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Show Hilltop Tunes March 2. 2006 Hill Airman continues recovery from bomb blast BY MICHAEL BRIGGS 12tti Flying Training Wing Public Affairs RANDOLPH AFB, TexHe stirs every few minutes as he sits talking in the as living room of his base housing unit He doesn't show it with any grimace on his face, but he has not yet healed from the wounds he received in combat less than three months ago, so he adjusts his position on the couch to get as comfortable as he can. All the while, the former Hill Airman talks frankly, pulling his daughter near at times, about what he remembers of the events halfway around the world that have led him here. Airman Acosta was performing explosive ordnance disposal duties near Baghdad, Iraq Dec. 7 and was caught in a blast The bomb exploded within 20 feet of him, knocking him to the ground and injuring him severely. He lost his left arm in the blast and his legs suffered extensive wounds. He's had skin grafts to repair the damage to his legs and was fitted in late January with an electronic prosthetic left arm. He now faces about 18 months of rehabilitation, he said. After what he has been through, it may come as a surprise what he would like to do after he is rehabilitated. Airman Acosta wants to stay in the Air Force in the EOD career he is living in base housing at Randolph, which is closer to the hosthe still in While I was Army medical center where he is being treated. I some had good really pital, Airman Acosta has been asnurses who told me having a a family liaison officer. best the was signed attitude positive way for me to get through it," Senior Master Sgt Mark Hep-newho is the EOD functional Airman Acosta said. "I always at Air Education and I attitude. manager to a positive try keep Training Command headquarwitnessed people in the hospital who gave up, and when they ters here. In his FLO duties, Sergeant Hepner ensures the give up, they dont recover." the Air Acosta family gets everything it His other family Force family provided much needs to ensure Airman Acosta can go through his rehab with of his desire to remain an Airlittle stress as possible on his as said. he man, "You always hear about how family. The process has gone so the Air Force is a family and how close we are," Airman well, Airman Acosta has even felt well enough to spend some Acosta said. "We never retime this until that helping Sergeant Hepner ally experienced situation. The Air Force does out at work. "I feel comfortable enough to come together as a family and take care of its people, which get in uniform and go to work," is great That support is what he said. "It helps him out a lot and he appreciates it He gets helps with this rehab." me involved to keep me in touch Although he is administratively assigned to the patient with EOD and the Air Force." That EOD and Air Force insquadron at Lackland AFB on volvement is one he'd like to side San of Antonio, the other ii in in ii ii ii in mil ii iii i nil ji ii ii inn mi ii ii helped him keep his chin up, he said. r, 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 U.S. Air Force photo by Steve White Senior Airman Dan Acosta winces when occupational therapist Stephanie Angle stretches his leg Feb. 23 at the bum rehabilitation center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. experience for a long time, and with a successful rehabilitation, he will position himself to give it his best shot probably sometime in late 2007 when a medical board will meet to decide his Air Force future. 1 1 in i ii 1 1 1 1 in i in 1 1 1 1 ii ii 1 1 1 rives, he said he's not taking anything for granted these days and is enjoying spending time with his family his wife and children and his Air Force He has other choices if remaining on active duty is not an option, such as taking a job teaching at the EOD school-hous- e as a civilian. Until that decision time ar- - - family. .; ii i ii 114 1 23SS Ggtden iSpike Gem Show - field. "I love everything about the Air Force and EOD, and that's what I want to continue to do," he said. While the process to determine if he is even eligible to remain on active duty is still a long way off, Airman Acosta is focusing on that goal as he goes through some tough and sometimes frustrating physical therapy sessions. He said his wife Sandy and his two daughters, the second one a ate the reason he has come through the ordeal with a positive attitude. "I have a lot of support, especially from my wife, who deserves all the credit, because she's the one I can talk to about things and open up to getthings off my chest where I'll start feeling better, which helps me keep that positive attitude," he said, Some advice from the nurses at the medical center also - - 3 Sponsored by I" M UNION STATION I illinilili 25th & Wall Ave. Ogden, Utah Special Education Day for Students and Scout Groups imiHo M $00 Mini Mi - Illllllllllllllllllllll 1MIII 'inn i) ulilliii lililMili ijittllM mllti llillili .1 m mmtSB o ii i. (ii ii ftfc MS. 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