Petawawa, Ontario — Originally published November 10, 2015 in Canadian Army News
Sergeant Jeff Veinot, a Canadian Army combat engineer, says the bonds formed in combat are unlike any other, and the friendship he formed with an American civilian military contractor Richard Cicero under fire in Afghanistan is no exception.
Mr. Cicero, who lost two limbs to an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan, credits Sgt Veinot with leading the effort to save his life. Remarkably, just four days before, Mr. Cicero was instrumental in saving the life of a Canadian soldier, Corporal Mark Hoogendoorn in another IED incident that cost the corporal his left leg.
On September 11, 2015, Mr. Cicero was honoured by U.S. military officials with the Defense Freedom Medal, the civilian equivalent to a Purple Heart. At his request, Sgt Veinot was present at the ceremony. It was only then, Mr. Cicero said, that he felt able to hear the full story.
A former U.S. Army Special Operations sergeant, Mr. Cicero was handling an explosives-detecting dog alongside Canadian troops when, on August 4, 2010, he fell victim to the IED, losing his right arm and leg.
Read more here: http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/news-publications/national-news-d…