List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Nov. 15, 2012
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This is the story of one soldier who becomes a triple amputee and how the military medical system struggled to keep him alive. The goal was to illustrate for the general public what military doctors say is the most destructive wound pattern the Afghanistan war or any other conflict has produced — the damage caused by stepping on or near a makeshift bomb buried in the ground. The weapon is the number one killer of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and has led to a record number of multiple amputations, as this story reveals. Doctors consider it the most challenging wound to treat. The package also includes a sidebar on an emerging illness that targets these direly wounded troops — invasive fungal infection.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The Army was pressed for data on the number of amputation cases from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and how they have grown more numerous in recent years because of increased foot patrols in the rural Afghanistan war setting. Military medicine officials also provided data on invasive fungal cases and new research into this problem.
Explain types of human sources used.
Research research required going to Afghanistan. I traveled in and out of the country on military medical evacuation flights to see how casualties are transported. I embedded with the medevac helicopter crew that rescued Staff. Sgt. Christopher Walker. I interviewed caregivers at each junction in the chain-of-care pathway that brought him home. Walker also agreed to be interviewed and photographed for the story.
Results:
Elicited the strongest emotional reaction in feedback from readers that I have ever seen.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
none
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
One element of the story was a willingness to take risks, not only with traveling into a war zone, but finding a wounded soldier to write about. When I left for Afghanistan, I realized there was no guarantee i would return with the story I wanted, if the tempo of combat slowed down and there were none of these specific types of wounds occurring, for example. My editors realized this and were willing to take that chance. However, as it turned out, I learned about Staff Sgt. Christopher Walker while I was embedded with a medevac crew in Afghanistan. While I flew missions with the crew, they talked about his case. I was then able to visit and conduct interviews at the field hospital, area hospital and regional hospital (in Germany) where Walker was treated on his way home, to learn about his care and the challenges of saving his life. I tracked down the medics who gave him initial aid. And I managed to catch up with him and speak with his doctors at Walter Reed Military Medical Center when I returned from Afghanistan.