SSG Jeffrey Pickard U.S. Army (Ret),
I grew up in San Diego, California, with my parents, twin sister, and brother. I have been married to the love of my life, Natasha. We have five boys, two daughter-in-law’s, two granddaughters, and a grandson.
I am medically retired from the military after 15 ½ years. My career started in the Navy for the first ten years. During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, I was a Master at Arms. I also tried to go the route of Navy Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC) but was medically DOR. Then I transferred to the Army through the green to blue program, where I was an MP for the last 5 ½ years during Operation Iraq Freedom.
In February of 2010, my Command, the 512th MP Company, deployed to Iraq. Once in Iraq, we conducted the transitional training with the unit we replaced. March period, the 512th MP Company took over. So, everything was going as well as expected. Then the mortaring started. One of the missions assigned was to go track down where the mortaring attacks came from.
On April 20, 2010, our platoon was on the second part of our mission for that day. We went over to an open field in a section of Kirkuk, Iraq, to see if the mortaring was coming from that area. So, when we got to that area, we set up our Combat Truck to give us overwatch protection. About twelve of us dismounted our trucks and started to check that area for signs of mortar blast. As we were done inspecting the area, we heard gunfire, but it was not near us. So as my platoon loaded back up into our trucks, I took a cover position to the rear of the area because there was an 8-foot concrete wall by the road, and I did not want anybody to start shooting at us from behind it. I knelt behind a broken 2-foot concert wall with my dismounted solider and watched that area.
Suddenly, I got knocked forward, and I thought our Platoon Sergeant had come up behind me and bumped into me, pushing me forward. I lightly pushed off the wall in front of me, thinking that he was behind me. He was not behind me; I started to fall to the ground, so I put my left arm out to catch me. My left arm did not catch me, and I fell back on the ground. I then felt cold liquid flowing down my left side, and at first, though, that it was my camel pack. But my camel pack was on my right hip, so that is when I called out over the radio, “shot fired, man down.” This took place in a matter of seconds. So, the trucks started to circle around me, and all I could think about was, please do not run me over. The truck that parked closest to that low wall, the driver jumped out and looked at me. He said, “SGT. Pickard, you know I can’t pick you up.” Before I could say anything, he dragged me to the back of a protected truck and looked at me again. I told him to help me stand up, and as he did that, I said, “thank you for getting me dirty.” I walked into the back of the truck and threw my rifle down. The bullet went through my left shoulder and then through my rifle. I noticed the bullet hole in my rifle and that it had kicked the bolt out the other side of my rifle and causing the round I had chambered to fire. Thanks to my training, my muzzle was pointed in a safe direction because my dismount was on my left side. I thank GOD that it was me that got hurt and not one of my soldiers. So, on April 20, 2010, I received my Purple Heart.
In 2013 I retired from the Army and moved back to San Diego. My wife found the WAVES Project and knew that I loved the water and signed me up. The WAVES Project in 2016 taught me how to scuba dive, and I loved every minute of it. I continued my training with the WAVES Project, and in 2019 I am an Open Water Instructor for the WAVES Project. Diving helps my PTSD and physical injuries. I found out that when I scuba dive, my mind becomes clearer, and my body hurts less. Now I help Veterans here in Texas learn to scuba dive. I am so grateful for the WAVES Project.
.gif)
.png)
