thedrifter
03-20-08, 11:34 AM
Remembering the first day in Iraq, five years later
written by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
and Chris Vanderveen , Reporter created: 3/19/2008 4:47:38 PM
Last updated: 3/20/2008 6:23:14 AM
DENVER – Jon Lujan was in the first wave of Americans to step foot on Iraqi soil at the start of the war.
"I'll never be the same person I was March 19, 2003," said Lujan. "As soon as we crossed the border, that's when the change happened."
Lujan rejoined the Marines shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He says he was brushing his teeth when he saw a plane hit the second tower. That night, he made up his mind to get back in.
Four days after he went into Iraq, he was injured in an attack.
"My convoy took some fire from the front of the convoy. The driver swerved to get out of the fire and went off the road," said Lujan.
Lujan, a Marine, refused to leave his comrades. He went back into combat, hurting badly.
Two years later, he had surgery to repair his back and something went wrong.
"I thought I was wiggling my toes, but nothing was happening. They were poking my legs with needles and right then, you know, I panicked. I looked over at my Dad and said, 'I'm paralyzed Dad,'" said Lujan.
Colorado has lost more than 50 of its own since the war in Iraq began five years ago and Fort Carson has lost more than 200, according to the Department of Defense. The DOD says nearly 500 Coloradans have been injured.
Lujan is among those that were injured, but his wounds started to heal over time.
"Within the first couple of weeks I got feeling down to my knees," he said. "The braces help me balance and walk normally. Most people don't even know."
However, Lujan believes some of his battle wounds will never heal.
"My uncle was in Vietnam and he said it never goes away, you just learn how to deal with it," he said. "I have nightmares nightly and every night some nights I'll get five hours of sleep. Some nights I get two."
Five years after he went into Iraq, Lujan looked back on the protests, the reunions, the battles and the funerals.
"It's a day with mixed emotions. I woke up today and realized what today was and there's anxiety, there's sadness, there's a whole gamut of emotions," he said.
He says the best thing anyone can do for any Iraq War veteran is just to say "thanks."
"I don't want 'em to react any different than they would for anyone else," he said.
Lujan says he has no regrets.
"For me, I was just doing my job," he said.
Ellie
written by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
and Chris Vanderveen , Reporter created: 3/19/2008 4:47:38 PM
Last updated: 3/20/2008 6:23:14 AM
DENVER – Jon Lujan was in the first wave of Americans to step foot on Iraqi soil at the start of the war.
"I'll never be the same person I was March 19, 2003," said Lujan. "As soon as we crossed the border, that's when the change happened."
Lujan rejoined the Marines shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He says he was brushing his teeth when he saw a plane hit the second tower. That night, he made up his mind to get back in.
Four days after he went into Iraq, he was injured in an attack.
"My convoy took some fire from the front of the convoy. The driver swerved to get out of the fire and went off the road," said Lujan.
Lujan, a Marine, refused to leave his comrades. He went back into combat, hurting badly.
Two years later, he had surgery to repair his back and something went wrong.
"I thought I was wiggling my toes, but nothing was happening. They were poking my legs with needles and right then, you know, I panicked. I looked over at my Dad and said, 'I'm paralyzed Dad,'" said Lujan.
Colorado has lost more than 50 of its own since the war in Iraq began five years ago and Fort Carson has lost more than 200, according to the Department of Defense. The DOD says nearly 500 Coloradans have been injured.
Lujan is among those that were injured, but his wounds started to heal over time.
"Within the first couple of weeks I got feeling down to my knees," he said. "The braces help me balance and walk normally. Most people don't even know."
However, Lujan believes some of his battle wounds will never heal.
"My uncle was in Vietnam and he said it never goes away, you just learn how to deal with it," he said. "I have nightmares nightly and every night some nights I'll get five hours of sleep. Some nights I get two."
Five years after he went into Iraq, Lujan looked back on the protests, the reunions, the battles and the funerals.
"It's a day with mixed emotions. I woke up today and realized what today was and there's anxiety, there's sadness, there's a whole gamut of emotions," he said.
He says the best thing anyone can do for any Iraq War veteran is just to say "thanks."
"I don't want 'em to react any different than they would for anyone else," he said.
Lujan says he has no regrets.
"For me, I was just doing my job," he said.
Ellie