Wounded Warriors inspire Airmen through perseverance

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Robert L. McIlrath
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  "It's not about the disability, it's the ability," retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Dana Bowman.

"He is right," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Lashawndra Singleton, referencing Bowman's slogan.

Tech. Sergeants Lashawndra Singleton and Jason Caswell shared their stories of resiliency with Airmen from Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, as part of a closing speech, prior to their NCO Academy graduation: something that quickly grabbed the attention of Airmen from across the base.

The speeches - originally scheduled to take place in the NCOA auditorium - garnered nearly 400 Airmen which quickly shifted to accommodate the larger audience at the base theater. Many Airmen from various squadrons across the base showed up to hear their stories of resiliency and warrior ethos.

Singleton was the turret gunner for her convoy in Balad Air Base, Iraq, when her Humvee struck an Improvised Explosive Device, while Caswell fell victim to a sports injury that later left him without his right leg.

"I remember hearing a big boom noise," Singleton said. "The next thing I remember was waking up and hearing helicopters."

The blast severed the back of her legs, cutting her achilles tendons and caused catastrophic internal injuries.

"What the doctors narrowed it down to was the IED blast that shifted my organs on my right side up, and they didn't drop," she said. "The doctor just said 'Oh my God,' and walked out."

"I had gall stones, two-inch holes cut in my liver," she continued. "The right side of my liver actually died."

Despite the hospital staff telling her the severities of her injuries and the she was clinically dead, Singleton knew she wasn't going to give up. Through the support from her family, coworkers, and her faith in God, she remained resilient, even asking several times for a reenlistment and whether or not she passed her fitness test.

"If you can't smile about it, it's over," Singleton said. "You may not be able to do what you did before the same way, but you can still do it. Just keep going strong until you make it happen."

"I had a lot of medical providers tell me they didn't know how I was still here," she said. "God is the only reason."

Singleton said it was all about perspective; either choosing to let things affect you negatively, or choosing to make it a challenge to be greater.

"I don't have bad days, I have challenges," she said. "I thank God not just for the good days, but the challenging ones as well."

"There has been ups and downs, and there are going to be more," Caswell said, expanding on Singleton's message. "But I've got to keep fighting. I fight for the guys who can't wear this uniform anymore because of their injuries."

"This has developed me as a leader," he continued. "It taught me to be there for my people."

Though these Airmen suffered injuries that would forever set them apart from a normal life, they use their experiences to inspire others and share their messages of resiliency.

Singleton and Caswell's stories reflected Bowman's slogan: it's not about what people do because of their disabilities, but rather what they do to achieve more than they have when they were able. Their stories exemplified courage, sacrifice and the determination to succeed at the highest levels of all Comprehensive Airman Fitness.