Michael Campbell holds the Purple Heart awarded to him back in October 2010.
Campbell, who is in the United States Army and stationed in Iraq, was shot and wounded Sept. 7 by an Iraqi soldier.
He was sent to a hospital in Germany but for the past two months has been at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he is recovering.
“I’m glad to be home,” Campbell said Monday. “First of all, I want to thank God for all He has done for me. I want to thank my family and all my friends who prayed for me and sent get-well wishes. I want to thank my mom for being strong. I want to thank my wife Tanya for dealing with this hand we have been dealt.”
Campbell said one thing he has noticed about being back in Ragland is that some things, whether good or bad, never change.
“However, we all have to make decisions and live with those decisions,” Campbell said. “One thing is for sure. If we go astray, God will create the path we must stay on or the devil will grab you up and then it’s a slow fade to self-destruction.”
On Oct. 5, Under Secretary of the Army Joseph Westphal presented Campbell the Purple Heart for being wounded in action.
Campbell said receiving a Purple Heart is heart-warming.
“Everyone who receives a Purple Heart has his or her own little story to tell,” he said.
Tanya has been with her husband in Texas during the time of his recovery. To date, Campbell has had eight surgeries.
“Michael is doing really well physically,” Tanya said. “It was so great to be home with the family for Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for this year.”
While Campbell is scheduled to return to Texas next week, Tanya will stay back in Ragland to spend time with family before rejoining her husband around the first of February.
Campbell said he could be in Texas for the next 18 months recovering and going through physical therapy.
Campbell, who is now a Private First Class and up for promotion in February, joined the Army Sept. 1, 2009. He had basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
He deployed from Hawaii July 2 and arrived in Iraq a few days later as a member of Bravo Company, 2nd Platoon, 1-27th Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, where he is a radio telecommunications operator.
Before returning to Texas, Campbell wanted to send out a huge “War Eagle” to everyone and hopes Auburn can bring home a national title.
Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com.
