Born in Bristol, Tennessee in 1979, Heath Calhoun graduated from Grundy High School in 1997, and went on to Southwest Virginia Community College, graduating in 1999 with an associates degree.
At a young age, Heath earned respect for the U.S. military. His father served in Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II and in 1999, Heath made the decision to carry on his family’s dedication to the military and to the service of his country when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed his infantry, Airborne and Ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was then deployed to Iraq where he was assigned as a Squad Leader for the famed 101st Airborne Division.
It was there his convoy was attacked and hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. “I was at the rear corner of the Humvee when the grenade hit the tail light right beside my right leg and exploded,” he said. “I was lying on my side. I could see my legs were really messed up.” Heath yelled to the driver of the vehicle to call the incident in to headquarters. “I laid my head back down and that’s all I remember.”
At a young age, Heath earned respect for the U.S. military. His father served in Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II and in 1999, Heath made the decision to carry on his family’s dedication to the military and to the service of his country when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed his infantry, Airborne and Ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was then deployed to Iraq where he was assigned as a Squad Leader for the famed 101st Airborne Division.
It was there his convoy was attacked and hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. “I was at the rear corner of the Humvee when the grenade hit the tail light right beside my right leg and exploded,” he said. “I was lying on my side. I could see my legs were really messed up.” Heath yelled to the driver of the vehicle to call the incident in to headquarters. “I laid my head back down and that’s all I remember.”
The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) was founded on the principle that veterans are our nation's greatest citizens. The WWP seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world.
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