Sergeant First Class Jeffrey Hackett enlisted in the United States Army in 1994. During his last deployment to Afghanistan, while on patrol attempting to clear a compound, he stepped on a pressure plate improvised explosive device (IED). Hackett was medically evacuated stateside to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he had an above knee right leg amputation, along with other severe physical and psychological injuries. Hackett was determined to recover and after ten months of rehabilitation, he medically retired in 2013. Currently, Hackett with his wife and three daughters, enjoy camping and riding snowmobiles together as a family.
Hackett’s wish was for new photography equipment. He grew up developing photos with his father in a dark room, and today, he enjoys taking pictures of animals and nature. When asked what photography means to him Hackett states, “When I am shooting pictures, it is a great tool for my [injuries], it calms me, and the magic happens. I feel alive again, and it feels great.”
