SPC. Peter Richert, USA

On the 28 of August 2001 I raised my right hand and joined the military. After signing my name the unit I reported to C-Try 1-161 out of Newton Kansas. In June of 2002 I reported to Fort Sill Oklahoma for basic training. Going through OSUT I graduated as an honor grad. From there I attended Tabor College in my home of Hillsboro Kansas. During which time I continued my duty by going to monthly drills and my annual training. The summer of 2005 our unit was notified that B-Btry was being deployed to Iraq, which I volunteered to join in with B-Btry for this mission.

On October 12th 2005 I started my title 10 orders. For the next six months we underwent rigorous training at Camp Shelby and Fort Polk. In April of 2006 we landed in theatre. Through my time at CSC Scania, Iraq our Btry had made lots of progress in our area. On the 22nd of February 2007 our squad was out on patrol responding to indirect fire at FOB Scania. As we were coming up on our objective my gun truck came into contact with an IED blast. The IED blast caused me to have an above the knee amputation. I also sustained shrapnel to my left leg, left hand, and face. The severity of the shrapnel wounds to my left leg left me needing a fasciotomy. While being cared for in Iraq, the medical staff punctured my lung by attempting to put in a central IV line by my left collar bone. This was taken care of with a chest tube.

I went from Iraq to Germany then from Germany to Walter Reed Medical Center. I was inpatient there for about a month. Wanting the best rehab available I decided to transfer to Brooke Army Medical Center. Once at BAMC I was inpatient status for about three days then I went to outpatient. Currently I am living on base in the Powless Guest House, which is a hotel. Krista, my wife of almost two years, and my 9 � month old daughter Lindsey are staying with me while I go through rehab. The need for me to provide for my family has greatly increased now that I have a 9 � month old daughter. As long as I am at BAMC doing rehab, my ability to go out and provide form y family is greatly limited.

My Wish is to be outfitted with new golf equipment: Clubs, balls, wheeled golf caddy, shoes.

In Janaury 2008, Peter Richert was granted a full set of gold equipment specifically suited to his injuries. With the expert help of a sales associate at Edwin Watts Golf in San Antonio, Peter is back on the golf course.

Like Peter, many of the amputees from Iraq are able to rejoin the sports they loved. Hope For The Warriors® strives to to grant Wishes like Peter's - restoring Hope in the eye of a hero.