News From The Troops & Their Supporters

2013 Independence Day Shipment Is On Its Way

June 16, 2013 at 12:31 pm | In Uncategorized by admin
Comments Off

Janice and I prepared 16 boxes, 4 boxes for each of our 3 deployed soldiers and 2 boxes for each of our 2 soldiers who have returned for medical reasons.  Soldiers included in this shipment were:

Russell Gray
Anthony Hart, CS2
Paul Sale
Michael Biggers – Stateside temporarily for wife’s surgery.
Joseph S. Wertz – Stateside and out of the hospital but his injuries from the IED still have him going to several doctors very frequently.  Updates for Joe at: http://news.troop-support.com/?p=9287.

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return.

 

 

 

 

 

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return. 

 

 

 

 

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return.

 

 

 

 

 

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return. 

 

 

 

 

 

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return.

 

 

 

 

 

REMEMBER : Click Photos to ENLARGE them, use back navigation arrow to return.

 

 

Thanks to everybody who help make this shipment possible. 

As long as our precious children are in harm’s way protecting us, showing them we care is the least we can do for them.

Please, keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Joe Wertz injured by IED, Awarded Purple Heart, and Coming Home.

June 2, 2013 at 2:59 pm | In Uncategorized by admin
Comments Off

Joe Wertz with his wife Julie Wertz and their daughter Payton Wertz.

Below in chronological order (most recent at bottom) are emails from Melissa Walker concerning her brother in law Joe Wertz.  Please keep Joe and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

———————————-
From: Walker, Melissa
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 10:00 AM
To: Lauer, George

Joe Wertz now has a purple heart award. He got hit with an IED in
Afghanistan and has been in the hospital since Monday.

———————————-
From: Lauer, George
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 10:20 AM
To: Walker, Melissa

Goodness, I hope he is doing OK.
Would it be OK for me to share this with the support group?
Any other details you can share?
George

———————————-
From: Walker, Melissa
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 10:41 AM
To: Lauer, George

Yeah, you can share those details. He was about 15-20 meters away from the IED and he is now in the  hospital with a diagnosis of a bruised heart and blast lung caused by the explosion. He will most likely be in the hospital for the next several weeks and has earned the purple heart award for being injured.

———————————-
From: Walker, Melissa
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 10:49 AM
To: Lauer, George
Subject: Joe

Hey George,

Just thought I would give you an update. Joe’s condition is much worse than they expected. His cardiac enzymes are not tapering off but rather remaining at the same levels which means there is some serious damage to his heart. They transferred him to another hospital in Afghanistan to see a cardiologist. We will know more about the internal situation with his heart tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed please. This is such an unfortunate event and my sister is struggling with every step because she can’t be there for him. I am praying they send him home because with this physical impairment, I doubt he will ever be considered to go on the front lines again.

Thanks!

Melissa Walker

————————
From: Walker, Melissa
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2013 9:05 AM
To: Lauer, George
Subject: Joe Wertz

Hey George,

This is the most recent update. Joe will be returning to the US soil! They are flying him to the military hospital in DC. As of right now, they can tell he has pretty severe tissue damage to his heart, mild traumatic brain injury, and his lungs look like spider webs. After he was transferred to Germany, the doctor evaluated him and made his decision to send him back to the states because at this point in time, if he gets any more tissue damage to his heart, he is bound to be in a wheelchair the rest of his life. His commander called my sister yesterday and was sad that he is leaving but he understands. His analogy of Joe Wertz was this.. “If Tom Brady left his football team, they would get a replacement but it still wouldn’t be Tom Brady.” I appreciate all of the prayers and support you and the other troop supporters have been giving my family during this time. It has been a very bumpy ride but I believe with the care in DC that he will be on his way to recovery. 

Thanks!

Melissa Walker

————————
From: Walker, Melissa
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 10:39 AM
To: Lauer, George
Subject: RE: Any News about Joe

 George,

 Joe is finally out of the hospital but he is going to several doctors very frequently. He claims that he is recovering rather well but my sister and everyone else knows that he is just trying to be Mr. Tough guy. He gets out of breath really easily and he can’t do much before he is exhausted. He also has a brain injury so my sister is going through a lot because he isn’t the “Joe” she remembers prior to the blast. He is on leave for at least 30 days and I am not sure if they will ever consider him for the job he was doing prior to this incident but they might consider him for a position that doesn’t entail such physical strains. I would like to think all the prayers are being answered and he truly is starting to do better. Thank you!

Melissa Walker

 Other Posts about Joe:

http://news.troop-support.com/?p=9057 – Joe joins support network
http://news.troop-support.com/?p=9218 – Joe sends thanks