Still serving with honor
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – Staff Sgt. Christopher Slaydon, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, speaks to an Airman Leadership School class Nov. 6. Sergeant Slaydon recounted an IED he was investigated October 24, 2007 outside Kirkuk Air Base that detonated. As a result of the blast, he suffered traumatic amputation of his left arm above the elbow, his left eye was severely damaged and removed and his right eye was also severely damaged. He is now totally blind without light perception. Additionally, Sergeant Slaydon suffered multiple facial fractures including shattered orbits, fractured sinuses, two jaw fractures, a collapsed lung and several other injuries. Sergeant Slaydon has been recovering from his injuries at Brooke Army Medical Center and The Center for the Intrepid since October 31, 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Stephanie Clark)