It’s not all that long ago that losing a limb meant that a service member had to go into a more restrictive duty, if that individual got to stay in at all. Movies such as Men of Honor — which showcased the life and challenges of Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, the first black Master Diver in the US Navy who was also an amputee — showed us exceptions to this rule. Nonetheless, even to this day, losing a limb can often end careers.

But not for one man.

 

Inspiration From the Darkness

Our military has had the arduous task since 2001 of securing the entire world from terror. Nowhere has this been more prevalent than in Iraq and Afghanistan where our nation has lost thousands of our own to ensure that the dangerous actions happening downrange don’t spread to American soil ever again. There has been a great deal of heartbreak over losses all across the nation and in every branch of the military.

So it’s great to see stories about the incredible good to come from these places — like what we can see from men like SFC Joseph Kapacziewski.

In 2005, Kapacziewski was severely wounded after a grenade was dropped into his vehicle. His leg was shattered and doctors were concerned about his prospects. But he didn’t let that get to him or get in the path of his success.

He was resolute to continue on with his chosen profession. Kapacziewski was concerned when it happened that it would negatively impact his military career. But he persevered.

 

Intense Physical Therapybitf


In interviews,
Kapacziewski details his physical therapist saying that the individual was a firecracker who really pushed him to be in the best shape possible at every stage of his recovery. But it took Kapacziewski’s own drive and motivation to surpass everyone’s expectations.

After years of hard work and dedication, he returned to active duty. Now, he’s helping to train soldiers in the 75th Ranger Regiment and is kicking ass at it, receiving high praise from his command staff. He recently wrote a book in which he dives into his background and what got him to this point.

MAJ Dan Hurd, also of the 75th, noted that “[h]e stands in front of students every single day as an example of exactly what it means to be a Ranger.” And indeed, we couldn’t be more proud of this American hero.

 

What We Take From Heroism

The veteran community faces so many challenges — often ones that seem insurmountable. It’s evidenced by the almost 22 veterans a day that commit suicide, which is a terrible tragedy that should command far greater attention than it gets in the media.

If only we could share stories like Kapacziewski’s more often and use them to help drive our inspiration, even if only a little, when in the depths of depression. There can be a sense of hopelessness that many veterans feel as they lose the purpose and drive that many felt in their military professions. It can be quite jarring.

I think that if we took the time to share stories like Kapacziewski’s with one another, we might all be a little bit better off. And if inspirational stories like his could save even one life, it’s totally worth it.

But it shouldn’t stop with our own community of veterans. The entire nation as a whole can get inspiration from amazing stories like his that come out of the military. Wars are traumatic — they’re supposed to be. But how we continue our lives afterward matters. Congratulations to SFC Kapacziewski. He’s an example that we could all stand to draw some inspiration from.