Men and women fight for our country every day — Veterans Day, especially, is a day to remember the services they provide.

Last week, in honor of the holiday, the Oakland University Chapter of Student Veterans of America sponsored Scott Adams, Wounded Warrior Project speaker. His message was simple: Never give up on living.

Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project, an organization started in 2003, aims to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded warriors in this nation’s history.

The project does so by raising public awareness of the needs of injured soldiers, helping its injured service members assist each other and to provide programs to help them get back on their feet.

Another part of its mission is to bring personal stories directly to the public through their program, Warriors Speak.

“The best people to speak on veterans are veterans,” said Robert Rietze, SVA Veteran Liaison.

One soldier’s story

Adams was a seasoned soldier by 2007. He had served 22 years in the military, which included six deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. That year, his health took a devastating blow during a combat incident.

“My vehicle was the lead vehicle (in a convoy) during a mission,” Adams said. “It hit a pothole with two anti-tank mines … blowing up the vehicle six feet in the air.”

Adams suffered a serious injuries including third degree burns on over 47 percent of his body, nerve damage to neck vertebrae, a spinal cord injury, eight compound back fractures, leg damage, memory loss, hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress disorder and both shoulders shattered.

Glenn McIntosh, dean of students, said it was an honor to hear Adams speak and share his life’s story with an OU audience.

“His story is so inspirational and just demonstrates the courageousness of men who serve our country,” McIntosh said.

The aftermath

Adams survived the explosion and spent the next two years in the hospital completing rehabilitation programs. He soon met with individuals from the WWP project who invited him to hunt deer.

“I killed eight deer that weekend,” Adams said. “You couldn’t take the smile off my face or beat it off. I also met 11 other incredible wounded warriors like myself. They are now family and we still talk to each other every week.”

Adams retired to Minnesota with his family after his discharge from the military. He was, however, unaccustomed to this new way of life.

“I felt that I was done,” he said. “I did not answer phones, return email or keep in contact with anyone.”

He had minimal contact with the outside world for two and a half years. But the WWP would not give up on Adams. The WWP “choose to look beyond your injuries,” he said.

“They (WWP) got to know you from the inside-out, not the outside-in,” Adams said. “First time I ever went out after entering an outpatient program at the hospital, I felt like a freak show because of all the garments we have to wear and loose clothing due to our scars and open wounds.”

How he got involved

Adams contacted the WWP, joined their alumni organization and started sharing his story with other veterans and other non-military personnel through their programs. He is now very active in the organization.

Michael Brennan, OU admissions advisor, was among the audience at the event. He previously served in the U.S. Army from 2002-2008.

“Everyone is going to face some degree of adversity,” Brennan said. “It’s about facing whatever hills you got to climb or hurdles you have to jump. If you learn how to take on your challenges and overcome, you will actually learn to live your life more enjoyably and, you will feel more fulfilled as a person.”

The WWP logo is of a soldier carrying another soldier. Adams said he was the soldier being carried twice — once during the 2007 explosion, and once when the WWP got him back on his feet.

“Just because you have injuries does not mean you can’t do stuff,” Adams said.

Adams travels to locations around the U.S. telling his story, encouraging others to go beyond their perceived limitations as he did during times of trouble in his life.

“I can now be that soldier carrying and helping others with the help of WWP,” Adams said.

For more information about the Wounded Warrior Project, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org