15+ Images Show What The Veterans We Sent To The Middle East Look Like Now

One of the photographers wrote that the images are “an opportunity to open a dialogue about issues we are not necessarily comfortable with… and also issues that we are responsible for.”

#9 Matt Smith

On June 8, 2013, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, Major Matt was shot along with five others by a member of the Afghan National Army. The bullet severed his femoral artery resulting in the amputation of his leg.

Credit: David Jay

#10 Shilo Harris

SSG Shilo Harris lives in Houston. Shilo was severely burned on February 19th, 2007 by a road side bomb estimated at 700 lbs. He lost three men out of a crew of 5. Only Shilo and his driver survived the blast.

Credit: David Jay

#11 Joel Tavera

Joel, now 26, was injured in Iraq at age 20. Severely burned, blinded, a leg lost and over 90 surgeries later. Joel had this to say: “Looks are deceiving . . . what looks like a half empty glass is actually three-quarters full”.

Credit: David Jay

#12 Allan Armstrong

Army staff sergeant Allan Armstrong was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan four times. He had just finished training when a motorcycle crash took his leg. He has since placed first in the 2014 Warrior Games in the 100 and 200-meter sprints.

Credit: David Jay

#13 Navy Seal

This is Navy Seal, Bo Reichenbach. 25 years old. He was injured on July, 17th 2012 in Afghanistan.

Credit: David Jay

#14 Christian Brown

Marine CPL Christian Brown at the Walter Reed Medical Center. On Dec. 13, 2011, Christian was leading his squad on foot patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device. Both of his legs were blown off- one above the knee, the other below the hip. Just four days prior, under heavy enemy fire, Christian had carried a mortally wounded Marine almost 1,000 feet to a hovering helicopter.

Credit: David Jay

#15 Stephanie Morris

Army Specialist Stephanie Morris suffered leg injuries in an attack in Afghanistan. With physical therapy, she has since run the Army ten-miler. “I have to do it for them,” she says, speaking of the friends she lost in the attack.

Credit: David Jay

#16 Jose Ramos

Retired Navy hospital corpsman Jose Ramos lost an arm in an Iraqi rocket attack. He expects to participate in the 2016 Paralympics. “Running is what I do to relax,” he says.

Credit: David Jay

#17 Wayne Waldon

Retired Army Captain Wayne Waldon lost a leg in Baghdad, Iraq. Seven years later, he not only walks but is an adaptive snowboarding champion. “The prosthetic leg doesn’t feel stuck to me anymore,” he says. “It has become part of me.”

Credit: David Jay

#18 Adam Hartswick

Army combat medic Sergeant Adam Hartswick lost his legs and suffered a brain injury while treating wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. He is in virtual-reality therapy and has learned to walk again.

Credit: David Jay

#19 Daniel Burgess

Daniel stepped on an IED, losing one leg and destroying the other.

Credit: David Jay

#20 David Bixler

Army Corporal David Bixler lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan.

Credit: David Jay

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