking about their dance moves. (Laughter.) We saw that video, LeBron. (Laughter.)

But even though I’m a little disappointed that the Bulls didn’t make it, I do want to congratulate the Heat for a well-earned championship. LeBron said, “It’s about damn time.” And I want to thank them for taking the time this afternoon to spend with wounded warriors at Walter Reed, because you guys are heroes to them but they are heroes to all of us.

And let me just say one last thing about these guys, and I mentioned this as we were coming in. There’s a lot of focus on what happens on the court, but what’s also important is what happens off the court. And I don't know all these guys, but I do know LeBron and Dwayne and Chris. And one of the things I’m proudest of is that they take their roles as fathers seriously. And for all the young men out there who are looking up to them all the time, for them to see somebody who cares about their kids and is there for them day in and day out, that's a good message to send. It’s a positive message to send, and we’re very proud of them for that. (Applause.)

So congratulations, again, to the Miami Heat. And now we are going to take a picture that makes me look very short. (Laughter.) I’m accustomed to it, but first I’m going to ask Coach to say a few words. (Applause.)

COACH SPOELSTRA: Well, on behalf of Micky Arison, Pat Riley, the entire Miami Heat organization, and our families, we want to thank you for your hospitality today to be in the White House and also to be inspired by the great men and women of the Walter Reed Hospital. We are honored and truly, truly humbled to be here.

We actually hope that this team serves as an inspiration to the nation of what a group can do when you come together and sacrifice your egos for a greater goal; to come together with a real hard-hat work ethic, and to be able to persevere through adversity and a whole heck of a lot of criticism — (laughter) — and still be able to accomplish the ultimate dream.

THE PRESIDENT: Fantastic. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
MR. JAMES: Am I supposed to say something?

THE PRESIDENT: You can if you want. It's your world, man. (Laughter.)

MR. JAMES: On behalf of myself and my teammates, we just want to thank you — to piggyback what Spo said — for the hospitality, for allowing us to be, I mean, in the White House. I mean, we're in the White House. (Laughter.) And Coach said — and the Prez said this real casual. So I mean, we're kids from Chicago and Dallas, Texas and Michigan and Ohio and South Dakota — (laughter) — Miami. And we're in the White House right now. This is like, hey, mama, I made it. (Laughter and applause.)

MR. WADE: All I've got to say is we've got a 10-day contract left?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

MR. WADE: Pick my man up. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: You guys could use a shooter. (Laughter.)

MR. WADE: My point guard. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.)

END
1:52 P.M. EST

Source: White House Press Office