thedrifter
08-05-08, 10:01 AM
For Injured Corpsman 'Doc,' A Dose Of Naval Honor
By NEIL JOHNSON
The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 5, 2008
TAMPA - Almost half of Ivonne Thompson's three-year marriage has been spent at hospitals helping care for her husband, who was seriously wounded in Iraq last year.
Their son's entire life of 10 months has been spent in the company of doctors, nurses and staff at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital. She and her son, A.J., are living in housing on the hospital grounds while hospital corpsman Anthony Thompson slowly recovers from a grave head wound that would have left him dead in any previous war.
"I do it out of love for my husband," she said. "I want A.J. and Anthony to know each other."
On Monday, Anthony Thompson, known as "Doc," received a promotion to petty officer second class while surrounded by members of other services, Navy officers and family. During much of the ceremony, A.J. sat in his lap.
It is unusual for the Navy to grant a promotion when a sailor is wounded and cannot take the advancement examination, Navy Capt. Oakley Watkins III said.
In reviewing Thompson's service record, however, the corpsman with two tours in Iraq earned the promotion on his merits, Watkins said.
He told Ivonne Thompson to remember the event so she could tell her husband about it.
"I believe you will have the opportunity to do that," Watkins said.
For most of the promotion ceremony, Ivonne Thompson clutched a tissue, gently rubbed her husband's neck and steadied A.J. in his lap.
She went through a lot of tissues.
"It was very emotional. It's hard to see him in uniform. It's the first time I've seen him in cammies since his deployment," she said later.
They were married three years ago, just before her husband's first deployment to Iraq. It was during his second tour, while attached to a Marine battalion near Fallujah, that a suicide bomber detonated an explosive under an overpass where Thompson and Marines were standing on April 20, 2007.
The blast injured Thompson and seven Marines.
Ivonne Thompson has been at her husband's side since he was flown to Landstuhl, Germany, and then to Bethesda, Md. She was 20 weeks pregnant at the time.
"The amount of support from the military has been unbelievable," she said.
The presence of his wife and A.J. has helped Anthony Thompson make progress in his months at the veterans hospital, said Steve Scott, one of his doctors.
At first he was not responsive, Scott said. Now he responds to three-word sentences.
He also responds when A.J. is in the room, Scott said.
The explosion left Anthony Thompson with a head injury, a less severe injury to his spine and other wounds.
"He would not be alive in previous wars," Scott said.
The family probably has at least another six months to spend at the Tampa hospital.
"We're not sure how far he's going to go. It's unknown if he will make a full recovery," Scott said.
The veterans hospital, which specializes in spinal cord injuries, has about 25 patients with serious injuries such as Thompson's, said hospital spokeswoman Carolyn Clark.
Some stay at the hospital for more than a year, depending on the severity of their wounds, she said.
Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.
Ellie
By NEIL JOHNSON
The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 5, 2008
TAMPA - Almost half of Ivonne Thompson's three-year marriage has been spent at hospitals helping care for her husband, who was seriously wounded in Iraq last year.
Their son's entire life of 10 months has been spent in the company of doctors, nurses and staff at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital. She and her son, A.J., are living in housing on the hospital grounds while hospital corpsman Anthony Thompson slowly recovers from a grave head wound that would have left him dead in any previous war.
"I do it out of love for my husband," she said. "I want A.J. and Anthony to know each other."
On Monday, Anthony Thompson, known as "Doc," received a promotion to petty officer second class while surrounded by members of other services, Navy officers and family. During much of the ceremony, A.J. sat in his lap.
It is unusual for the Navy to grant a promotion when a sailor is wounded and cannot take the advancement examination, Navy Capt. Oakley Watkins III said.
In reviewing Thompson's service record, however, the corpsman with two tours in Iraq earned the promotion on his merits, Watkins said.
He told Ivonne Thompson to remember the event so she could tell her husband about it.
"I believe you will have the opportunity to do that," Watkins said.
For most of the promotion ceremony, Ivonne Thompson clutched a tissue, gently rubbed her husband's neck and steadied A.J. in his lap.
She went through a lot of tissues.
"It was very emotional. It's hard to see him in uniform. It's the first time I've seen him in cammies since his deployment," she said later.
They were married three years ago, just before her husband's first deployment to Iraq. It was during his second tour, while attached to a Marine battalion near Fallujah, that a suicide bomber detonated an explosive under an overpass where Thompson and Marines were standing on April 20, 2007.
The blast injured Thompson and seven Marines.
Ivonne Thompson has been at her husband's side since he was flown to Landstuhl, Germany, and then to Bethesda, Md. She was 20 weeks pregnant at the time.
"The amount of support from the military has been unbelievable," she said.
The presence of his wife and A.J. has helped Anthony Thompson make progress in his months at the veterans hospital, said Steve Scott, one of his doctors.
At first he was not responsive, Scott said. Now he responds to three-word sentences.
He also responds when A.J. is in the room, Scott said.
The explosion left Anthony Thompson with a head injury, a less severe injury to his spine and other wounds.
"He would not be alive in previous wars," Scott said.
The family probably has at least another six months to spend at the Tampa hospital.
"We're not sure how far he's going to go. It's unknown if he will make a full recovery," Scott said.
The veterans hospital, which specializes in spinal cord injuries, has about 25 patients with serious injuries such as Thompson's, said hospital spokeswoman Carolyn Clark.
Some stay at the hospital for more than a year, depending on the severity of their wounds, she said.
Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.
Ellie