Sept. 17, 2012 10:08 AM
Special to The Republic | azcentral.com
Cpl. Barbara Liau, a spokeswoman for the Arizona National Guard, submitted this article.
Capt. Michael W. Potter of Mesa, the executive officer of the Arizona National Guard's Medical Hold Detachment, was awarded the Purple Heart this month for injuries he sustained in Iraq when he was with the 259th Engineer Company in 2007.
Maj. Gen. Hugo E. Salazar, the adjutant general for the Arizona National Guard, awarded the Purple Heart, the oldest military decoration in the world presently in use.
Potter was on a combat-logistics patrol when an improvised explosive device detonated next to his gun truck. The impact of the explosion left him with a traumatic brain injury that he is still dealing with today.
"I see this award as more of a symbol. A symbol of what I've been through, but more importantly a symbol of what my family has been through, and what we have to deal with every day and into the future," Potter said. "Just because somebody comes back and they have all their fingers, their toes, no extra holes, doesn't mean they're not feeling something."
Although the injury has limited what Potter can do in the military, he hasn't let that stop him from moving on with life and continue doing his job.
"Despite the injuries, he does not take that as a setback," said Maj. Margaret E. Bielenberg, the surface maintenance manager for the Arizona National Guard and Potter's work supervisor. "He is my go-to guy for everything. He's a completely reliable employee, and I can't imagine doing the job without him."
Bielenberg spoke about the example of true resiliency Potter sets for those around him.
"He's a great example to soldiers," she said. "Showing them you can take setbacks and still keep going forward and use that as a chance to grow."
In his acceptance remarks, Potter encouraged soldiers to help each other use the tools provided by the military to get help if they are struggling with any type of injury.
"Just because we're back on American soil doesn't mean we have to stop looking out for our buddies," he said. "If you see somebody struggling, encourage them to get the help they need."
"It truly is an honor to receive such a historical award and be grouped with a class of soldiers who have received the Purple Heart."
18 Sep, 2012
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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2012/09/11/20120911national-guard-captain-from-mesa-awarded-purple-heart.html
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