Meeting an American hero

Last week, I had the opportunity of attending the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) convention in San Antonio, Texas.  I spoke with General (ret.) Jim Conway and Governor Mitt Romney backstage, and then had the incredible experience of meeting SFC Leroy Petry, the Medal of Honor recipient.  On July 12, 2011, 32-year-old SFC Petry became only the second living recipient since the Vietnam War to receive America’s highest honor for heroic actions in combat. 

In May 2008, Petry was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. When an enemy threw a grenade just a few feet from Petry and two others in his Unit during a daylight raid on a high-value target, SFC Petry’s immediate reaction was purely selfless. He ran to the live grenade, picked it up, and threw it hard. As the grenade left his and, it exploded, completely severing his right hand.

Now three years later, I shook his hand, acutely aware of the amazing capability of today’s prosthetics, which allow him to shake my hand with the same pressure sensitivities of any usual handshake. I could see all the wiring and titanium inside the transparent, skin-like covering, and was in awe of not merely his hand, but the man it was attached to.

But here’s the really amazing part -- right before he headed into another media interview, I asked him about his future plans. “I’m going back to AFG!” he said, very excited about the prospect. Thinking that this was a quick visit, I asked him if it was part of Operation Proper Exit. “Oh no, I’m deploying again, I’ll be back with my Unit!”

Time Magazine got it right a couple of weeks ago when they featured veterans on their cover with this headline: “The New Greatest Generation.” And SFC Petry is one of many examples why. All you one-percenters serving America are great Americans—we can’t say “thank you” enough!