back to article US Army engineer wins Air Assault wings after repairing hi-tech leg twice

A hard-as-nails engineer has successfully completed the US Army's tough Air Assault school despite twice having to stop and fix breakdowns in his prosthetic leg. Sergeant Robinson (left), making an effort not to tread on any toes at his graduation from Air Assault school "A disability is only a disability if you let it hold …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    WOW !

    This guy gives a whole new meaning to the word 'commitment' ! Folks like this are an inspiration to all walks of life. Carry on soldier !

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: WOW !

      Buy this man a beer.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Re: WOW !

      > an inspiration to all walks of life

  2. Cirdan
    Thumb Up

    HOOAH!

  3. Bill Posters
    Thumb Up

    Hat off

    .. to that man.

    Chuck Norris meets McGyver.

  4. graeme leggett Silver badge

    New US kit

    "Leg, Replacement, Artificial, M1A1"

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      WTF?

      Re: New US kit

      Hmm, I reckon the only way you could use an M1A1 as a prosthetic foot is if you were a 100' tall battle robot.

      1. graeme leggett Silver badge

        Re: New US kit

        M1 is like a Mark number on anything British tells you which version it is, and the "A" bit denotes a variation (British used a star on some kit eg Mark II*)

        as an example, these were all US Army "M3"s in WWII - Medium Tank M3, Light Tank M3, Gun 37mm M3, Gun Motor Carriage M3, Half-Track M3, Scout Car M3,

        1. The First Dave
          Pirate

          Re: New US kit

          I recall having to explain that one to several serving soldiers in the past, when they noticed that pretty much half of all kit had an L1A1 designation.

          By the way, WTF does a "winged-helicopter" look like? I know that Apaches and the like have stub wings to carry ordnance on, but I presume this is something different.

          1. Bumpy Cat

            Re: New US kit

            It's a front view of a helicopter, with feathery bird wings.

            https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=us+army+air+assault+badge

            1. The First Dave
              Headmaster

              Re: New US kit

              @Bumpy Cat

              That isn't a pair of wings - it's a Kitchener era moustache.

          2. Berny Stapleton

            Re: New US kit

            @The First Dave

            As an Aussie, an L1A1 always had a different meaning for me. Put L1A1 into Google image search....

            1. graeme leggett Silver badge

              Re: New US kit

              Self-Loading Rifle L1A1 aka SLR, known in Canada as C1 - the inch pattern version of the FN FAL?

          3. Wzrd1 Silver badge

            Re: New US kit

            "By the way, WTF does a "winged-helicopter" look like?"

            Nothing, it's the badge with a stylized helicopter, encircled by wings as other sorts of badges had laurels.

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Assault_Badge

            As trivia, we refer to helicopters as rotary wing aircraft, as opposed to fixed wing aircraft (variable sweep wing is still fixed wing).

  5. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Thumb Up

    Old NASA phrase

    "You sir are a steely eyed missile man"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ever heard of the "commentators kiss of death"?

    Cue friendly fire incident 2 days into his next deployment and all they can identify is the serial number of the leg.

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: Ever heard of the "commentators kiss of death"?

      We call that "the Tillman treatment", for guys with too much gung ho and not enough common sense.

      Tillman met his end by three rounds, tight grouping (within two centimeters) of 5.56mm in the zero reflex zone.

      Which is why the US Army tried its best to keep that matter quiet.

      That is not something evident with this soldier. Never confuse determination with suicidal enthusiasm in trying to be a hero.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Well done that man!

    A testiment to both the technology and robustness of his prosthetic and one seriously hard as nails grunt.

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: Well done that man!

      Not *THAT* robust. There are many athletes who wear prosthetic legs that never have to stop competition to repair the things. :/

      As for the soldier, yep. Knew plenty of that stripe. One broke his ankle a half mile in on his two mile PT test run, he finished under time.

      As a retiree of the US Army, even money, he'll be assigned to supply or personnel in a rear echelon unit.

      Whereas, I'd at a minimum, put him into a training unit to train soldiers, with real world experience. At a maximum, in a line unit, depending on if the DoD could acquire a more reliable prosthetic.

  8. Mint Sauce
    Thumb Up

    The Black Knight always triumphs!

    'Tis but a scratch....

    :-)

  9. NoneSuch Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Strength of character will always triumph.

    Well done you.

  10. taxman
    Thumb Up

    Mentor for Edward?

    Just goes to show, if the spirit is willing.

    But have to mention the photo. Those not wearing camoflage certainly stand out from the crowd.

    1. Miss Lincolnshire

      Re: Mentor for Edward?

      I think that's the general idea

  11. peter 45
    Terminator

    Not just his leg

    I heard he also had his nuts shot off.....and replaced with balls of steel

  12. Stevie
    Thumb Up

    8oo

    </GOBSMACKED MODE=SPEECHLESS WITH ADMIRATION>

  13. Gene Cash Silver badge
    Go

    Speaking of M1A1...

    I think I see one disguised in the new floral camouflage in the middle background...

  14. Ugotta B. Kiddingme
    Thumb Up

    with a crisp salute...

    ... Chuck Norris expresses approval and admiration for this Certified BadAss ©®­™

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How fast did he complete the course?

    > final 12-mile run at the end of the course, which is conducted while carrying 35lb of kit.

    Atos want to know as they're thinking of making this the new test for disability benefit.

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: How fast did he complete the course?

      "Atos want to know as they're thinking of making this the new test for disability benefit."

      Nope, the current test is 24 mile run, with a 70 pound kit. Hobbled.

  16. David 45

    Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast!

  17. Richard Altmann
    Mushroom

    Didn´t get the message

    Must have been hit between the ears as well. Please Sir, let me go back and have the rest of myself being blown to pieces since it did not really work out the first time. Numb Nut. High Command must be laughing their balls off over idiots like him who happily limp back to the butcher´s. Well, better that way, then having this sort of guys hanging around in the local pub bloating about, what heroes they are. And definitly better then me being press ganged to step on a landmine in a country where the locals don´t want me to bring peace, democracy... (fill in).

    What a moron

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: Didn´t get the message

      "And definitly better then me being press ganged to step on a landmine in a country where the locals don´t want me to bring peace, democracy... (fill in)."

      I am pleased with the thought that you will never breed. For even a prostitute wouldn't lay with one of such a miniscule mind.

      First, his leg was shattered by a bullet, not a landmine. Second, my cousin died on the 84th floor of the south tower of the WTC on 9-11. Finally, I served in much of the same area that this fine man did.

      Due to our not so tender attentions to Al Qaeda, we had a dearth of other aircraft flying into office buildings, office buildings being bombed or any real attack of significance.

      The only thing that I'm astounded by is your ability to spell what you are, at the end of your rambling tirade.

      1. monkeyhanger

        Reminds me of..

        Reminds me of Douglas Bader.

      2. OrientalHero
        Big Brother

        Re: Didn´t get the message

        Actually, you forgot to mention marathons or was that deliberate...?

        Please don't confuse criticism of the policy for being anti troop. I have a healthy respect for those who are willing to lay their lives down in service of their country.

        Unfortunately the average Politician has to be seen to be doing something. Even if it's all smoke and mirrors. Afghanistan and Iraq were that something. Did they find any of those underground bunker complexes that Dick Cheney showed on TV in Afghanistan? Did anyone find WMDs in Iraq?

        The ends don't justify the means. Our wars in Afghanistan/Iraq and the prison camp at Guantanomo Bay have become perceived injustices and it doesn't make peace, it makes more willing martyrs.

        Big Brother because we've got about as much control over the policy makers as in 1984.

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