Dennet Oregon
Dennet was called to serve after 9/11. He enlisted the very next day and deployed to Afghanistan. On the final day of a five-day patrol, his unit was struck by an explosion that tore through nearly every part of his body.
Dennet After Double Amputations
He joined the Army on September 12, 2001.
Dennet was just 19 years old when the attacks of 9/11 shocked our country. Dennet joined the U.S. Army the very next day. “When I saw what happened, I decided to sign up and join the Army Infantry.” After completing Basic training and Advanced Infantry training, Dennet was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade, 2nd of 5th Infantry Battalion where he was a SAW gunner, squad and then platoon RTO for six months before being selected for the Battalion Scout platoon.
It Happened On The Last Mission of His Deployment
Dennet and his unit were deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On March 29, 2005, His team was spear heading the convoy. “We were returning to our firebase after a five day mission that was going to be the last of the deployment.” He remembered. “All of a sudden, we were hit by an improvised explosive device.”
His Limbs Could Not Be Salvaged
The explosion tore into Dennet’s body, leaving him with a TBI, head lacerations, damaged spine, various broken bones, and shrapnel wounds that extensively damaged his legs and arms. He was sent to Trippler Army Medical Center in an attempt to salvage his limbs, but after 18 months of treatment the doctors recommended bilateral amputations below the Knees. Coincidentally, Dennet permanently changed stations and arrived to Walter Reed Army Medical Center D.C. on 12 September 2006, five years after joining the Army.
Now Living In A Home Unfit For His Needs
Today, Dennet resides with his wife and three children in Derwood, Maryland so he can remain close to medical care at Walter Reed. Describing his current home, Dennet explained, “it’s not set up for a wheelchair of for someone who is a double amputee like myself."
Help Us Build A Home Where Dennet Can Thrive
"I want to go back to college to study Biomechanics," Dennet told us. "I want to design and build prosthetic limbs.” The Gary Sinise Foundation looks forward to building Dennet and his family a home where they can live and build a lifetime of beautiful memories.
