Fort Bliss Monitor

Virginia Reza

B.J., a fellow Class 57 rider shares his horned helmet with Jurgersen, as he and wife Karin get a feel for Brent’s new 2007 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson trike.

Family, friends wheel in gift for Class 57 warfighter

Virginia Reza
Monitor Staff

Guests arriving at the American Legion Post 58 Saturday were asked to assemble in the parking lot to witness “a dream come true” for a man who is referred to as “an inspiration and a hero.”

Sgt. Maj. Bo Gentry, a student at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, began with a speech he especially wrote for Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgersen, the first full length amputee to attend USASMA, who considers himself not “handicapped or disabled, but just a little physically challenged.”

“If you are standing here today, then you have been touched by Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgersen,” said Gentry. “Known by his Soldiers as “the Rock,” Brent embodies the values, morals and character that each of us should personally strive to attain.”

As “Bad to the Bone” by George Thurogood began playing in the background, numerous bikers roared into the parking lot. The last biker was Master Sgt. Duane Detweiler, USASMA student and Brent’s close friend. Detweiler rode in on a black 2007 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson trike with trester wheels. He stopped the trike in front of Brent, gave him the keys and a big hug.

“You guys got me,” Brent said. “I’m at a loss for words. I have been dreaming of this for a long time. First of all, I thank God for letting me be here. Second, I have to ask if it’s okay if a biker cries.”

Brent said he was skeptical of attending USASMA because he didn’t know what people would think of him.

“In my little world at Walter Reed, for the last year-and-a-half, I was normal,” Brent said. “And I didn’t know how people would react here, but you guys treated me with open arms. You didn’t treat me any different and I thank you for that.”

Brent said he had already talked his wife, Karin, into buying a trike about six months ago, but all of a sudden, Karin insisted they could not afford it. So he tried reverse psychology by buying her furniture, thinking maybe he could get what he wanted.

“Let me tell you, I just wasted a lot of money,” he joked.

Karin said it was very hard lying to a man she has been married to for almost 25 years.
“I had to lie and I had to constantly be the bad person,” said Karin. “I had to say no, you can’t have your dream bike. I played the devil’s advocate. It was kind of fun messing with him. I didn’t think I could do it, but I actually surprised myself.”

She said Brent’s friends came up with the idea of getting him the trike. She conspired by taking notes every time Brent surfed the Internet and showed her what his dream bike had to have.

“I’m hoping to get brownie points for the little things I took notes on,” said Karin. “Every time we visited the Harley Davidson shop, he looked at the bikes and drooled,” Karin joked. “I had to actually divert a few customers because I didn’t want them to slip on the drool trail he left behind.”

Brent also received a black leather Harely Davidson jacket, and a freedom bell, which supposedly gets rid of road spirits. Other gifts included a Harley Davidson dress shirt, a long blond braid attached to a bandana and a year’s worth of membership to the American Legion Post 58.

“All donations came from the heart,” said Detweiler. “We want Brent to join the Class 57 riders, because riding motorcycles is a way of life. It is an awesome feeling. You can forget a few things when you are on your motorcycle. You just kind of go with the wind.”

During Operation Iraqi Freedom II, while conducting combat operations June 18, 2004, Brent faced death for the first time. He was shot in the face, which resulted in a severely ripped lip, shredded tongue, missing teeth, arterial wound to his throat, and put him into a coma on life support.

The doctors in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, expected Jurgersen to be in a drug-induced coma for at least three months. However, three weeks later, he was out of the hospital. Four months later, despite some people’s advice to stay behind, Brent returned to Iraq, determined to complete the mission and bring his troops home.

He suffered his second near-death encounter Jan. 26, 2005, while on a reconnaissance patrol on the peninsula of Ad Dyuliah, Iraq. His Humvee was hit by two rocket-propelled grenades. His gunner and friend, Sgt William Kinzer Jr., died and doctors amputated Brent’s left leg. A month later, when his troops redeployed to Germany, he was waiting to lead them back into the auditorium, to fulfill a promise he made the day they deployed.

“There is no way in the world I deserved this,” said Brent. “I just got screwed up a couple of times in Iraq and I want to keep going because I love the Army. I love being a Soldier. I love my country and I would do it all over again if it meant you didn’t have to go through what I had to.

“A lot of times you don’t know why things happen to you,” he said. “Karin and I have always said God gave this to us because we can handle it, whereas others might not. I will continue to wear a uniform proudly and with honor. And every time I jump on the trike, I will think of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea what this means to me.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	April 19, 2007

	Virginia Reza B.J., a fellow Class 57 rider shares his horned helmet with Jurgersen, as he and wife Karin get a feel for Brent’s new 2007 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson trike. Family, friends wheel in gift for Class 57 warfighter Virginia Reza Monitor Staff Guests arriving at the American Legion Post 58 Saturday were asked to assemble in the parking lot to witness “a dream come true” for a man who is referred to as “an inspiration and a hero.” Sgt. Maj. Bo Gentry, a student at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, began with a speech he especially wrote for Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgersen, the first full length amputee to attend USASMA, who considers himself not “handicapped or disabled, but just a little physically challenged.” “If you are standing here today, then you have been touched by Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgersen,” said Gentry. “Known by his Soldiers as “the Rock,” Brent embodies the values, morals and character that each of us should personally strive to attain.” As “Bad to the Bone” by George Thurogood began playing in the background, numerous bikers roared into the parking lot. The last biker was Master Sgt. Duane Detweiler, USASMA student and Brent’s close friend. Detweiler rode in on a black 2007 Ultra Classic Harley Davidson trike with trester wheels. He stopped the trike in front of Brent, gave him the keys and a big hug. “You guys got me,” Brent said. “I’m at a loss for words. I have been dreaming of this for a long time. First of all, I thank God for letting me be here. Second, I have to ask if it’s okay if a biker cries.” Brent said he was skeptical of attending USASMA because he didn’t know what people would think of him. “In my little world at Walter Reed, for the last year-and-a-half, I was normal,” Brent said. “And I didn’t know how people would react here, but you guys treated me with open arms. You didn’t treat me any different and I thank you for that.” Brent said he had already talked his wife, Karin, into buying a trike about six months ago, but all of a sudden, Karin insisted they could not afford it. So he tried reverse psychology by buying her furniture, thinking maybe he could get what he wanted. “Let me tell you, I just wasted a lot of money,” he joked. Karin said it was very hard lying to a man she has been married to for almost 25 years. “I had to lie and I had to constantly be the bad person,” said Karin. “I had to say no, you can’t have your dream bike. I played the devil’s advocate. It was kind of fun messing with him. I didn’t think I could do it, but I actually surprised myself.” She said Brent’s friends came up with the idea of getting him the trike. She conspired by taking notes every time Brent surfed the Internet and showed her what his dream bike had to have. “I’m hoping to get brownie points for the little things I took notes on,” said Karin. “Every time we visited the Harley Davidson shop, he looked at the bikes and drooled,” Karin joked. “I had to actually divert a few customers because I didn’t want them to slip on the drool trail he left behind.” Brent also received a black leather Harely Davidson jacket, and a freedom bell, which supposedly gets rid of road spirits. Other gifts included a Harley Davidson dress shirt, a long blond braid attached to a bandana and a year’s worth of membership to the American Legion Post 58. “All donations came from the heart,” said Detweiler. “We want Brent to join the Class 57 riders, because riding motorcycles is a way of life. It is an awesome feeling. You can forget a few things when you are on your motorcycle. You just kind of go with the wind.” During Operation Iraqi Freedom II, while conducting combat operations June 18, 2004, Brent faced death for the first time. He was shot in the face, which resulted in a severely ripped lip, shredded tongue, missing teeth, arterial wound to his throat, and put him into a coma on life support. The doctors in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, expected Jurgersen to be in a drug-induced coma for at least three months. However, three weeks later, he was out of the hospital. Four months later, despite some people’s advice to stay behind, Brent returned to Iraq, determined to complete the mission and bring his troops home. He suffered his second near-death encounter Jan. 26, 2005, while on a reconnaissance patrol on the peninsula of Ad Dyuliah, Iraq. His Humvee was hit by two rocket-propelled grenades. His gunner and friend, Sgt William Kinzer Jr., died and doctors amputated Brent’s left leg. A month later, when his troops redeployed to Germany, he was waiting to lead them back into the auditorium, to fulfill a promise he made the day they deployed. “There is no way in the world I deserved this,” said Brent. “I just got screwed up a couple of times in Iraq and I want to keep going because I love the Army. I love being a Soldier. I love my country and I would do it all over again if it meant you didn’t have to go through what I had to. “A lot of times you don’t know why things happen to you,” he said. “Karin and I have always said God gave this to us because we can handle it, whereas others might not. I will continue to wear a uniform proudly and with honor. And every time I jump on the trike, I will think of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea what this means to me.”