Live From The States

I’ve decided to keep my mass emails going from now on. It’s a nice way to stay in touch and keep everyone informed.

I found out today that I’m officially playing the waiting game. I will be going home in the next 5 days and have 30 days of leave. Should make both Cubs games and get some time on the river. I cannot wait. However, I will not have my car or my cell phone. So email me your numbers so I can give everyone a call and max out my mom’s minutes for this month. You can call her at 309-269-7803 and talk to me.

I’ve been going to physical therapy everyday and that is the highlight of my day. I fall down a lot and my strength in my left leg is about 80%. But I am lucky. Very lucky. Being down here is a reality check that I never wanted. I went through seven months feeling invincible. Being here with the burn patients, the amputees, and all the suffering families has demonstrated to me how mortal we all are and how lucky I am. I may never regain feeling or use of my left leg, but I still have my mind and I am still here.

The support I have received over the past 10 days has been unbelievable. I owe you all so much. I’m grateful as are my parents. I’m also grateful that the Sox dropped 33 runs on the Cardinals in two days and I was able to watch it on TV.

Like I said, send the phone numbers this way.

I love you all

Go Cubs.

Whoever Said No New Is Good News Should Be Smacked

Apparently, according to some friends and family, I’ve been neglecting my duty as press secretary and disappointing the new fan base my brother recently garnered. On the contrary, I was very aware of the five days this blog has gone without update. Unfortunately, that lack of information for you fine people was not a result of my own sloth, but rather my brother’s noncommittal doctors. Simply put, there’s been nothing on the blog, because there’s been nothing to tell. Andrew has had a handful of doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions, but none that lead to any clarification of his future physically, militarily, or otherwise. The dragging out of this whole process is starting to wear thin. I’m at home getting grouchier by the day, and I’m certain my family isn’t doing much better in San Antonio. However, Andrew meets with his orthopedic specialist tomorrow, and if there is an appointment that has real significance, it is this one (although we said that about the day he got to San Antonio, too). So, hopefully, I’ll get some news tomorrow afternoon, and if I do, I’ll be sure to pass it on to the rest of you here.

As of This Morning…

Ok boys and girls, here’s the most significant update on Andrew’s status, even as we must continue to stomach the absence of detailed information we’ve come to expect from the military thus far. My brother left Iraq in serious condition before improving to stable condition by the time he reached Andrews Air Force Base. As of this morning he has been upgraded once more to “not seriously injured.” One must look at that description in the proper context before the jigs commence. Andrew is a soldier who is no longer seriously injured; the military scale for normalcy is drastically different from our civilian scale. A civilian with extensive nerve damage would be considered seriously injured; a soldier is not. As far as his life goes, Andrew is not in any immediate, grave danger.

“Not seriously injured” really means two things of significance. First, Andrew will not undergo any surgical operations to improve his condition. The shrapnel appears to be there to stay. His path of healing now includes therapy, therapy, and more therapy. He has essentially reached “walk it off” on the Army‘s treatment meter. The second aspect of “not seriously injured” that is worth mentioning is the Army will no longer foot the bill for my parents to go see my brother. Of course, that hasn’t stopped them from going. They left at 9:00 this morning for San Antonio.

Despite the upgrade in Andrew’s status, we still know very little about the condition of his leg. The tests at Sam Houston were unable to determine whether the nerve in his leg was severed, cut, or bruised, and they can’t set a plan for his recovery until they do. So, while Andrew’s arrival in San Antonio was supposed to answer many of our lingering questions, it looks like we will have to wait another week for Andrew’s next appointment. As of now, Andrew has had no improvement in feeling returning to his leg, but he’s as active and mobile as he can possibly be (it seems that is what the doctor is recommending for the time being). But as far as questions about Andrew’s rehab, or even his military future, we’ll have to wait another week.

So, mom and dad are gone for now. They have no idea when they will be back. They’ll be with Andrew until he gets settled wherever he will be doing his therapy. If that means they have to drive up to Fort Carson, then that’s what they’ll be doing. I’ll be manning the phones and the blog here. I don’t imagine I’ll have much to update until my empty nest syndrome kicks in and I start begging for companionship. However, if I do get some news on Andrew, or even some new speculation regarding his future, I will be sure to pass it along.

He’s Still Ugly. And 10 Other Things I Learned From Yesterday’s Visit With Andrew

1. Brothers don’t shake hands. Brothers gotta hug. And whimper a little. Perhaps sniffle.

2. It’s clear that there were two types of soldiers in Iraq. Those who were prepared for what they would see, and those who were not. Sadly, those who were not prepared far outnumber those who were. Just listen to my brother’s story about the attack in which he got injured and the difference between his reaction and his gunner’s.

3. A part of Andrew wants to get back to his guys, but the further he gets from Iraq the harder it is to find the motivation to return.

4. For a family as active in the community as ours, it’s sort of remarkable to see how private and protective we are when it comes to the people we love.

5. The “exploding pound” may have to be retired as the Rockwell brothers’ high-five of choice.

6. From a purely aesthetic perspective, Andrew’s wound is unimpressive. Blasted nerve damage. It just doesn’t even provide you with cool scars.

7. Any conversation, regardless of how seemingly unrelated, can turn back to the Cubs in a heartbeat.

8. Though I’m sure their medical expertise is exceptional, the most impressive thing to me about the way the Army treats its injured soldiers was the hidden room with the magical filing cabinet filled with every candy bar you can imagine. My diet when to hell with a quickness last night thanks to the US Military’s Willy Wonka bureau.

9. Everything about Andrew’s physical condition was a relief to us. He still looks like himself — no severe burns of note. His broken nose was kids’ stuff (he still has a Deines nose, and not a Rockwell one. Bastard.) He was surprisingly mobile (though I can’t say how much of that movement was doctor recommended). If it weren’t from the deep hole on the back of his left thigh, you’d be hard pressed to find something out of whack.

10. And finally, my brother and I have now have a very important story to tell, and we intend on telling it together.

Photo provided by Phil Rockwell and cannot be duplicated without permission.

The Longest Year Continues…

First off, on behalf of my family, I want to thank everyone who has called or stopped by to offer their sympathies, condolences, and most importantly, food. This has been a whirlwind four days (oh lord it’s only been four days) and the limitless generosity of our family and friends has been a tremendous balm for our rattled nerves.

In the coming days, likely tomorrow, my parents will be off to Andrew’s bedside, leaving me to housesit as well as distribute any new information we gather. As of 8:00 he is at Andrew’s (apropos) Air Force Base waiting for word on the next leg of his journey. He called to let us know that he will most likely be headed to San Antonio after all. We’re now awaiting word on when my parents can leave to meet him. My father and I spent the day answering phones and, much to my father’s chagrin, dealing with the press. I’d imagine most of you caught Andrew on the front page of the Argus, but Dad and I will also be on KWQC’s 10 o’clock news embarrassing my brother incessantly with our unabashed praise. KWQC may also be linking to this site from their website, so let’s try and behave people. We may have visitors.

Finally, after a day of fielding phone calls, I wanted to let Andrew’s legions of fans know that this will likely be your main source of news during the coming weeks. Mom and Dad are going to filter all of their info through me, and I will get it to you fine people as soon as I possibly can. And though I never imagined this blog would go longer than Andrew’s tour, it’s clear that The Longest Year will be running indefinitely through Andrew’s rehab process. So, check back in the coming days for new information. And don’t be shy about stopping by. I’ll be all by my lonesome here at the homestead, and company is always appreciated.

Live from Germany

Hello Again.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I’m flying out of Germany tomorrow morning at 9 am. I will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base about 10 hours later. I will layover there until I’m flown down to San Antonio Texas. The Army is flying both of my parents down there to stay with me while I’m there and paying for everything. They will get free plane tickets, hotel, and too much money for food. I’m suggesting that they use it for a mini vacation. Hospitals are depressing anyway. From there, who knows what will happen. I’ve already had representatives from DOD and VA come to my room to speak to me about disability pay.j I may get the choice to stay in the army but I will never be an infantryman again. For some reason, that saddens me. It also raises the question, if I can’t be infantry or even armor or field artillery, do I want to stay in the army? I’ve watched all the logistics and maintenance teams work in Iraq and I honestly cannot see myself working in that envi
ronment. So what do I do? Go back to school? What do I study? I guess that’s the problem with me. I no longer have any tactical issues to think about, but my mind still needs something so the future is the next best thing. For the first time since I was 17, my future is not mapped out. And honestly, I don’t know what to do.

I want everyone to still go to the Cubs game. I’ll be watching on WGN hopefully.

Know that I love you

Updates from Germany

We talked with Andrew this morning, and he sounded better than the last time. His voice was lighter, perhaps his spirits higher, of course that might have been because he was moments away from morphine. There’s been a lot of information bounced about in the past several days, so some of this information may be old news, but I’m too burnt out to double check. Here is the information we have now:

– Andrew is currently in Germany. Our phone call didn’t have the usual Desert Delay. As I said, he sounded like he was in much better spirits than the last time we spoke on Friday.

– Based on our conversation and the call my parents got from an official at Fort Carson, the nerve damage to Andrew’s leg is extensive. He may or may not regain full mobility; it’s too early to tell.

– He will be headed back to the States in the next couple days, and the most recent itinerary has him going to a base in San Antonio. The Army is supplying my parents with airfare there, or wherever he does end up.

– Andrew‘s next trip to Wrigley Field will be indefinitely delayed. With the state of Andrew’s health and the Army’s rigid rehab scheduling, it’s just not possible for Andrew to come home for the time being. We have very little information regarding the long term timeline of his recovery, but naturally we want him as strong as possible before he starts jetting all over the country. It’s unclear, as of now, when he will be able to make it back home to the Quad Cities. Dad thinks I should still go to the Cubs games on the 29th and 30th, but I’m conflicted about going without Andrew. My parents will not be going, naturally, but it may not be a bad idea to spend some time with friends and family on the North Side. We’ll see how interested my Chitown blood is in attending without Andrew.

Those are the basics as of this morning. We’ll likely know more once he lands stateside. Until then, keep Andrew in your hearts, and we’ll have further updates as information becomes available.

Ups and Downs

I know it has been a long time since I sent out an email. A lot of things have happened.

I took part in the operation to get Zarqawi. We cleaned up the mess. Morale was very high and everyone was feeling invincible.

The next night, our scout platoon was on a routine patrol when they got hit by an IED. The IED flipped the truck off a 30 ft high berm and it landed upside down. Our first soldier died, one was paralized, and three others had to evacuated for surgery. We went from being on top of the world to feeling like we were in hell.

Later that same night, my platoon reacted to a call that an Iraqi Army Headquarters was under attack. We had Apache’s supporting us. As we were approaching the compound we saw 20 RPGs fired at once. The Apache engaged a small machine gun position. I called and told him to cease fire because we did not know where the Iraqi Army was. My truck took hunderds of rounds all over. Because we could not identify the enemy I dismounted and my 8 men raided the compound. Turns out it was the Iraqi Army shooting at us and I saved many lives by calling the cease fire.

The next morning, my platoon went on a normal mission. Drive around, and stir something up. I never go the opportunity. As my truck, the lead truck turned onto a dirt road, we hit a massive IED. I remember seeing white smoke on the initial blast and then my face being engulfed in flames. I rolled out of the burning truck and dragged the soldier behind me out of the truck. One of my terps, Ibrahim, pulled the other two soldiers out.

My driver had a compound fracture to his femir, burns on his hands, and a little shrapnel in his knees and feet.

I took shrapnel in my left thigh. We don’t know if the shrapnel severed the nerve in my leg or if it is still in shock. The bottom line is that I have no feeling or muscular control over my left leg below the knee. I also have some burns on my face and a broken nose.

I was evacuated to Baghdad with my driver and we’re not sitting in Anaconda waiting to be shipped to Germany. They will do another assessment, but more than likely I will be sent to Walter Reed Hospital near DC.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. I may get medically chaptered out of the Army or I might regain full mobility and return to work as soon as possible.

I’m drugged up pretty good right now, but I wanted everyone to hear it from me. I am ok. I’m upset to be leaving my soldiers.

The bottom line is that I’m coming home, for good.

I love you all

Major Update on Andrew

Yesterday, while many of us were in the midst of a muted celebration of the death of Abu Musab Al-Zarkawi, my brothers hummer was hit by an IED. He sustained minor burns to his face (sorry ladies), a broken nose, and some shrapnel in his leg. His driver suffered a compound fracture, and they were both taken to a hospital in Baghdad for treatment. After the preliminary work was done on Andrew this morning, it appears that there was some nerve damage done and Andrew will have to live with the shrapnel in his leg for the rest of this life. As of now, he doesn’t have use of his leg below the knee, but I can’t speak to the long-term prognosis for him other than that there will be considerable rehabilitation needed. What we do know, with relative certainty, is that because of the nerve damage in his leg his first tour in Iraq is over.

I still have some hesitation actually writing those words, because with the whirlwind of this morning I can’t believe what I just heard. But I asked Andrew twice (we talked to him on the phone), and he said that to the best of his knowledge it’s the truth.

Tomorrow he will fly to Germany with his driver. From there he will make his way to Walter Reed hospital in Washington before finally ending up back in Fort Carson. The timeline for this is unclear, but we hope to have more information later. My brother did make it clear that he’ll walk across the country on crutches if he has to in order to make the Cubs games at the end of June.

So, that’s the basic outline as we currently understand it, and we will hopefully have more later.

Lamenting Winters Past

I’m told some people look back on their high school years with a tragic degree of fondness. They look at their present and they predict their future, but neither shine as their sanitized memories of those proverbial glory days.

I am not one of those people. In fact, I look back at those four years and marvel that I escaped alive. I’m not fond of that younger self who walked the halls of Rocky high from ‘94 to ‘98. He was an aloof blackguard who masked his blazing insecurities by furrowing his brow and affecting a wisdom beyond his years. I hated nearly everything about high school — the cruel and fickle social ladder, the rigid learning structure, not to mention the drama — but a handful of moments have endured my brief adulthood with some affection intact. Performing Shakespeare. Storming onto Almquist Field. Mr. Milton’s College English Class.

These memories have returned to me recently as I made an unexpected left hand turn on my career track. A few months back I had decided to return to school by taking a television production practicum at St. Ambrose University. In a deliciously twisted irony the day I enrolled in the class, the gem of the Quad City television stations offered me a job. So I joined KWQC’s floor crew, still intending to use SAU to get hands-on experience in the aspects of production not readily available to me at KWQC. Well, a few months later, the idea of paying to learn things I circle around on a daily basis seems rather ridiculous. Persistence and initiative will get me exactly what I need at KWQC; if I get really lucky I might even get paid for it.

Still, I knew the opportunity to learn what I wanted to learn at KWQC would be somewhat limited by what KWQC needed me to learn. While I’m willing to accept those restraints, I know how restless I can get when things aren’t moving quite as quickly as I might like. So I knew it was essential for me to find something to offset my impatience as I waited for a spot to open at the station. Thanks to Steve Jobs, I didn’t have to look very hard for a solution.

Those who’ve known me since those “glory days” at RIHS know I’ve always been a closeted A/V geek. With two VCRs patched together I would spend entire weekends cutting and re-cutting the infamous “Hero’s Complex” movie trailer when I should have been reading Pride and Prejudice or studying Algebra. I ended up quite the wizard with this painstaking and imprecise method of editing, but it really had no practical application as far as a resume goes. In fact, the best thing this talent ever got me was a weekend with Caroline Walker and Erica Muller, two of my most enduring high school crushes, when I directed and edited a short film for their French class. And while every high school boy lives to spend a weekend in the presence of such beautiful girls, the reward was fleeting and the promise of a future dinner went unfulfilled.

Well, in the nearly ten years since I cut my films on a home-made tape-to-tape contraption, editing has come a long way. With a relatively small investment, people can write, shoot, and edit their own films in the comfort of their own homes. I made just such an investment this week as I took my SAU tuition and put it towards an iMac with Final Cut Pro. Like its name infers, Final Cut is professional software that is used by everyone from the KWQC promotions department to feature director David Fincher. While their computer systems easily put my new iMac to shame, the software is no different. When I get my computer tomorrow, I’ll be cutting home videos the same way Fincher is cutting his next film.

And what better way to learn the ins and outs of this new software than fulfilling a promise I’ve been making for the past decade.

As I mentioned at the top of this post, I’m not one of those people who laments my teen years; the farther that era is from me the better. That being said, if I miss anything from those days it is those weekends in the winter when I accompanied a covey of fearless and daring friends as we braved harsh winds and bitter cold to turn an innocent, Midwestern tradition into a startling cataclysm of fearlessness and foolishness. Those who know what I’m referring to are already smiling. Those who don’t, let me clue you in.

I’m talking about sledding.

I could try and sell this idea to those of you with the WTF looks on your faces, but I’m not going to bother. You’re not my audience here. I’m writing to the dirty dozen who layered up every Saturday and Sunday there was snow on the ground to slide and crash and flip for no other reason than to laugh and cry at the videos we took. I’m writing to let them know that their epic highlight reel is coming.

Immediately after hitting the confirm button for my iMac I raided my closet for the eleven VHS tapes with “Sledding Video” emblazoned on them. That’s right. Eleven. We’re talking nearly a day’s worth of footage of a handful of high school kids crashing into trees, assaulting each other with sleds, and occasionally breaking collar bones. I’ve spent the week between order and delivery of my iMac watching those videos for the first time in seven years, logging timecode for each and every classic wreck and collision. I’ve only got one word: Priceless.

For the past ten years I’ve been talking about finally compiling an ultimate highlight reel of those four years of insanity, but I’ve yet to come through. Well, with my new set-up, not only will I have the ability to finally put together this dream project (That’s right! Dream project!), I’ll be able to do it in a way I could never have imagined when I was punching buttons on my VCR ten years ago. I’m picturing Zach Vroman (still the Sledding Syndicate’s number one fan) geeking out when he finally gets his eyes on the finished project and I can’t wait to get started (less than 24 hours now). This highlight film is going to bring down the house at his next family reunion. In fact, this post is basically to tease the three or four alumni who are on my MySpace page (Laurie, I count you as Zach’s proxy).

I do want to keep the expectations (as far as time goes) realistic, though. I’m learning a new program (actually four when you count the graphics, sound, and DVD programs that came with Final Cut), and those who know me know I won’t put anything out for public consumption that I don’t feel is up to my irrationally rigid standards. So, I’m making Christmas my deadline for the DVD (with bonus features and the like (Power Rangers, anyone?)). That gives me six months to go completely batshit on this thing.

But don’t worry. I’m not going to make the fans wait that long to get an idea of what’s in store.

My hope (and this is a very sincere hope) is that I can have a small preview cut before I descend on Chi-town for my Cubs double-header at the end of June. After years of broken promises, I hope to put something concrete in Zach’s hand to show him this time I’m not bullshitting. I don’t know if this is feasible; if FCP has a brutal learning curve I may be S.O.L. on my deadline. Still, I’m going to try.

But what I’m digging almost as much as the project itself is that MySpace currently offers 100MB for its users to host video. So, whether I make my deadline or not, in the next couple months I’ll have the preview on my MySpace page for alumni as well as the uninitiated to enjoy. Plus, you guys can keep me honest. If the 4th of July comes and goes with no new developments, drop me a note and remind me of my oath.

Until then, boys and girls, I bid you adieu. It’s time to start cutting.