A son of a Vietnam veteran, Shilo Harris always knew he wanted to be a soldier. US Army Staff Sergeant Harris first deployment was in Iraq. On his second deployment with the 10th Mountain Division, he was assigned and worked near southern Baghdad. On February 19, 2007, Harris’ armored vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. The explosion injured the driver and ended the lives of three of his fellow soldiers. Shilo survived but with severe third degree burns on 35% of his body. The severity of the burns meant the loss of Shilo’s ears, the tip of his nose and three fingers. The crushing explosion fractured his left collarbone and C-7 vertebrae. The devastating injuries forced Shilo to remain in a medically induced coma for 48 days; after, he spent nearly three years recovering and undergoing intensive physical therapy at the burn unit of Brooke Army Medical Center. While at BAMC, he was the first soldier to participate in cutting-edge regenerative stem-cell research to regrow his fingers, and later received prosthetic ears. Shilo’s recovery has involved more than 75 surgeries, which required his family to spend up to six hours a day on wound care. Shilo also struggled from PTSD. In 2010 he was medically retired from the Army. God bless our Vets! #PTSD #TheIraqWar #Army