By Army Spc. Alisha Gredzlik115th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentLOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 24,2012 – For Army Sgt. Matthew Maddox, 9/11 brings memories of his fifth-grademusic class, where he first heard the news that would begin his path toward theArmy.
Eleven years after those attacks, Maddoxis serving his second tour in Afghanistan. But his journey has not been easy.
Maddox joined the Army when he was 17,and left for training just a month after graduating from high school.
“I had my mind made up,” he said. “Thiswas what I had wanted to do since the fifth grade -- since 9/11.”
After basic training, Maddox wasassigned to Vicenza, Italy, at the headquarters of the 173rd Airborne BrigadeCombat Team. In late 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan. After six months, heheaded home to California on mid-tour leave, never suspecting that he would notreturn to finish his tour. On May 26, 2010, at his home in Wallace, Calif.,Maddox was run over by a grading tractor.
“I broke my left tibia, left femur,pelvis, tailbone, right orbital eye socket and suffered nerve damage to myright leg,” Maddox said. “I couldn’t walk for three months.”
He spent the next 18 months recuperatingin California on “hospital status,” still in the Army, but at home working on afull recovery. Yet it was nowhere near the end of his military career.
On Jan. 3, 2011, Maddox reported back toItaly for a medical evaluation board. Instead of leaving the Army, he fought toextend his service and deploy again with the unit. After 18 months ofrehabilitation and fighting for a spot in the fires platoon, Maddox findshimself on his second deployment to Afghanistan with the 173rd to settle whathe calls unfinished business.
“I wanted to come back and finish awhole deployment. That was my personal goal. I wanted to finish what Istarted,” he said.
Now serving as a fire support specialistin Afghanistan, Maddox tracks the status of the 173rd’s artillery and mortarsystems and their fire missions across two provinces. As a newly promotedsergeant with four soldiers working for him, he has to ensure their success aswell as his own.
His enlistment will come to a close atthe end of this deployment, but Maddox said he still sees a future with themilitary and plans to retire with the Army.
“When I get home I am joining theCalifornia National Guard, and I am going to apply for the California HighwayPatrol to follow in my father’s footsteps,” he said.
Having rebuilt himself from the groundup, Maddox retains a positive attitude that he passes along to other soldiers.
“If you take pride in what you do andfeel like there is more for you to accomplish, then it is worth it,” he said.“It is an experience everyone should endure. I have no regrets.”
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