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Interview with Sgt. Brent Hernandez, US Army (medically retired)
"I served seven years in the U.S. Army. I joined the Army in January 2006 at Fort Benning where I attended basic training, airborne school, ranger indoctrination program, ranger school and sniper school. I spent my seven years assigned to 3D Ranger Battalion. I deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom five times. The best I can describe the incident, was in April 2010, while on a combat mission in Qalat, southern Afghanistan, the pilot chose to land with the wind to get us on the ground faster, but we had a 17mph tail wind. We picked up speed and lost altitude faster than expected and hit the ground at 128 knots, which is around 140mph. |
The CV-22 hit twice then flipped over breaking off the wings and causing them to catch fire. There was approximately 15 minutes before any movement was seen in and around the aircraft.
Within 30-45 minutes the QRF (quick reaction force) and medivac birds were transporting casualties.
My intestines tore through my abdominal wall and I had 3 resections on my small and large intestine. Two traumatic hernias, my oblique muscles tore off my spin and tore in half on both my sides. 2 fractured vertebrae, 3 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung."
Within 30-45 minutes the QRF (quick reaction force) and medivac birds were transporting casualties.
My intestines tore through my abdominal wall and I had 3 resections on my small and large intestine. Two traumatic hernias, my oblique muscles tore off my spin and tore in half on both my sides. 2 fractured vertebrae, 3 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung."
