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The concept of a "Mustang" in the Navy refers to an enlisted service member who then receives a commission as an officer. This pathway offers a unique perspective, blending practical, ground-level experience with leadership responsibilities. It's often seen as a journey for those who've already navigated the ranks and understand the inner workings of the military from a different vantage point.
For this individual, the path to becoming a Mustang was unexpectedly shaped by an injury sustained during deployment. While serving as a Leading Petty Officer, or LPO, a critical leadership role, he was medically evacuated. The Navy's system, however, deemed his LPO tour incomplete due to this injury, creating a significant hurdle for career advancement.
This presented a substantial administrative challenge, as completing an LPO tour is a mandatory requirement for promotion, particularly for the significant jump to Chief Petty Officer. Without this completed tour, his record was repeatedly passed over by promotion boards, despite otherwise strong performance, awards, and combat experience. This administrative roadblock meant his military career was effectively stalled.
To meet the Navy's requirements, he needed to complete two full years in an LPO role, a duration he hadn't yet achieved. Because he was medevaced out, his tour was considered incomplete, and he faced the prospect of waiting several more years to fulfill this requirement. This situation highlighted the rigid nature of military advancement systems and how unforeseen events can impact long-term careers.
Facing this administrative impasse, he discovered a commissioning program specifically designed for enlisted personnel that did not require a college degree. Historically, this program had been utilized by more senior enlisted ranks, such as E7s and E8s, often as a pathway to Warrant Officer or Limited Duty Officer (LDO) roles. The LDO designation is particularly significant as it allows for continued tactical leadership positions.
He meticulously prepared and submitted his package for this program, securing strong recommendations from influential figures, including the commanding officer involved in the Bin Laden raid. In a highly competitive selection process, he was chosen as an E6, an unprecedented selection for this program within Naval Special Warfare. This achievement marked him as the first E6 to be selected for the LDO program in the history of special warfare.
On October 1st, 2008, he transitioned directly from an E6 to an O1, a commissioned officer rank, without any intervening formal training. This rapid ascension meant he was thrust into an officer role overnight, needing to adapt quickly to new responsibilities and expectations. He then proceeded to SEAL Team 3 as the Training Officer, a role that demanded a comprehensive understanding of both enlisted and officer perspectives.
This experience underscores a potential flaw in the officer selection process, where such a rapid and unconventional advancement could occur, suggesting the program's criteria might need re-evaluation. It raises questions about how effectively the system identifies and prepares individuals for leadership, especially when bypassing traditional educational prerequisites. The narrative highlights the system's susceptibility to unusual circumstances.
Shifting focus, he then recounts the experience of being wounded in Iraq on February 5th, 2005, during a joint deployment with Army special operations forces. This deployment was part of an effort to bridge the geographic specificity of operational focus between different branches, integrating Navy SEALs and Army units. They were based out of the Green Zone, operating from former palaces.
The deployment involved intense nighttime operations targeting hostile forces, followed by periods of downtime in luxurious surroundings. He emphasizes the strong camaraderie and mutual respect developed with his Army counterparts, dispelling any notion of inter-service rivalry at the operator level. This shared experience forged lasting friendships, highlighting the common humanity and shared mission objectives of special operations personnel.
The operations were characterized by a high tempo, launching into targets nightly with extensive aviation support from MH-60s, MH-6 Little Birds, and attack helicopters. He describes spending considerable time on the skids of Little Birds, conducting direct action missions over Baghdad. These missions were often dynamic, requiring rapid adaptation to evolving intelligence and operational challenges.
On the particular night he was wounded, the team was conducting a ground assault in Baghdad, moving through a burning garbage dump, an olfactory experience he vividly recalls. The objective was to locate a specific mobile phone handset, and the operation encountered unexpected resistance. An individual fled a courtyard upon seeing them, leading to a pursuit and detention, though they were not the intended targets.
During this dynamic situation, which involved breaching doors, he found himself positioned on a ladder, observing the front of a building across a courtyard. He noticed a light in a window that resembled an American house, suggesting a potential entry point. It was at this precise moment that his team leader identified the building as the target location.
As he prepared to move towards the door to secure the area, a primal instinct prompted him to pause and reassess. He waited for other team members to cross the wall before proceeding. Just as he rounded a corner of the building, before turning his back on the illuminated window, he was struck with immense force in the hip.
The impact felt like a direct blow from a baseball bat, knocking him off his feet and onto his back. Gunfire immediately erupted from the house. Although it felt like an eternity, the intense engagement lasted only about half a second. He became pinned under a vehicle, with a shotgun beneath his right shoulder and his armor's bungee strap caught on the vehicle's undercarriage.
While trapped and exposed to incoming AK-47 fire impacting the vehicle, his comrades managed to drag him to safety around the corner, near the window he had just observed. The operation continued, resulting in eight wounded personnel that night, some of whom were victims of friendly fire. This friendly fire incident occurred when another unit, the CAG, or Counter Assault Group, breached a metal door from a different direction, engaging the target from within.
The breaching charge used, a C6 strip, was powerful enough to demolish a reinforced metal door. However, the door in question was not as robust, causing the explosive blast to overwhelmingly impact the Army personnel on the other side. Those most severely wounded were evacuated by helicopter, while he was placed in a Bradley fighting vehicle with another wounded soldier.
Reflecting on self-triage, he recalls his immediate reaction to direct pressure when his buddy offered assistance. In the moment, he opted to manage the bleeding himself, a decision he attributes to a bit of stubbornness. The wound, while significant, ultimately did not involve severe external bleeding.
The bullet remained lodged in his pelvis, and remarkably, he has never undergone surgery for the injury. It's believed the round nicked rebar in the window, causing it to fragment upon impact. The X-ray revealed the penetrator on the right side of his pelvis, with hundreds of fragments dispersed throughout his leg.
A second round from the same burst struck his belt, melting through it. The copper jacket of that round is now welded to the belt he wore that night. He speculates that if the initial round hadn't spun him, it could have detonated his pelvis, a potentially catastrophic injury.
He was transported to the Green Zone, where he was not the most severely injured but experienced significant pain, particularly in his ankle. He later learned this was due to nerve damage affecting his sciatic nerve, causing a short circuit down to his foot. This was a disorienting experience, as the medical team carefully removed his shoe, and he felt intense pain, having foregone morphine initially.
Upon receiving fluids and a phone call to his wife, a doctor inquired about removing the fragments. The proposed method involved exploratory surgery with deep cuts, which he declined. Instead, he opted for the body's natural encapsulation process, where calcium would form around the fragments, provided the lead portion did not contact bone.
He was placed on a heavy morphine drip and underwent a lengthy period of pain suppression. The next day, he and other wounded soldiers were transferred to a hospital in Balad, and subsequently flown out on a C-141 filled with severely injured personnel. He received dedicated medical attention due to his role in Naval Special Warfare.
The journey continued to Germany, and then homeward. In 2005, the medical system was not as accustomed to treating the specific types of injuries sustained in overseas deployments. His rehabilitation process became integrated with his Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, which he utilized as part of his recovery.
He chose to leave DEVGRU after fulfilling his minimum service obligation, prioritizing his family. During his rehabilitation, he experienced significant neuropathic pain in his leg for about a year. The medical approach at the time involved substantial prescriptions for painkillers like OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin, alongside high doses of gabapentin and Neurontin.
These medications, particularly the gabapentin which can have effects on central nervous system processing, impacted his cognitive abilities. Compounded by heavy alcohol consumption and sleep medication, he struggled significantly. He recalls a moment when he couldn't perform a simple math calculation about gasoline prices, realizing the profound effect the medication and lifestyle were having on him.
The Navy's rehabilitation protocol at the time was minimal, primarily involving electrical muscle stimulation. This lack of comprehensive support led him to rely heavily on the medications and alcohol, creating a difficult period for his wife and their marriage. He recognized the urgent need for a change, particularly to avoid the risks associated with abruptly stopping certain medications like gabapentin.
He gradually tapered off the medications and discovered CrossFit as a means of both physical and mental rehabilitation. This led him to connect with the founders of the program. The intense physical exertion of CrossFit allowed him to finally achieve restful sleep, which had been elusive for a year.
Over the course of a year, he successfully weaned himself off the pain pills, which he admits were somewhat habit-driven. The gabapentin and Neurontin were more challenging due to nerve sensations and burning, but eventually, he managed to become completely medication-free. This personal journey highlights the power of finding alternative rehabilitation methods when traditional approaches fall short.
His experience with CrossFit extended to him becoming an instructor. He recalls attending a Level 1 certification in Santa Cruz in early 2005, shortly after his injury. The experience was humbling, with participants often struggling through workouts like "Fran," a notoriously difficult benchmark.
At the time, he was recovering from Valley Fever, which had significantly impacted his lung capacity. This personal health challenge, coupled with the rigorous demands of CrossFit, underscored the importance of physical resilience. His subsequent attendance at BUD/S 2 was largely to regain his physical footing.
He highlights the "dive in headfirst" mentality of CrossFit, encouraging newcomers to push their limits. This approach, while intense, proved effective for many, including those with pre-existing issues. He witnessed firsthand how the program could build resilience and address physical challenges.
The cumulative effects of his injuries, including concussions, played a significant role in his medical retirement. He was just days away from separating from the Navy in 2010. Upon returning from his last deployment, he was informed that he would need to complete additional tactical leadership tours, which he was unwilling to do, prioritizing family time.
He initially intended to leave the Navy without retirement benefits. However, during his final physical examination, the doctor refused to clear him for separation. This put him in a difficult position, facing the imminent cessation of his pay. He contacted his officer detailer, who, fortunately, was a former commanding officer familiar with his service.
The detailer extended his service for a year, providing a critical window for further evaluation. He was then sent to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), a highly specialized facility attached to Walter Reed, for intensive medical treatment. The civilian-run nature of NICoE contributed to its effectiveness, offering a more cohesive and expert approach to care.
During his 30-day treatment, he underwent comprehensive evaluations, including discussions with psychologists and psychiatrists. Due to retained metal fragments from his injuries, he could not undergo MRI scans. Therefore, his exposure to concussions was estimated based on his extensive operational history, which included experimental jumps, explosions, and breaching charges.
The projected long-term cognitive impacts of this exposure were concerning. He left NICoE with extensive documentation, which became the foundation for his medical retirement. This thorough evaluation process underscored the significance of his combat-related injuries.
He notes that his experience at NICoE was atypical for service members transitioning out of the military. However, he believes such comprehensive screenings should be standard for all personnel. He further suggests that initial and exit medical screenings would provide a more accurate baseline for assessing health changes over time.
Without a baseline measurement, it's difficult to accurately assess the impact of service on an individual's health. The entrance medical screening, therefore, is crucial for establishing a starting point. This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals are not leaving service with unaddressed or undocumented health issues.
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