I was medically retired as a Corporal with 2nd Battalion 3rd Marine Division Weapons Company Heavy Machine Gun Platoon. On my first deployment my unit was in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings operations were being conducted and later tasked to help find Marcus Luttrell. (Same unit as Lt. Michael Murphy)
I was injured on my second deployment to Iraq when my humvee was hit by a roadside bomb. We lost our senior corpsman Doc Matthew G Conte and our Platoon Sgt Gunnery SGT Terry J Elliot. The driver suffered 3rd degree burns over an extensive parts of his body. I suffered a below the knee amputation on my left leg, nerve and muscle damage in my right leg, multiple broken bones in my legs including my left femur, massive internal injuries, a burst fracture of my L1 requiring permanent rods and screws in my back, and massive head trauma.
I spent 4.5 years at the Naval Hospital and Walter Reed going through countless surgeries, amputee rehab, and the process of being medically retired. I now live in Mukwonago with my beautiful wife Georgia and our 2 dogs. I’m currently working on getting my degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I wanted to share this story so the you and the people back home who are working so hard to help us out know how appreciative we are to have someone fighting for us as well.
Semper Fi,
Jeremy L Stengel- CPL USMC RET.
