Sometimes We Fall As Boys but Rise As Men: The Healing of a Purple Heart Iraqi Veteran

On April 24, 2004, Thomas Green III was driving a military truck down a dusty road in Iraq when an explosion ripped the wheel out of his hands. The injuries he sustained as a result of this attack changed his life forever. He joined the U.S. Army in 2001 and was deployed to Iraq in February 2004. Serving in Iraq and spending thirteen months in an Army hospital gave him a good look at war. Everybody knows the traditional story: soldiers leave home, get shot, and even die. But few know about the psychological effects of war. Whatever happened to him, he stood up again on his own two feet.

At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, surrounded by other injured soldiers, he realized the importance of uplifting and inspiring each other. Sharing their stories helped get them through trying times. He felt that God wanted him to share his testimony, telling how He got him through this ordeal and changed his life forever. He commends Him for giving him the strength to put his story together. He even thanks Him for the pain, because it taught him how to lean on God.

Thomas Green III, Florida native, joined the U.S. Army and deployed to Kosovo in 2002, and redeployed to Iraq in February 2004. In June 2005, Thomas came home to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was awarded the Purple Heart for his combat injuries. He works at the St. Petersburg Vet Center helping veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan who are suffering from PTSD.