A suicide bomber in Iraq injured Marine veteran Keith Buckmon, native of Capitol Heights, Md., in 2008, resulting in the complete reconstruction of both of his legs and his right arm using bone grafts and metal plates. Buckmon has also struggled with losing the Marines who died during the attack and battles the symptoms post-traumatic stress disorder every day. Now, Buckmon is an athlete in the 2013 Marine Corps Trials who competes in seated volleyball, wheelchair basketball, seated shot put and discus and shooting. Buckmon says his wife and two daughters, Damaris Buckmon, Iz'Abella Amaris Buc
A suicide bomber in Iraq injured Marine veteran Keith Buckmon, native of Capitol Heights, Md., in 2008, resulting in the complete reconstruction of both of his legs and his right arm using bone grafts and metal plates. Buckmon has also struggled with losing the Marines who died during the attack and battles the symptoms post-traumatic stress disorder every day. Now, Buckmon is an athlete in the 2013 Marine Corps Trials who competes in seated volleyball, wheelchair basketball, seated shot put and discus and shooting. Buckmon says his wife and two daughters, Damaris Buckmon, Iz'Abella Amaris Buckmon and Jy'Zella-leilani Grace Clark, are his motivation to keep pushing to get better because he strives to be a good husband and father. Buckmon has a tattoo on his shoulder that depicts a Purple Heart medal and the date he was injured. The Trials is an opportunity for wounded Marines, veterans and allies to compete in wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, track and field, swimming, archery and shooting. The top 50 athletes will go on to compete against wounded warriors from the other branches of military service at the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., in May. ( Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler L. Main) Deployment Scars, A Marine's battle with wounds from overseas 130305-M-IX060-004
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