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thedrifter
10-01-09, 08:54 AM
Greeley soldier survives shot by Iraq sniper
Colin Lindenmayer,
A Greeley man was shot last week in Iraq.

Don't worry, he'll be OK.

He caught the bullet in his hand.

U.S. Army Sgt. Kevin Novak, 21, graduated from Greeley West High School in 2006. According to his mother, Susan Novak, Kevin was in Ramadi, Iraq, on Sept. 24 with the 82nd Airborne. He was shot by a sniper in the back of one of his shoulders. The bullet hit muscle, no bone, and then hit and entered his hand sideways. The shot went in behind his thumb and lodged there.

Susan said Kevin was getting his soldiers into their vehicles at the end of their day when the shooting occurred. Once shot, he immediately stepped to the side of his vehicle and radioed that he and his men were under attack. He initially thought a grenade had been thrown. His shoulder felt hot. Then someone pointed out that he was bleeding.

When he took his glove off, blood gushed out of a gash in his hand. Despite all that, Kevin remained calm and made sure all of his soldiers were safely in their vehicles. He didn't even fall down after getting shot.

According to an e-mail from 2nd Lt. Adam C. Johnson to Kevin's parents, upon being wounded, Kevin “sent a clear message over his radio alerting the rest of the platoon of the sniper, so no one else would be in harm's way.”

No other soldiers were injured. Kevin's injury was relatively minor, though he was taken from the scene in a medical evacuation vehicle.

Susan said she wasn't surprised her son retained his composure throughout the ordeal.

“He kept his calm, and a lot of his men look up to him,” she said.

Susan has raised two boys who entered the military — Kevin and Chris Novak, who completed two tours with the Marines. Kevin also has a stepbrother, best friend and cousins in the military.

Kevin is married. His wife lives in Colorado Springs. He is headed to Germany where he'll be stationed now that he's received treatment for his wounds. He told his mother he wants the bullet back once forensic examination is complete.

An e-mail from Capt. John G. Miller to Kevin's parents stated Kevin's surgery after the shooting went well, and Kevin will have to rehabilitate acute carpal tunnel as a result of the injuries. Miller noted that the sniper had not yet been caught as of Friday.

Although Susan was reluctant to tell her sons' story — she doesn't like to brag — she did admit she's lucky to still have both sons. Chris already has a Purple Heart, and Kevin is expected to get one now.

But there's more. Susan explained Tuesday that Kevin narrowly avoided a worse fate by moving just as the sniper pulled the trigger, throwing off the sniper's aim and allowing the shot to strike Kevin's shoulder — and eventually his hand — while it could have struck a more fatal area of the body.

“Now we can laugh and joke,” Susan said. “In the beginning, knowing how close he came. …”

Her voice trailed off.

“He was very lucky,” she continued. “But the bullet entered his hand, and it stayed there, and he can joke now that he caught a bullet with his hand.”

Ellie