Post by Moses on Jan 24, 2006 18:16:49 GMT -5
Helmet saves Soldier’s life
By Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski
January 24, 2006
IRAQ(Army News Service, Jan. 24, 2006) -- For many Soldiers, even the new Army Combat Helmet is a necessary evil; it can be cumbersome when in the dining facility trying to handle a tray of food and it causes headaches and tension in the neck when worn on lengthy missions.
Sgt. Shawn Snyder of 3rd Infantry Division’s 2/7 Scout Platoon is one Soldier who will never complain about wearing his helmet again. With good reason … it saved his life.
Snyder’s mission was to serve as a routine escort of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal detail to the forensics building in downtown Tikrit so that EOD could pick up explosives that the Iraqi people found.
“Usually what we do is block off each end of the street so that they [EOD] can go in and pick the stuff up,” Snyder said.
Snyder was standing up in the turret scanning his sector and waving off traffic for about 15 minutes when it happened. He recalled hearing a shot and feeling “a little jerk.”
Snyder quickly called out to his driver and team commander to ask who was firing. Then he saw the Kevlar particles flying around so he jumped down in the vehicle and wondered if he was dying.
Snyder removed his helmet and felt around on his head ... there was no blood. The round, most likely a 7.62 mm from a sniper rifle, ricocheted off the upper left side of the helmet, shredding the outside and slightly cracking the inside.
“I didn’t get a concussion … didn't even get a headache,” Snyder said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Snyder is married with a 13-month-old boy. When the 25-year-old Snyder told his wife what had happened, “she took it as best as a wife could, knowing a round almost killed her husband a month before he got home,” he said.
He will get to keep the helmet when he returns to Fort Stewart, Ga., in less than a month as a memento of an event that he said will never be forgotten.
(Editor’s note: Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski serves with 133rd MPAD)
By Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski
January 24, 2006
IRAQ(Army News Service, Jan. 24, 2006) -- For many Soldiers, even the new Army Combat Helmet is a necessary evil; it can be cumbersome when in the dining facility trying to handle a tray of food and it causes headaches and tension in the neck when worn on lengthy missions.
Sgt. Shawn Snyder of 3rd Infantry Division’s 2/7 Scout Platoon is one Soldier who will never complain about wearing his helmet again. With good reason … it saved his life.
Snyder’s mission was to serve as a routine escort of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal detail to the forensics building in downtown Tikrit so that EOD could pick up explosives that the Iraqi people found.
“Usually what we do is block off each end of the street so that they [EOD] can go in and pick the stuff up,” Snyder said.
Snyder was standing up in the turret scanning his sector and waving off traffic for about 15 minutes when it happened. He recalled hearing a shot and feeling “a little jerk.”
Snyder quickly called out to his driver and team commander to ask who was firing. Then he saw the Kevlar particles flying around so he jumped down in the vehicle and wondered if he was dying.
Snyder removed his helmet and felt around on his head ... there was no blood. The round, most likely a 7.62 mm from a sniper rifle, ricocheted off the upper left side of the helmet, shredding the outside and slightly cracking the inside.
“I didn’t get a concussion … didn't even get a headache,” Snyder said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Snyder is married with a 13-month-old boy. When the 25-year-old Snyder told his wife what had happened, “she took it as best as a wife could, knowing a round almost killed her husband a month before he got home,” he said.
He will get to keep the helmet when he returns to Fort Stewart, Ga., in less than a month as a memento of an event that he said will never be forgotten.
(Editor’s note: Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski serves with 133rd MPAD)