Wounded Warriors Receive Warm Welcome on Area Visit

SARASOTA — They came from all over: Bradenton and Sarasota, Venice and Fort Myers.

They came waving flags and bearing signs. Bikers, military moms, Vietnam and World War II veterans, U.S. congressmen and local politicians — they all gathered at at the on Monday morning to show their support and give a hero's welcome to some wounded warriors.

Six injured soldiers and their escorts arrived in Sarasota as part of a recovery retreat hosted by Operation Second Chance, a nonprofit that cares for wounded combat veterans. The troops are being treated to a weeklong excursion that includes a free stay at the in Sarasota, sailing and fishing trips, a visit to Don Pedro Island State Park in Boca Grande and free dinners at Sarasota restaurants and the new Daiquiri Deck in St. Armand's Circle.

The tiny aircraft facility was bursting with hundreds of visitors and dignitaries who literally rolled out the red carpet for the visiting troops, four of whom flew in from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

"It just means so much to us," said Adam Kisielewski, who lost both an arm and a leg as a sergeant in the Marine Corps. Kisielewski now serves as the vice president of Operation Second Chance and was the troops' escort Monday.

The group included both Army and Marine vets with injuries that ranged from damaged vision to a spinal cord injury to the amputation of limbs. Kisielewski said there may be a natural rivalry among the different branches of the military, but there's a special brotherhood among those injured in the line of duty.

"After you get wounded, you kind of realize we all kind of bleed green," Kisielewski said.

Staff Sgt. William Castillo of the U.S. Army lost his left leg after being struck with five rounds of ammunition, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and an improvised explosive device (IED) in Fallujah, Iraq — "Take your pick," he joked Monday.

Castillo, a New York native, drove down from his home in Orlando with another wounded warrior, Army Staff Sgt. Chris Gordon, and was looking forward to his first fishing trip.

"You get to do things and get to be around another battle buddy," Castillo said. "You see the Vietnam vets. They've done it the hard way, and they've gotten through it."

The civilians who came out for Monday's welcome said it was important for them to show their support — even if just to shake the vets' hands or say thank you.

"I feel I need to be here as a mom of a veteran, and as an American," said Bradenton's Sheila Cobb, whose son, Christopher, was killed in Iraq in 2004 while serving with the Marines. Sheila Cobb serves with the American Legion Oneco Post 312 in southern Manatee County named in her son's honor and was handing out small pins with Christopher's portrait and yellow ribbons on them Monday.

"This is awesome," said Bradenton's Adria Henslick, whose two sons, Alex and Max Fort, are Marines. Henslick wore her red Manatee Marine Moms shirt with her sons' first names printed on the sleeve and said she had to come out to see her first homecoming. "It's invigorating. It puts that feeling in your heart."

Organizers said they were surprised by the show of support, from groups that included local VFW and American Legion posts, Elks clubs, motorcycle clubs and the Florida Honor Guard. Word of the soldiers' visit got out last week and "it spread just like wildfire," said Jim Lamb, southwest district vice president of the Elks.

"This is one hell of a welcome these lads are gonna get," said Ben Knisely, a retired Army colonel and the warrior trip coordinator for Operation Second Chance, as he addressed the crowd. "Many of you didn't get this kind of welcome when you came back.

Local businesses and organizations donated food and drinks for the party, and the crowd broke into an impromptu rendition of "God Bless America" and chants of "USA! USA!" after the vets were inside the terminal.

The welcoming party included U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key; U.S. Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota; Manatee County Commissioner Robin DiSabatino; Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta; and Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight.