My name is Douglas Szczepanski, Jr., and I am a medically retired SGT with the U.S.Army and Michigan Army National Guard.
My job and specialty training was 13M (MLRS) Rockets-Field Artillery Crewmember and Combat 31B Military Police Gunner. I began my service in March of 2001, when I joined the Army as a 13M (MLRS) Field Artillery Crew member. I shot large rockets capable of destroying enemy armor, artillery and vehicles. I joined a few months short of the devastating 9/11 attacks. In fact, I was supposed to be on my way to basic training the day the attacks happened. My boot camp was cut short a week because of it. After basic training and Field Artillery AIT (Advanced Individual Training), my duty station was the B Battery 1-182 FA (MLRS), a National Guard armory in my hometown of Bay City, MI. I served as a citizen-soldier for almost 3 years, performing the tasks of a 13M (MLRS) gunner, which include, maintenance, fire missions and unit drill. In 2004 after many months of meeting, where we were in the dark about our future, my unit the 1/182 FA Battalion was re-formed into one smaller unit in order to fulfill a security mission in Bagdad, Iraq.
Our unit designation fluctuated, but it was most commonly known as C 182 SECFOR (Security Force) or C182 MP (Military Police.) We were sent to Ft. Dix, N.J. for mobilization training in preparation for our mission to Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 (OIF III). This lasted for about three or so months and in January of 2005, my unit was deployed to the sandbox.
I was asked to become my commander’s gunner and personal security detachment and since I didn’t really have a choice I said yes. My commander was and is a great guy. C182 was tasked with training over 27 Iraqi police stations, route patrol, detainee operations and Iraqi police academy training. My team leader SGT Vic and I had the primary duty and responsibility for keeping my commander safe; doing route patrol, make sure the convoy was safe and being his personal security. In this capacity I performed over 8000 miles of route patrol and security as an MP 50cal gunner.
My life was completely upended on September 15, 2005. While on route patrol, in pursuit of Taco Bell at Camp Taji (The official mission was to meet the incoming unit’s commander), I was wounded in combat. As we traveled from our base, Camp Rusty, in southeast Baghdad, I began to look for threats. I noticed a gray Opel, a German car found in abundance in Iraq. I knew it was a threat and prayed and asked the Lord for peace, protection and courage. Going 60 miles an hour a car neared on the right side of our HUMMVEE. I yelled and waved it off. Then I turned and the gray Opel was there and I started to draw down and began firing and that’s when it exploded, a suicide car bomber with 7 155 rounds detonated inches from my face. I began to go into shock and was transported into surgery and almost died many times on my way back home to the states. I then spent almost a year and half a Ft. Sam Houston, at Brooke Army Medical Center where I recovered from a TBI, blindness in my left eye, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns, broken wrist, face and hand bones. I have two metal plates holding my jaw together, no vision in my left eye and a piece of shrapnel in my brain to this day. I medically retired in December of 2006. The only reason I’m alive is because of Jesus.
My great grandparents served in the Army during WW2, but I never really knew them. I had cousin that served in the Marines in the 90s, during peacetime, who almost persuaded me to join the USMC. It didn’t work. I picked the better branch! That being said, I have much love and respect for my fellow brothers and sisters in the USMC. My dad is currently a Michigan State Police officer and his influence on my life is one of the big reasons why I choose to join the military. I wanted to become a police officer like my dad and I wanted to be in the Army since I was little kid, these two reasons together were instrumental in why I joined.
The reasons I enlisted were: I wanted to serve my country, get help to pay for college, to prepare me for the Michigan State Police and because I had always wanted to be a soldier. There were a few that bad parts that stood out. Aside from being wounded, which turned out to be a blessing in my life, the worst days were when my unit lost a soldier, SSG Ricky Kieffer in March of 2005 and the day PTSD took another one of our unit in 2014. These events were the hardest to endure. It has changed everything in my life. My college plans, my goals, my occupation, where I live and my outlook on life has all changed because of my combat experience. I made many sacrifices, as do all of us in the Armed Forces. I could no longer be a police officer due to the loss of vision in my left eye, I couldn’t do my job. I can do more with one of my eyes being blind, than I could’ve ever done with full sight!” If I had not been blown up, countless doors for the message of the gospel would not be open to me, yet here I am able to go and share today in schools, churches and even the government in the military any longer and I was unable to exercise the way I used to. My whole life was changed because of my military service.
My greatest fear was always that I would pull the trigger on someone at the wrong moment or prematurely. I didn’t fear losing my life. The return home and reception was overwhelmingly positive. Wounded Warrior Project gave me and my family financial aid, clothing and resources. Fellow veterans hosted free dinners. Basketball teams gave me free tickets. Baseball players flew us to California for a free game. Over the years, many people, organizations and fellow veterans have made me feel welcome and given me so much. Now I’m trying to reach out to my fellow veterans and make sure they are taken care of. I’m medically retired from the U.S. Army, on VA disability. My wife and I have two boys, Elijah and Micah. I started a non-profit, which I run, called Douglas Szczepanski Ministries. Under my ministry www.douglasszczepanski.org I do public speaking, evangelism, preaching and veteran’s advocacy. I am writing a book about my story and seeking to expand veteran’s outreach.
I am also a licensed minister and I attend Liberty University School of Divinity online, in the Master of Divinity, in the Theology program.
~Douglas Szczepanski, Iraq Veteran
www.facebook.com/douglasszczepanski?fref=ts
twitter.com/Douglas_S_Jr
We are to grateful to Douglas for sharing his service and story with Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, where we are all connected.
It is a great privilege and honor to collect these stories from our veterans of all wars, none of whom reached out to me. I have found them to be a humble group of men and women. These stories are their stories.
~ Jenny Lasala
