Posted on Sep 26, 2023
Army hospital in Germany caring for wounded American volunteers in Ukraine
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Ukraine
Volunteer
Wounded Warriors
Posted 8 mo ago
Responses: 5
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When I got blood clots and a staph infection in my right leg on REFORGER '85, they flew me to Landstuhl to get a venigram because they couldn't do it at the combat support hospital I was initially taken. The colonel commanding the hospital sent me.
When I got to Landstuhl, the major in the ER took one look at my leg and said all I had was a staph infection. He treated me with IV antibiotics and after five days they discharged me with a swollen calf, a soft cast, and sent me by train to rejoin my unit at the redeployment assembly area in Holland.
The division surgeon met my train in Frankfurt, took one look at my leg and hauled me off to the 93d Evac Hosp. There I got the venigram. It took SIXTEEN injections with 100cc of dye to find a vein that didn't roll or explode when they started pushing the dye. The last four were by the colonel in charge of the x-ray dept. What it showed was that the day went in, went about an inch up my leg and then there was nada. Nothing but black film. They were afraid I was developing gangrene because I'd been that way for 10 days and wanted to amputate below the knee. I said no way. Unless I HAVE gangrene treat me with blood thinners. That was what they did and we saved my leg.
Meanwhile, my unit was told I had the amputation and I would be going to Walter Reed. Imagine their surprise when I showed up back at Ft. Carson standing on two legs. They'd given my tank company to the adjutant and had to give it back to me on my return! I wound up taking over HHC in June and threw more clots in July. Oh, well. . . .
On another note, my daughter-in-law commanded Landstuhl's medical battalion--the largest in the army--and left there in June to go to Harvard to get their advanced leadership certificate rather than go to the War College. She makes O-6 on 1 Oct. and is in line for a brigade command.
My son, USMA '00 and the strategic plans officer for Spec. Opns. Cmd. Africa retired as a Lt. Col. last month. . . .
When I got to Landstuhl, the major in the ER took one look at my leg and said all I had was a staph infection. He treated me with IV antibiotics and after five days they discharged me with a swollen calf, a soft cast, and sent me by train to rejoin my unit at the redeployment assembly area in Holland.
The division surgeon met my train in Frankfurt, took one look at my leg and hauled me off to the 93d Evac Hosp. There I got the venigram. It took SIXTEEN injections with 100cc of dye to find a vein that didn't roll or explode when they started pushing the dye. The last four were by the colonel in charge of the x-ray dept. What it showed was that the day went in, went about an inch up my leg and then there was nada. Nothing but black film. They were afraid I was developing gangrene because I'd been that way for 10 days and wanted to amputate below the knee. I said no way. Unless I HAVE gangrene treat me with blood thinners. That was what they did and we saved my leg.
Meanwhile, my unit was told I had the amputation and I would be going to Walter Reed. Imagine their surprise when I showed up back at Ft. Carson standing on two legs. They'd given my tank company to the adjutant and had to give it back to me on my return! I wound up taking over HHC in June and threw more clots in July. Oh, well. . . .
On another note, my daughter-in-law commanded Landstuhl's medical battalion--the largest in the army--and left there in June to go to Harvard to get their advanced leadership certificate rather than go to the War College. She makes O-6 on 1 Oct. and is in line for a brigade command.
My son, USMA '00 and the strategic plans officer for Spec. Opns. Cmd. Africa retired as a Lt. Col. last month. . . .
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1SG Russell S.
In WW2 they called that “tank commander legs” due to standing all the time in the TC hatch
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Sara Lucas
You are pretty tough..im glad things worked in your favor. Congrats on your kids you must be so proud.take care
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I'm glad our military medical service is taking care of soldiers wounded in battle. .no matter volunteers or active they're Americans period.god bless these caretakers and wounded military
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Having been staff at LRMC I would have welcomed these patients and their stories. Being from KS and followed General Eisenhower in depth, I feel Ukraine has fallen into his concerns about the military-industrial complex he spoke about at the end of his presidency. Here is part of that speech people need to explore:
"Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security alone more than the net income of all United States corporations.
Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
"Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security alone more than the net income of all United States corporations.
Now this conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
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