Sgt. Thomas Charles Linville

Thomas C. Linville was born in Boise, Idaho on August 22, 1985. He is the youngest and only son in his family. He has three sisters, Elizabeth 30, Brooke 28, and Heather 27. His parents Tom 60 and Christine 54 are divorced, but remarried and live in Boise, Idaho. Charlie grew up in Boise playing soccer for a traveling team, and attending elementary school, middle school, and high school in his home town. Charlie graduated from Boise High School in 2004 despite the challenges he faced when his father was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma during his Freshman year of high school. Eager to pursue his aspirations of serving in the United States military, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California on January 22, 2006. After graduating boot camp he attended the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton in May 2006. Sergeant Linville married his high school sweetheart Mandi 22 on August 26, 2006. Having successfully completely SOI training, Sergeant Linville became a 0351, Assault man. He was stationed temporarily with 3rd Battalion 1st Marines, and shortly after found his home with the marines of 3rd Battalion 5th Marines as the 0351 section leader. After completing successful deployment preparations, Sergeant Linville deployed with 3/5 to Fallujah, Iraq from September 2007 to April 2008, just two weeks after the birth of his first daughter Taylor 3. During his tour he was combat meritoriously promoted to Corporal for actions taken while conducting infantry operations. While serving in Iraq, Sergeant Linville occupied the role of NCOIC of Observation Post O'haire, and was one of three patrol leaders for mounted security missions within the Company's area of operation.

Charlie returned from Iraq and decided to pursue his interest in explosives further. He submitted a lateral move to change his MOS from 0351 Assault man to 2336 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician. While awaiting orders to attend Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Sergeant Linville completed on the job training at Base EOD at Camp Pendleton, California. Once he completed OJT duties at the base shop, he received orders to NAVSCHOOL EOD, where reported in on March 26, 2008. Upon completion of NAVSCHOOL EOD on November 13, 2009 Charlie received orders to 9th ESB 3rd EOD Company on Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan. While stationed in Okinawa, Sergeant Linville received his second Letter of Appreciation for his volunteer work with the Marine Corps Thrift Shop. Charlie was assigned to a team where he trained for six months prior to deploying. Two months before deploying, Charlie and Mandi delivered their second daughter Dyllan 7 months on August 5, 2010. He left for Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October of 2010 where secured, he then conducted EOD operations sweeping the surrounding area so as to allow the safe and timely landing of air medevac personnel. Once his team leader was safely in the air and in route to the hospital, Sergeant Linville conducted post blast analysis and returned to base. Sgt Linville received his Combat Action Ribbon for his efforts and is currently pending individual awards for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Sergeant Linville was placed with a new EOD team and continued operations in Sangin. While working with his new team, Sergeant Linville disarmed a multitude of IEDs. On January 20, 2011, Sergeant Linville and his team were responding to an IED detonation. While conducting a sweep of the surrounding area, Sergeant Linville was struck by a tertiary device. The IED blasted Charlie into the air, and brought him directly down into the blast crater. The explosion inflicted multiple injuries on Sergeant Linville, some visible others not. Sergeant Linville suffered fractures to his right foot including his cuboid, calcaneous, and two outer metatarsals, in addition to fractures sustained in his right middle finger, and amputation of his right ring finger. Other injuries that resulted from the blast include a degenerated disk in his lower spine, PTSD, and mild traumatic brain injury. After Charlie was medically evacuated he was flown to Bastian Medical Center where he underwent surgery on his hand. Next Sergeant Linville was flown to Bagram Air Force Base where he underwent additional surgery on his hand. Once Charlie was flown out of Afghanistan he went to Germany for three nights. He then flew to Bethesda, Maryland for a night and finally reached his destination at Balboa Naval Hospital where he received multiple surgeries on his hand and foot in order to restore usability of both. Charlie has undergone multiple experimental surgeries in order to walk independently once more. He has completed occupational therapy on his right hand and regained 80% functionality. He continues operations and therapy on his foot and back in order to walk, sit, and stand without the IDEO brace and other supports etc. Charlie will lose his foot to a below the knee amputation this summer after fighting for over a year to save it.

Charlie's injuries have impaired him significantly but he is determined to return to full functionality. Depsite his injuries and debilitating pain, he has volunteered his time with the Armed Services YMCA building houses with Habitat for Humanity and volunteering with Feed America. He plans to medically retire from active duty as an EOD Tech and focus on regaining function in his back as well as mobility. Charlie plans to attend Boise State University through the Wyakin Warrior Foundation. He will seek a degree in Biomedical Engineering. He will not let his injuries interfere with living a full and happy life and he will go on to do amazing things to support his family and his community.

Noah Galloway

One month after 9/11, noah galloway enlisted in the us army.there,he was assigned to the 1st of the 502nd Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. in the infantry, he was one of the few elite soldiers who would serve as front line ground troops during a time of war. In 2003, Noah fought in the initial strike on Iraq and spent one year fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom, which he says got him "hooked" and from that moment he knew he wanted to return. "I loved my job as an infantry soldier," says Noah. "In the first year I was there, I saw the difference and progress we were making. I could not wait to return. Just the thought of going back thrilled me." In September 2005, Noah was finally redeployed to Iraq and just three months later, he suffered a life changing injury. On December 19, 2005, Noah lost his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Yusafiah, Iraq. He was quickly transported to Germany to receive medical treatment and was unconscious for five days. Noah woke up late in the evening on Christmas Eve to find out he had lost two of his limbs and also sustained several injuries to his remaining leg and his jaw. Noah was then transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Not only was he faced with the overwhelming challenge of his recovery and learning to live life as a double amputee.

Moving beyond the emotional scars, Noah focused all his energy on his physical recovery and used the support of his fellow injured soldiers at Walter Reed as inspiration. "All of us were raised in different towns with different families, but we were all servicemen and women who put our all into what we did and now each of us faced a different life ahead than the one we left before we went to combat," says Noah. "Whether is was a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, blindness, loss of a limb or some other kind of injury, we were all trying to find out who we were now that we were out in our communities with our new bodies, new mindsets and new lives."

Corporal Kionte Storey

Corporal Kionte Storey was born in Stockton, Ca on August 1st, 1988. He graduated from Edison High School in june 2007 and shipped off to Marine Corp Training Depot Of San Diego in July 15th, 2007.

After completion of boot camp Pfc. Storey was sent to Infantry Training Battalion at the School of Infantry located on Camp Pendleton, CA. After graduating school of infantry in december of 07, Pfc. Storey was assigned to his first duty station in twenty-nine palms, CA with 3rd battalion 7th marines. Lcpl. Storey was deployed to haditha, Iraq in August of 2008 to February of 2009 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lcpl. Storey was soon deploy to Afghanistan in march of 2010 for Operation Enduring Freedom where he sustained his injuries. Lcpl. Storey was a team leader on patrol in early morning of September with is squad when clearing out a building he was hit by an IED, sustaining lost of lower right limb below the knee and compartment syndrome to his left leg. Lcpl. Storey was carried out and move while still leading his junior marine. He was transported to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan to be treated for his injuries then transported to Bethesda medical center in Virginia where he was awarded his purple heart and navy achievement medal w/ valor device(NAM).

Cpl. Storey is now receiving treatment at Naval Medical Center of San Diego (NMCSD) in Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care (C5) rehabilitation program. Cpl. Storey has made a amazing recovery and fast recovery. He has now since his injuries snowboarded, skateboarded, and skied. He is now competing in track of 100m and 200m in attempt to making it to the Paralympics. Cpl. Storey refuses to let anything hold him back and continue to push on. His high spirit and motivation has enlightened other wounded marines to also to continue and push forward because life doesn't stop so we shouldnt either.

Cpl. Brad Ivanchan

I was born November 4th 1988 in Phoenix, Az. I had an average upbringing and was born into a middle class family. Both my parents work for the same company and worked hard to provide me, my older brother, and younger sister everything we needed growing up. In grade school as well as high school I loved sports and played football as well as rugby. I also loved music and frequently attended local metal and rock shows around Phoenix. Despite all the trouble I got in growing up In 2007 I graduated from Deer Valley high school.

Ever since I could remember I wanted to be a marine, and on January 22nd 2008 I shipped out to USMC Recruit Depot San Diego to become one. Within a few months of graduating boot camp I was stationed with 1st battalion 7th marines as a machine gunner with Charlie Company, weapons platoon. Within a year my unit was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq where I spent 7 months as a turret gunner providing security for Explosive Ordinance Disposal teams as well as conducting mobile security patrols in the Karma and Fallujah area. My second deployment was in the fall of 2010 where I was deployed to the south pacific under the 31 st Marine Expeditionary Unit. I returned home in early 2011 and shortly after I met the love of my life Sarah Welch. All of 2011 I spent training for my upcoming deployment to Afghanistan all the while making the drive back home every weekend to Arizona to see Sarah. Finally on December 28th 2011 I married Sarah in Las Vegas, Nevada

In March 2012 I deployed to the deadly Sangin district of Afghanistan. There I spent the next 3 months as a machine gun Squad leader conducting day and night foot patrols in Sangin's southern green zone. On the night of June 13 th I stepped on a pressure plate of an 8 to 12 pound I.E.D, and my life was changed forever. The I.E.D blew off both my legs, my right below the knee, and my left above the knee. That same night two other members from our nine man squad were wounded, and one was killed. Two days later I woke up in a hospital in Germany and had to come to terms with the loss of my legs, and the fact that my life would never be the same. On June 18th I arrived at Balboa Navy Medical Hospital in San Diego California. There I received many more surgeries repairing my legs as well as my left hand. Only once the surgeries were done with did I start the long and painful process of recovery...