LCpl Erik Galvan, USMC
"I was born and raised in Dallas, TX. I am one of eight siblings. I entered the delayed entry program in December of 2008 because i admired my older brother and wanted to be like him. My older brother also enlisted in the Marine corp. I graduated high school June 5th 2009 and was shipped to boot camp August 4 2009. After boot camp i went to S.O.I (School Of Infantry) and upon completion i was assigned to 1st battalion 5th marines.
Upon arrival we jumped right into training, working towards a deployment. Everyone was looking forward to a combat deployment, that's why we all took the oath to defend our country against its enemies. We deployed in March 2011 to Sangin, Afghanistan where we relived 3/5 . i volunteered to be a point man and basically my job was to work with our combat engineer marking a clear path for my fellow marines to patrol safely on every time we stepped outside the wire.
On June 15th 2011 while on patrol i stepped on an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and as a result i lost my left leg above the knee, my right leg below the knee, and my right hand. From there i was put into a drug induced a comma to keep me alive after I've flat lined 4 times. I spent a few days in Afghanistan because of sand storms. then i went to Germany where i spent about 18 hours before i was sent to Bethesda naval hospital in Maryland. Once there i stayed in a comma for almost three weeks, when i woke up i was in and out of surgeries as well as the start of rehab. I spent 2 months in Maryland before i was transferred to BAMC in Texas. Once there i began a more intensive rehab regimen where i learned to walk again just 4 months after my injuries and 9 months after my injuries i learned how to run. I also relearned how to swim. I spent almost two years there before i moved back to California to pursue a college degree. I was retired from the marine corp April 2013. So now i just attend school full time in hopes to earn degree in social work so i can help other veterans."
"I was born and raised in Dallas, TX. I am one of eight siblings. I entered the delayed entry program in December of 2008 because i admired my older brother and wanted to be like him. My older brother also enlisted in the Marine corp. I graduated high school June 5th 2009 and was shipped to boot camp August 4 2009. After boot camp i went to S.O.I (School Of Infantry) and upon completion i was assigned to 1st battalion 5th marines.
Upon arrival we jumped right into training, working towards a deployment. Everyone was looking forward to a combat deployment, that's why we all took the oath to defend our country against its enemies. We deployed in March 2011 to Sangin, Afghanistan where we relived 3/5 . i volunteered to be a point man and basically my job was to work with our combat engineer marking a clear path for my fellow marines to patrol safely on every time we stepped outside the wire.
On June 15th 2011 while on patrol i stepped on an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and as a result i lost my left leg above the knee, my right leg below the knee, and my right hand. From there i was put into a drug induced a comma to keep me alive after I've flat lined 4 times. I spent a few days in Afghanistan because of sand storms. then i went to Germany where i spent about 18 hours before i was sent to Bethesda naval hospital in Maryland. Once there i stayed in a comma for almost three weeks, when i woke up i was in and out of surgeries as well as the start of rehab. I spent 2 months in Maryland before i was transferred to BAMC in Texas. Once there i began a more intensive rehab regimen where i learned to walk again just 4 months after my injuries and 9 months after my injuries i learned how to run. I also relearned how to swim. I spent almost two years there before i moved back to California to pursue a college degree. I was retired from the marine corp April 2013. So now i just attend school full time in hopes to earn degree in social work so i can help other veterans."
