Wounded 173rd Airborne soldiers undergo multiple surgeries, major therapy before returning to action

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Staff Sgt. Leonard Day works with putty to get the strength back in his hand, wrist and arm during rehabilitation at the military medical clinic at Vicenza, Italy, recently. Day is one of more than 70 soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team who are currently recovering from wounds suffered in Afghanistan.


Wounded 173rd Airborne soldiers undergo multiple surgeries, major therapy before returning to action
By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, December 11, 2007

VICENZA, Italy — Since the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team began its deployment to Afghanistan in May, 26 Sky Soldiers have lost their lives.

Additionally, more than 150 troops from the brigade have required some kind of hospitalization for wounds suffered during that same seven-month span.

Some soldiers are receiving treatment at places such as Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Others are recovering at their home bases in Vicenza and in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Lt. Col. Todd Johnston, the brigade’s rear detachment commander at Caserma Ederle, said he believes that fewer than 10 percent of the soldiers suffered injuries grievous enough to force them out of the military.

But such recoveries can be a long process.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50883