Meet Charles Bischoff, U.S. Army — 2022 Veteran
Charles Bischoff was born in Lake Forrest, Illinois but grew up in Port Charlotte, Florida. After high school, Charles enlisted in the United States Army. He went to basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and then to Combat Medic training at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. After completion of training, Charles was assigned to 1st Cavalry, 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas where he spent the next five years.
Immediately following his arrival at Fort Hood, he was immediately assigned to Charlie Company, 2-7 where he would train and deploy in support of Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn to Mosul, Iraq 2010-2011. During his year in Iraq he was promoted to senior line medic for Charlie Company.
Shortly after his return from Iraq, Charles volunteered for another deployment to Tagab, Afghanistan in support of Enduring Freedom. Charles was dual hatted serving as the Senior Line Medic for Bravo Company 2nd Battalion, 7th Calvary & Senior Treatment NCO for the Battalion Aid Station.
His team in Tagab was comprised of three amazing junior medics, his Platoon Sergeant who was serving as the Battalion Medical Office and a doctor. In the 9 months while deployed they would go on to treat more than 110 combat casualties: including U.S. troops, Afghan military and civilians.
There were two specific moments and memories that would forever follow Charles and change him. The first was after his convoy was hit by a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). This was Charles' first encounter with a mass casualty event, where he and another medic treated 7 casualties. As Charles and the other medic triaged the wounded, they came across a five-year-old girl they could visibly see was lifeless in her father's arms. After assessing her, Charles had to tell the father she was gone and there was nothing they could do. The lifelessness of an innocent child and the pure heartache of the father who was trying to reconcile that his daughter was dead are images Charles has never forgotten.
The second incident was March 8th, 2013, where a green on blue or insider attack took place. Three Afghan Army soldiers forced their way through U.S. Army inner entry control point, immediately injuring two soldiers. They then opened fire on multiple American Army soldiers, wounding five soldiers in total and killing one civilian contractor. Charles was caught in the initial firefight as he made his way to the injured soldiers. At this point in the deployment Charles and his team treated about 50 casualties, one of which was the first person he had to report as Killed in Action. While they would go on to save five soldiers in total, the loss is what replayed in Charles' head.
The deployment continued at the same pace, constant flow of combat casualties, however they would get lucky in the fact there would be no other KIAs.
Shortly after returning from Afghanistan, Charles started experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) like symptoms which were accompanied with severe depression. He would go on to work with the behavioral health team, seeing multiple counselors and take medications. Ultimately, he would go on to volunteer to attend a new Intensive Outpatient Program which was centered around Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). During this process Charles learned a lot about himself and obtained a better understanding of his new self, PTSD, depression and morale injury. While he may have better insight, healing is a constant journey and one that isn't linear. When asked to describe his feelings of war and his personal journey, he replied, "Only the dead have seen the end of war."
Charles now resides in Conroe, Texas with his wife Alexa and his two kids, Macee and Charles.
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Jeff Anderson
CEO/Founder, Rebuilding Warriors
