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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – For almost 12 miles he has been carrying
about 35 pounds of gear. He sees a clock in the near distance with
red digital numerals closing in on the three-hour mark, the time
limit for the near half-marathon march.
He wants to sprint
to the finish line, but his face winces with every right step taken.
His breaths are heavy and pain can be heard with each inhale. His
left leg is in full stride, but his right, being amputated more than
six years ago, now pushes forward on a damaged prosthetic - a piston
broke a few miles back eliminating fluid motion.
He picks up
a faster, but still a limping pace. Sweat drips into his eyes and
his fists are clenched tight as he approaches the finish line with
two minutes to spare. He stops before crossing, pulls out his
canteen, pours water on his helmet and face. He takes a giant step
with his left foot and says two words, “Air Assault.” He then takes
another step with his prosthetic, exhales and accomplishes his
mission. He has just completed the Army's Air Assault School, on one
leg.
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Sgt. 1st Class Greg Robinson, a combat engineer with Company A,
2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st
Airborne Division (Air Assault), receives a handshake from Command
Sgt. Maj. Harold Reynolds, the command sergeant major of the 2nd
BSTB, after a graduation ceremony held at Fort Campbell's Sabalauski
Air Assault School, April 29, 2013. Robinson is the first amputee to
graduate the school and says‚ "disability is only a disability if
you let it hold you down." (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joe Padula, 2nd
BCT PAO, 101st Abn. Div.)
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Sgt. 1st Class Greg Robinson, a 34-year-old combat
engineer assigned to the Company A, 2nd Brigade Special
Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault), pinned on his Air Assault badge
during a graduation ceremony held at Fort Campbell's
Sabalauski Air Assault School, April 29.
According
to the school's records, Robinson is the first soldier with
an amputated limb and prosthetic to complete the Air Assault
School.
“It's a really good feeling,
and I just hope this can inspire other amputees and other
people with disabilities that they can accomplish things,”
said Robinson, who lost his lower right leg while deployed
to Kandahar, Afghanistan, during a firefight in Operation
Medusa, Oct. 3, 2006. “My biggest thing today is to let that
someone who is laying there wounded in that hospital bed
know not to get down on yourself. You can still continue
despite missing a limb. A disability is only a disability if
you let it hold you down.”
The Army's Air Assault
School is a 10-day course that qualifies soldiers to conduct
air-assault helicopter operations, sling-load missions, fast
roping and rappelling, aircraft orientation that ends with a
fast-paced, heavy load, 12-mile ruck-march.
It is
designed to push a service member's limits mentally and
physically. It has been called the hardest 10 days in the
Army.
“That was the toughest part, but it's over with
now,” said Robinson moments after completing the 12-miler.
“I had problems with my leg during the Tough One, but fixed
it and continued.”
An air-valve was knocked off
during the school's obstacle portion of the course.
During the 10 days, the school's staff ensured that a
professional standard was maintained in regards to their
grading of Robinson. There would be no biased actions taken
toward or against the amputee soldier.
“The
instructors were a bit nervous when he first started, but
they did their job just as if it were any other student, and
on that note, I am very proud of them. They didn't see him
as a disabled soldier and treated him just like anyone else
coming to school to earn the Air Assault wings,” said Sgt.
1st Class Matthew Connolly, a senior instructor at
Sabalauski. “We are very proud of him, and I think others
need to look at him as a mentor and an example of what you
can accomplish when you set your mind on something.”
Prior to attending the physically-demanding school, Robinson
needed a waiver from the unit's medical staff. Robinson's
accomplishments continue to surprise and inspire those
medics.
"Some of these guys never even learn to walk
on a prosthesis, let alone go through the Air Assault
course," said Capt. Gregory Gibson, the brigade nurse with
the 101st's 2nd BCT, who has worked with amputee soldiers at
Walter Reed Hospital before coming to the Strike Brigade.
“He's had this thing happen to him that most would see as a
career ender. He's a shining example that life can carry
on."
Robinson's momentum continues as he now looks to
attend the school's master rappel course, which qualifies
Air Assault school graduates in the skills and techniques
necessary to rappel from moving aircraft. His wounded
friends are still in his thoughts.
“When I was at
Walter Reed I looked around, felt sad for myself, but the
more I looked, the more I realized there were so many that
had it harder, that had it worse than me,” said Robinson as
he spoke of his wounded warrior comrades. “A triple amputee,
a quad-amputee and watching them work and push so hard
inspired me.”
Robinson slowly repeated an earlier
phrase, “A disability is only a disability if you let it
hold you down.”
By U.S. Army Sgt. Joe Padula
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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