Fulfilling his duty: a wounded warrior's story

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tony R. Ritter
  • 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  His one remaining arm held firmly on his wife as he toured facilities he could not see and spoke to people he could only hear. Yet, he moved and spoke with an air of strength and patriotism that only a wounded warrior could possess. 

Staff Sgt. Matthew Slaydon and his wife, Annette, visited several U.S. Air Forces in Europe units as part of a nine-day education and morale tour Nov. 13 to 22. They brought with them a powerful message for servicemembers and families. 

"Sergeant Slaydon, a wounded warrior, coveys a powerful message of duty, sacrifice , and determination that not only inspires us to better ourselves as individuals and Airmen but also reaffirms the importance of the core values that guide all Airmen; integrity, service, and excellence," said Chief Master Sgt. Pamela A. Derrow, USAFE command chief master sergeant. "With Annette by his side, we are reminded of the significance of family and how service to country extends well beyond the active duty member, and that we are 'All In' as a military service." 

Sergeant Slaydon was critically injured while on his third deployment to Iraq as an explosive ordinance disposal technician. He was assigned to the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. 

On October 24, 2007, he was a first responder to a report of a possible roadside improvised explosive device. While attempting to inert the IED, the bomb exploded in his face, throwing him 25 feet through the air, claiming his left arm and both of his eyes, collapsing his lungs, and inflicting several severe lacerations to his face and upper body.
He has since undergone over a year of recovery and rehabilitation at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Despite having a prosthetic arm and being completely blind, he has dedicated his remaining time in service, before being medically retired, to traveling the world, using his story and message to help and encourage others. 

"Despite my injuries, I am still an NCO, and as an NCO it's my duty to help others," Sergeant Slaydon said. "It is a privilege for me to be able to give back in whatever ways that I am able." 

His goals during his KMC visit -- praise the Air Force health care system, raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder warning signs and treatment options, and emphasize the importance of completing all of the pre-deployment paperwork prior to deploying. 

"We haven't been able to say enough good about Air Force health care, from those first critical moments right up until today," said his wife, Annette. "We took the time to fill out that pre-deployment paper work before Matt left the last time, which made these processes and transitions much smoother, enabling the professionals to get in there and do the superb work that they do, right away. The fact that we are here today speaks volumes to the expertise and continued support of our Air Force health care." 

The Slaydons made several stops during their USAFE visit, including Buechel Air Base, Spangdahlem, Bitburg High School, Heidelberg, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Ramstein. While at Ramstein they spoke at commander's calls, visited the Kisling NCO Academy, Airmen Leadership School and the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility. 

"It was very humbling and surreal to give a tour of the CASF to Staff Sgt. Slaydon, a former Critical Care Air Transport Team patient ... explaining to him what he must have gone through when he arrived in the Landstuhl intensive care unit from Iraq, and then being transported by another CCATT, based here in Ramstein, back stateside," said Maj. Laurie Turner, CASF director of operations. 

Sergeant Slaydon spent two and a half days in the LRMC intensive care unit before being transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., which made his visit even more special for many of the staff members. 

"Sergeant Slaydon's visit has given many of us comfort and closure to see that the patients that come into our ICUs and whom spend only a few days performing our life saving procedures for, before they're transferred out, do continue their healing and rehabilitation beyond LRMC," said Master Sgt. Timothy Carentz, LRMC Clinical Flight chief. 

As November's status of Warrior Care month passes, the Slaydon's left Ramstein having gained the same strength and morale from the community that they had come to deliver. 

"We've been encouraged by this visit just as much as we've tried to be an encouragement," Sergeant Slaydon said.