AW2 Veteran Alvin Shell’s wife Chilketha supported and encouraged him along his path to recovery.
By Allison Kartachak, WTC StratcomRetired U.S. Army CPT and AW2Veteran Alvin Shell, who survived traumatic injuries while stationed in Iraq in 2004, believes that even through the toughest times, a positive attitude, faith, and support from Family can allow one to accomplish anything.
As a living testament to this philosophy, Shell is now the Force Protection Branch Officer at the Department of Homeland Security. However, he isn’t quick to forget that he once faced a time when he wasn’t sure if he would ever work again, let alone survive.
On August 31, 2004, while stationed at Camp Victory in Fallujah, Iraq, Shell and his platoon from the 21st Military Police (Airborne) came to the aid of an American convoy that was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. In an attempt to rescue his platoon sergeant, SGT Wesley Spaid, who caught on fire from the explosion, Shell threw dirt, hugged, and patted him to try to extinguish the flames. Covered in gasoline, Shell found himself surrounded by fire and realized he needed to run through the flames to escape.
As a result of this traumatic event, Shell suffered severe burns to more than 33% of his body, in addition to several other injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and muscle loss. When he received his medical retirement from the Army, he also received a 100% disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs but chose to continue to fight to heal and work again because his parents “didn’t teach [him] any other way, but to work.”
After 18 months of rehabilitation and more than 30 surgeries, Shell knows better than many that the road to recovery can sometimes seem never-ending, but he chooses to share his story with others, even as he continues to heal. He attributes much of his strength to his wife Chilketha for her unwavering support and love through the toughest times as she continued to care for their three sons and him, “a husband who couldn’t feed himself.”
“I admire my wife because she is tough as nails,” said Shell.
In his speeches, Shell also shares details of the challenges he faced in successfully landing a job after his injury, and how he persuaded others that he could meaningfully contribute in the workplace despite his injuries. He notes how he decided to take the challenge of securing a job by focusing on his abilities rather than his disabilities, and he uses his speeches to inspire wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans to also accept and ultimately conquer this challenge. Shell also recognizes the importance of reminding employers to make a commitment to hiring Veterans.
Shell and his wife both will be panelists Thursday, September 13, at the 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium (WFS), co-sponsored by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), will provide a forum for expanding on the collective efforts of government and non-government organizations, over the last decade, to improve the physical, psychological and overall well-being of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and their Families and Caregivers. Follow the conference on Twitter by searching for hashtag #2012WFS.
For more information on career opportunities for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans, e-mail usarmy.pentagon.medcom-wtc.mbx.career-education-readiness-br@mail.mil.
Continue reading...