Meet Thomas O'Donnell — 2016 Veteran
Specialist O'Donnell was born in May of 1985 and raised in Norco, California. Specialist O'Donnell knew from a young age he was going to be a soldier. As a junior in high school, the events of September 11th, 2001 impacted him in the deepest way. After graduation he spent two years as a collegiate athlete and decided the time had come for him to join the Army.
During the recruitment process his physical and mental aptitude scores opened up a variety of military occupational specialties (MOS). He already knew he wanted to be Infantry (11X/B), no matter what the scores on his tests were. After a minor color vision test miscommunication that would have prevented him from signing as an 11X, his recruiter advised him to sign as a Motor Transport Operator (88M), which was the only combat MOS the color vision would allow him to be, and they would have a second opinion on the color vision test to have the MOS changed to 11X. His wish was granted and MOS changed to 11X, minus his original signing bonus and airborne school, prior to shipping out to basic training.
Specialist O'Donnell graduated from his advanced individual training (AIT) October 13, 2006. He received orders to report to 4th infantry division Ft. Carson, Colorado. Once he arrived at his new duty station he was in rear detachment for a short time, while his unit was coming home from deployment. Once the unit was back in garrison, Specialist O'Donnell reported to 1st Battalion 8th infantry regiment 3rd brigade combat team, Alpha Company 3rd platoon dog pound.
He spent the next 10 months training as his team's breach man and combat life saver. With only a few months left before deployment specialist O'Donnell and his team were performing some final field training exercises (FTX) and during a breach his lower back gave out.
After being sent to the hospital the x-rays/MRIs revealed specialist O'Donnell had lumbar spine pars interarticularis defect with sclerosis and intervertebral disc disease with bilateral sciatica. He was sent to a spine specialist in Colorado Springs to get a more in-depth look at the injury. They found the fracture on his 5th lumbar as well as ruptured discs between L5-T1, T1-T2 and T2-T3.
During his time between doctors trying to figure out how to fix the problem, Specialist O'Donnell received his orders for deployment. Unfortunately the Army felt Specialist O'Donnell could no longer perform his duties as an 11B and was placed on bedrest profile while his unit deployed without him. This action affected him greatly. While he was in garrison he would get reports of his brothers with whom he had been training and who were not able to make it home to their families.
Specialist O'Donnell was medically discharged with his back injury and shortly after returning home was seen by the behavioral health department at his local VA and was diagnosed with PTSD/survivor's guilt.
Specialist O'Donnell is now going back to school to get his teaching credentials and is coaching high school football in his home town of Norco, California.
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Jeff Anderson
CEO/Founder, Rebuilding Warriors
