Cpl Paul Kocina 3RD LAR Cco USMC Ret
I joined the Corps in June of 2006 after graduating high school. Im from Southern California so my travels didn't take me to far with in the Marines. I was not one of the lucky guys that got to use the military as a vacation get away or because I needed a pay check. I was lucky enough to come from a family that was well off but I felt like there was more to life then living off mom and dad.
As a kid I always thought that I was going to join the military but never looked into it to much. As a senior in high school I found out that a child hood friend was killed in Afghanistan and one was badly injured in Iraq. I was about half way through my senior year when I walked into a recruiters office. I was doing well in school and was a honors student. I graduated from Norwalk High and after graduation I was off. I went to boot camp in San Diego and was stationed in 29 Palms CA. I was with Charlie company 3Rd LAR.
Only a few short months after arriving at my unit it was time to pack up and leave for Iraq. I truly felt like I was in the best of hands with everyone from my platoon Sgt all the way to our BCO. I had been having a good time for the most part minus the few times where they shot mortars and rockets at us about three times a week from the start. We got to an area where it had been hot for awhile but we were told that if we just stay in the area and keep active with the locals things will take a change for the better. We had been working with a lot of local law and civilians to get the job done. Just like everyone else we were a bit skeptical of working with these guys because we knew only a few years ago they were fighting with the republican guard. Our seven month deployment was not all fun and games and not all stress.
While in Iraq we were apart of the largest cache of home made explosives found at the time in Iraq. In the start of the new year we were still moving around a lot. The benefit of being apart of LAR is we didn't sit in one area very long. I liked going around and seeing all parts of the country no matter where we were it was an adventure to me. Now that we were edging near the end of the deployment we were all anxious to get going home soon. with about six weeks left we were on a normal patrol and as luck would have it we would face our first KIA. Lcpl Drew Weaver was killed after we stumbled into these "insurgents". We were able to take a few alive but as far as what happened to them I have no idea. When I came home it wasn't long that I realized that I was dealing with a few problems but was not sure what it was. I had only been home about two months then I was in an accident. I was in a motor vehicle accident and that was the start of something new.
In my accident I broke my L3,4,5. collapsed left lung. punctured left lung. torn descending aorta, compound right tib fib with broken knee and foot, compound fracture of my left femur. I spent the next two months laid up in a hospital and was just the start. I got hurt August 24 2008 and I have spent the last five and half years trying to get better. My first batch of operations did not go as well as I thought it should have. The first time the doctor put a rod into my leg two inches to short. I had a case worker that forgot I had gotten hurt and let me sit in convalescent leave for five months. I was left at home with no care, no doctors, no help. I went back to another doctor to fix the left leg but he did just as bad as job as the last doctor.
I had another operation to re set the left femur but not only did that doctor cut a vital artery but he also put the femur in the wrong spot and that resulted in me needing another operation. At this point I have had four operations to fix what was just a broken femur and it kept going wrong every time it got worked on. After being in PT for nearly four years I had had enough of pain, meds, PT, and not walking. I got out of the military and had to go to the VA for them to do one last surgery. I went into se a new orthopedic surgeon to amputate my left leg. I had run out of ideas on what to do and it hurt to much to keep so I took a gamble and chose to amputate my leg. I chose to have my leg amputated because I saw other amputees doing so much more then what I was able to do.
I had my left leg amputated in January of 2012 and since then it was a battle to just walk again. I had a lot of damage done to my right leg but the left leg was done for. I have spent the better part of two years rehabilitating and physical therapy on my right leg; as well as learning to walking again on my left leg. The transition was not easy but with hard work everything came through. Only months after loosing my left leg, and months of therapy I was able to walk down the isle for my wedding that same year. Today I live a good life and don't complain about much.
Things are hard for me, but I just figure a way to work through it all. I know there are people out there worse off than me in worse conditions, some dealing with mental issues and/or substance abuse. That's why I take everyday as a win. As far as the injuries go that should have killed me, they have surprisingly healed and have not left long term effects. I find it strange that some of the simplest injuries that anyone should be able to heal from and lead a normal life are the things giving me the biggest problems. I personally have never heard of anyone who broke a femur who had to end up amputating as a result from bad doctors. I have known plenty of people that have broken bones the same if not worse than me that have led normal lives and continued on as if it never happened, but such as luck.
My life is different but it is still perfectly fine for me. I am not the same person as I was before my injury, and for that I am very thankful. My injury taught me to be more humble, accepting, understanding, and compassionate toward others. As much as this accident has taken from me, its given me more. I now have a home, a wife, and a life I wouldn't trade anything for. It is hard to walk everyday and I know later on I will be dealing with more issues then I would like to imagine. For now, I will just count my blessings. I share my story and my experiences with people to hopefully enlighten someone on the real important things in life. Through depression, PTSD, substance abuse, I have been able to find a happy way out and lead the best life possible. Today I lead a normal life, I volunteer every Sunday at my church. I work out, spend time at the beach, fishing, ride dirt bikes, and enjoy life all around.
I joined the Corps in June of 2006 after graduating high school. Im from Southern California so my travels didn't take me to far with in the Marines. I was not one of the lucky guys that got to use the military as a vacation get away or because I needed a pay check. I was lucky enough to come from a family that was well off but I felt like there was more to life then living off mom and dad.
As a kid I always thought that I was going to join the military but never looked into it to much. As a senior in high school I found out that a child hood friend was killed in Afghanistan and one was badly injured in Iraq. I was about half way through my senior year when I walked into a recruiters office. I was doing well in school and was a honors student. I graduated from Norwalk High and after graduation I was off. I went to boot camp in San Diego and was stationed in 29 Palms CA. I was with Charlie company 3Rd LAR.
Only a few short months after arriving at my unit it was time to pack up and leave for Iraq. I truly felt like I was in the best of hands with everyone from my platoon Sgt all the way to our BCO. I had been having a good time for the most part minus the few times where they shot mortars and rockets at us about three times a week from the start. We got to an area where it had been hot for awhile but we were told that if we just stay in the area and keep active with the locals things will take a change for the better. We had been working with a lot of local law and civilians to get the job done. Just like everyone else we were a bit skeptical of working with these guys because we knew only a few years ago they were fighting with the republican guard. Our seven month deployment was not all fun and games and not all stress.
While in Iraq we were apart of the largest cache of home made explosives found at the time in Iraq. In the start of the new year we were still moving around a lot. The benefit of being apart of LAR is we didn't sit in one area very long. I liked going around and seeing all parts of the country no matter where we were it was an adventure to me. Now that we were edging near the end of the deployment we were all anxious to get going home soon. with about six weeks left we were on a normal patrol and as luck would have it we would face our first KIA. Lcpl Drew Weaver was killed after we stumbled into these "insurgents". We were able to take a few alive but as far as what happened to them I have no idea. When I came home it wasn't long that I realized that I was dealing with a few problems but was not sure what it was. I had only been home about two months then I was in an accident. I was in a motor vehicle accident and that was the start of something new.
In my accident I broke my L3,4,5. collapsed left lung. punctured left lung. torn descending aorta, compound right tib fib with broken knee and foot, compound fracture of my left femur. I spent the next two months laid up in a hospital and was just the start. I got hurt August 24 2008 and I have spent the last five and half years trying to get better. My first batch of operations did not go as well as I thought it should have. The first time the doctor put a rod into my leg two inches to short. I had a case worker that forgot I had gotten hurt and let me sit in convalescent leave for five months. I was left at home with no care, no doctors, no help. I went back to another doctor to fix the left leg but he did just as bad as job as the last doctor.
I had another operation to re set the left femur but not only did that doctor cut a vital artery but he also put the femur in the wrong spot and that resulted in me needing another operation. At this point I have had four operations to fix what was just a broken femur and it kept going wrong every time it got worked on. After being in PT for nearly four years I had had enough of pain, meds, PT, and not walking. I got out of the military and had to go to the VA for them to do one last surgery. I went into se a new orthopedic surgeon to amputate my left leg. I had run out of ideas on what to do and it hurt to much to keep so I took a gamble and chose to amputate my leg. I chose to have my leg amputated because I saw other amputees doing so much more then what I was able to do.
I had my left leg amputated in January of 2012 and since then it was a battle to just walk again. I had a lot of damage done to my right leg but the left leg was done for. I have spent the better part of two years rehabilitating and physical therapy on my right leg; as well as learning to walking again on my left leg. The transition was not easy but with hard work everything came through. Only months after loosing my left leg, and months of therapy I was able to walk down the isle for my wedding that same year. Today I live a good life and don't complain about much.
Things are hard for me, but I just figure a way to work through it all. I know there are people out there worse off than me in worse conditions, some dealing with mental issues and/or substance abuse. That's why I take everyday as a win. As far as the injuries go that should have killed me, they have surprisingly healed and have not left long term effects. I find it strange that some of the simplest injuries that anyone should be able to heal from and lead a normal life are the things giving me the biggest problems. I personally have never heard of anyone who broke a femur who had to end up amputating as a result from bad doctors. I have known plenty of people that have broken bones the same if not worse than me that have led normal lives and continued on as if it never happened, but such as luck.
My life is different but it is still perfectly fine for me. I am not the same person as I was before my injury, and for that I am very thankful. My injury taught me to be more humble, accepting, understanding, and compassionate toward others. As much as this accident has taken from me, its given me more. I now have a home, a wife, and a life I wouldn't trade anything for. It is hard to walk everyday and I know later on I will be dealing with more issues then I would like to imagine. For now, I will just count my blessings. I share my story and my experiences with people to hopefully enlighten someone on the real important things in life. Through depression, PTSD, substance abuse, I have been able to find a happy way out and lead the best life possible. Today I lead a normal life, I volunteer every Sunday at my church. I work out, spend time at the beach, fishing, ride dirt bikes, and enjoy life all around.
