Face of Defense: Cancer Survivor Ready to Fly

By Air Force Capt. Joseph Knable 
19th Airlift Wing
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. : One year ago, Air Force Senior Airman Brian Petras was flying C-130 Hercules missions around the world.

Air Force Senior Airman Brian Petras sits in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules, May 11, 2010, on the flightline at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Diagnosed with cancer in 2009, he returned to duty less than a year after surgery to remove part of his right leg. He is a flight engineer with the 50th Airlift Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Steele C.G. Britton  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Since then, the flight engineer was diagnosed with cancer, underwent extensive surgery, recuperated, returned to all duties except flying and passed his physical fitness test with no score adjustments.
And he passed with just one foot. Petras, 24, has 700 deployed flying hours from two deployments, and he's a cancer survivor.
Last summer, after icing his sore foot for a month and seeing no improvement, he went to the doctor. "It started out as kind of like a lump on my foot, like a swelling," he said, "and I just thought it was a sprained muscle or something."
After a month and a half of tests and treatments, Petras learned he had a malignant tumor and said that doctors would have to amputate his right foot.
"I was shocked," he said. "But since I ... knew it was definitely going to happen, I just decided I could either stay positive or feel sorry for myself. I've just been trying to go on as normal as possible."
Before his surgery, Petras enjoyed biking, running and snowboarding. Since his surgery, he not only enjoys all of the same activities, but also has become even more active.
He recently rode his bicycle 350 miles across Texas in six days, and later this month he will begin a two-month, 4,000-mile coast-to-coast bike ride from San Francisco to Virginia. The trip, organized by World Team Sports, is called "The Face of America: Sea to Shining Sea Ride."
In the ride, Petras will join about a half dozen injured servicemembers from each of the military branches, along with a few civilians, to raise money for charities.
Petras said his desire to returning to flying was a major factor that motivated him to recover and return to work so quickly.
"I just enjoy flying," he said, "I can't stand sitting around. I like traveling. I like just being on the flight, and I like the challenge of it.
"As of right now, I'm 95 percent back to normal," he continued. "There's really not much holding me back. I can run, snowboard, ride a bike, pretty much do anything. I can do everything I could before. I feel 100 percent confident I can go back and do my job without any problem."
Despite his unshakable positive attitude, the road to recovery hasn't been easy.
"The first couple of months were pretty rough," he acknowledged. He healed for six weeks after the Aug. 24 amputation before he got a prosthetic leg. In the middle of September, he started the first of four rounds of chemotherapy that spanned three months.
"It was one week on, then three weeks off to recover," he explained.
He got his prosthetic leg shortly after his first round and began rehabilitation between subsequent rounds.
"That was pretty rough," he admitted. "The chemo pretty much knocked me out. I had almost no energy. I felt sick. I really couldn't do much. I could barely take care of myself. Luckily, I was able to get a prosthetic [leg] and walk around without crutches and still do certain things, but I was still really tired."
Petras went home for Christmas after his final chemotherapy session, and in January he went to the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
"It specializes in care for amputees and burn victims," he said, "It's mostly guys coming from Iraq and Afghanistan that are there. But they do a really good job."
His time at the center gave him perspective, Petras said.
"Here's me with a below-the-knee amputation, rehabbing and getting done in three months, and there are guys who've been there for years," he said. "They're missing both of their legs, they're missing [legs] above the knee, they're missing arms and hands, or 90 percent of their body is burned, and me coming in there is like a scratch. It's not a big deal at all.
"Those guys are very inspiring," he continued. "Some of the guys, with the stuff they're going through, have just as good an attitude as I have, so we all kind of helped each other. To [the other patients], you're no different; you don't get treated any different."
Petras said he was very pleased with the care he received at the center. "The people who worked at the [Center for the Intrepid], they're just really good at their jobs, from the physical therapists, to the occupational therapist to the psychologist there. Everybody cared about us and made sure we got the best training possible or the best rehabilitation possible. They did a really good job."
He added that he's especially grateful for the care he received from John Wood, his recovery care coordinator, and Lauren Palmer, his medical case manager. They were "two people who helped me out immensely. Not even just medical stuff, but anything," he said.
"I don't like to consider myself handicapped. ... I feel normal," he added.
The Bloomsbury, N.J., native said he continues to look to the future.
"The biggest thing I want to convey is that I don't see it as a serious problem right now," he said. "I see it as a minor inconvenience, and I want other people to treat me like that. I think of this thing as a pair of glasses. For me, it's something that takes me five extra minutes to get out of bed in the morning. ... The biggest challenge for me is taking a shower standing on one leg. ... Some people have injuries that are not as visible as mine, yet they're not even as mobile as me. I don't limp, I can run, I can do whatever.
"I don't want my accomplishments to be thought of as 'Brian the amputee' did something," he added. "I don't like that. I want it to just be 'Brian' did something. I want to be treated like it's not that big of a deal. I don't feel handicapped. ... As far as I'm concerned, I was ready to [return to flying] in January." (Issued on May 20, 2010)

Places tubing for a shoreline protection system

Army Pfc. Roy P. Blake of the Louisiana National Guard places tubing for a shoreline protection system in the southwest pass of the Mississippi River delta near Venice, La., May 18, 2010. The Louisiana Guard is building a barrier to prevent an oil spill from reaching the wetlands. 


















U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Tarell J. Bilbo 


Read Full Story

Micro hydro-electric plant

James DeHart, with the U.S. State Department and the director of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team, British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir William Patey and British Deputy Chargé d’Affaires Tom Dodd look over a micro hydro-electric plant in the Panjshir province of Afghanistan May 14, 2010. (DoD photo by Sgt. John Young, U.S. Army)

Recalled Helmets No 'Direct Risk' to Soldiers

By Army Master Sgt. Doug Sample  Army News Service WASHINGTON : The Army recall of 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets that were issued to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is the result of a Department of Justice investigation as well as independent tests that show the helmets do not meet Army standards, military officials said today. Army officials say the recalled helmets are not a "direct risk" to soldiers. Army Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller told reporters today that while the helmets failed to meet Army standards, there is no evidence that any soldier was ever harmed from their use. The recalled helmets provided a safe degree of protection, Fuller said, but they were "just not up to our standards." The Army, he said, is withdrawing the helmets from the field. Fuller heads up Program Executive Office-Soldier, a Fort Belvoir, Va.,-based organization that oversees the development and testing of Army equipment. The recall involves about 4 percent of about 1.6 million Advanced Combat Helmets that are in the Army's inventory, PEO-Soldier officials said. Fuller said the Army issued a May 13 directive to combatant commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan calling for the immediate turn-in of helmets manufactured by ArmorSource, the contractor. The recall, Fuller explained, is the result of a Department of Justice investigation, and individual tests conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., which proved the helmet did not meet Army standards. The general said he could not elaborate on the DOJ findings because of the ongoing investigation. "Our number-one mission is to ensure every soldier's lethal survivability equipment can survive in any environment, and a helmet is a personal piece of equipment that provides that survivability," Fuller said. "We want to make sure they never have any question as to whether or not this will be able to stop what it needs to stop." Fuller said the Army began the recall process immediately upon notification of the DOJ investigation and after the results of independent testing revealed flaws in the ballistic capability of the helmet. In January, the Army was notified by the DOJ of the investigation after the paint on some helmets began peeling. The helmets were then subjected to further tests by the Army, which determined the ballistic defect. The recall notice was issued as a precautionary measure, Fuller said. So far, none of the recalled helmets have been found at the Bagram Airfield Central Issue Facility, the main supply hub for troops deployed in Afghanistan, PEO-Soldier officials said. Mike Brown, the director of supply for Army logistics, said helmet inspections are currently underway in Iraq and Afghanistan. Recalled helmets are being turned in, he said. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bernard C. McPherson, the PEO-Soldier senior enlisted advisor, said the Army is working at every level to ensure all affected helmets are accounted for. "Helmets in the field will be detected during pre-combat checks and inspections by sergeants and [other] leaders," McPherson said. Army Col. William Cole, the project manager for Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, said ArmorSource had manufactured roughly 102,000 of the Advanced Combat Helmets. Of that number, he said, 55,000 helmets remain in the warehouse supply system, with about 3,000 having been issued to other services through the Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia. The Army is committed to finding and obtaining all of the defective helmets, Cole said. "That's why we are doing this through diligence, right now, to find them," he said. The Army has three other helmet manufacturers. They are: MSA North America, BAE Systems, and Gentex Corp. (Issued on:May 17, 2010)

Karzai shakes hands with Army spouses

Afghan President Hamid Karzai shakes hands with Army spouses at Fort Campbell, Ky., May 14, 2010. Karzai thanked Fort Campbell soldiers and their families for their sacrifices on his nation's behalf. U.S. Army photo 

Karzai Thanks Fort Campbell Soldiers, Families

From a Fort Campbell News Release
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.: Afghan President Hamid Karzai brought a message of thanks to soldiers and their families here today, as the 101st Airborne Division continues to deploy to his country.

Karzai's visit comes on the heels of a week of talks in Washington, D.C., with President Barack Obama. The two leaders used the time to help repair relations between Afghanistan and the United States after a year of rising tensions. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recognized the history and sacrifice of the 101st Airborne Division soldiers and their families in introducing of Karzai. "[The sacrifice] is especially true on a post like this one, where almost everyone here today has either just returned from a deployment or is about to head out and confront the hardship and dangers half a world away," Gates said. In a hangar filled with more than 1,200 soldiers and spouses, Karzai concluded his trip to the United States by focusing on the improvements in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban almost 10 years ago. He is the first leader of the post-Taliban government. "Since then, the story of Afghanistan, on many accounts, has been one of extreme achievements," Karzai said. Advances in education, health care and the economy are all indicators that Afghanistan is progressing, Karzai said. Women's roles in the predominantly Muslim country also indicate the changing mindset. About 27 percent of the country's leaders are women, more than in the United States and other Western nations. "We have more women in our Parliament than many [other] countries have," Karzai said. The Afghan leader also lauded the free press that the liberation of Afghanistan from Taliban rule provides. Instead of one government-owned radio and television station, Karzai said, the country now boasts dozens of radio and television stations, as well as newspapers. "The bad thing is they all are against me, no matter what I do," Karzai joked. "It looks like the free press doesn't like presidents anywhere in the world." With the help of U.S. soldiers to bring peace, Karzai said, Afghanistan can be a great tourist destination in the future. However, the leader recognized that much must be done to ensure his nation's prosperity. "Yes, we still have problems," he said. "Yes, we are still a very poor country. We have miles to go, and miles to go before we can call ourselves sufficient." After his speech to soldiers and spouses, Karzai greeted deploying soldiers of 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, at the post's personnel processing center. "Soldiers and officers, it is a distinct honor for me to be with you here today," Karzai said. "Especially the day that you are also leaving for Afghanistan to work for your country and to also work for my country." Before coming to Fort Campbell, Karzai met with wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and paid his respects to the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. "It was heart-rending and extremely difficult to see soldiers without their arms and legs," Karzai said of his visit to Walter Reed. At Campbell, he was able to shake the hands of soldiers, spouses and children present. Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell, was impressed by Karzai's support. "He had a deep passion for the families and really thanked them for their selfless sacrifice and for what their husbands and wives are doing in Afghanistan now and will do in the future," he said. "He recognized the great sacrifices that our soldiers and families have rendered over the last nine years in Afghanistan." Karzai thanked the families for everything they have done to improve the lives of Afghanistan's people. He spoke of a desire to return to Fort Campbell with some Afghan families after the soldiers return and the fighting is complete, so that the 101st Airborne Division can be properly thanked for its efforts. "They will speak from their heart," he said. "They will express their gratitude." One Fort Campbell spouse considered the visit to be a learning experience and said it was encouraging in the face of upcoming deployments. "It's just nice to see that we have good relations between our countries," said Roya Lorge, wife of a 101st Aviation Brigade soldier. "I didn't realize the health care situation over there, and the education of the children, how much that has increased since we've been there." Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Hart, 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Brigade, deployed to Afghanistan once previously. He said Karzai's message was "uplifting," and helps make the sacrifices of combat worthwhile. "It's just nice to know that what we're doing is going to mean something," Hart said, [and that] we're not just doing it without anything to show for it. The Afghanistan people deserve to have all the wonderful freedoms that we have, and sometimes we have to sacrifice ourselves for a bigger cause." Army Lt. Col. Johnny Davis, commander of the deploying 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, added his take on Karzai's visit. "It is a big deal," he said. "As a matter of fact, I never thought it would happen here on Fort Campbell. ... What I think is critical [in Afghanistan] is that the Taliban are not part of the conversation. They are the obstacle. I'm going to support the people, and everything secondary to that is just an obstacle to us. We will overcome that. We're certainly headed in the right direction." Gates, along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry and Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, accompanied Karzai to Fort Campbell. About 20,000 Fort Campbell soldiers are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan by the end of the year. More than 10,000 already are in theater. The entire 101st Airborne Division will be in Afghanistan for the first time, with two brigades in Regional Command South and four brigades in Regional Command East. "I wish them all good health, success and a happy time in Afghanistan and for them to come back safe to the arms of their loved ones here," Karzai said.  Photo detail : Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks to soldiers and spouses at Fort Campbell, Ky., May 14, 2010, as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Army Maj. Gen. Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, 101st Airborne Division commander, listen from the stage. Karzai thanked Fort Campbell soldiers and their families for their sacrifices on his nation's behalf. U.S. Army photo  (issued on May 14, 2010)

Related Sites: Fort Campbell  101st Airborne Division

Air Show Highlights Jointness

By Marine Corps Sgt. Judith Willis
316th Air Wing
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md.: Joint operations were underscored here this weekend as thousands of civilians gathered at the 2010 Joint Service Open House to get a closer look at the military's best aircraft and vehicles and the servicemembers who operate and maintain them.

Lt. Gen. Philip Breedlove, deputy chief of staff for Air Force operations, plans and requirements, was the guest speaker for the opening ceremony this morning. "Hopefully, I am here today welcoming future soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who will be inspired by what they see out here," he said. The open house theme of "United in Strength" was fitting, Breedlove said. "Look around you this morning," he said. "We're hosted by an Air Force wing with Navy F-18s in the background and we watched the 82nd Airborne jump out of a Marine KC-130. No one service can do what we require of our military alone, and each must contribute to today's fight." Col. Steven Shepro, commander of the 316th Wing which hosted the event, noted that it is the Defense Department's largest Joint Service Open House, and was distinguished this year by the 100th anniversary of military aviation. The annual open house provides the public an opportunity to meet and interact with the men and women of the armed forces. Active duty, reserve, veterans and civilian employees come together to make the three-day air show a success. "It's definitely something I'm proud to do," said Marine Corps Maj. David Persons, who came from Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with a CH-53E Sea Stallion. "It's a rare opportunity to broaden your perspective on our aviation ability across the services and it lets the public know what we do. Just to see the smile on the children's faces makes it worth coming here." Highlights of the air show included performances from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Army Golden Knights. Static displays from every service, including the Navy's MH-53 Sea Dragon, the Marine Corps AH-IW Super Cobra and the Air Force F-15, as well as vintage war planes, covered the flightline for tours and photo opportunities.  Photo:Maintenance crews work with the pilot of an F-22 Raptor during pre-flight checks at the 2010 Joint Service Open House on Joint Base Andrews, Md., May 15, 2010. The open house gives the public an opportunity to meet and interact with servicemembers, tour aircraft, observe equipment and view aerial shows. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher A. Marasky  (Issued on:May 15, 2010)

Related Sites: Joint Service Open House