(DOD)
Most men could never be in Special Forces. It’s too tough to qualify, and too tough to stay. Those who make the grade are a special breed – forged from a stronger steel than the rest of us.
Case in point: Army Major Robert Eldridge. Following in the footsteps of his Special Forces father, Maj. Eldridge enlisted in 1986 and became one of elite fighters too. A decade later he earned a commission, and joined SPECOPS again.
In 2004 he deployed to Afghanistan. After being in country only a month, his vehicle was hit by an IED. Maj. Eldridge was severely injured in the explosion, and eventually lost a leg as a result.
Thus began a journey that many others have traveled. After evacuation, he spent six months at Walter Reed, undergoing amputation, surgeries and physical rehabilitation as he recovered from his injuries.
For many, that would have been the end of it.
But Robert Eldridge had Special Forces blood coursing through his veins. With the support of his family, his fellow Special Forces compatriots, and the Special Operations Care Coalition, he not only petitioned to stay on active duty, he requested to return to combat duty.
And he did. In 2007 he redeployed to Afghanistan (and began airborne operations a month and a half after arriving), and this time he stayed for the duration.
Major Eldridge is the manifestation of the word “tough”, and is our hero of the week.
To read the remarkable story of Major Eldridge, click here.
