Returning from Iraq, the Damage Done - 3

Erick Castro AGE 24; SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 

Combat engineer in the Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Lost a leg on August 25, 2003, during a firefight near Fallujah.

I was born in Mexico—I came here when I was one. I just became a U.S. citizen in December. There was this two-star general at the hospital that asked me, "Hey, are you a citizen?" That same day, I saw Senator Kennedy, and I decided to apply. The director of the INS performed the ceremony in Senator Kennedy's office.

I met a guy in the Army who thought all Mexicans were illegal. And he was like, "How'd you join the Army if you're illegal?" So I explained to him exactly what it meant to be illegal.

Before, I was just a soldier from another country. Now I have actually done something for my country.

Now I have to wear a prosthetic. Or if I don't want to wear it, I hop around on crutches. My life has changed a lot… a big distance from where it was before. But I'm actually glad I did it, that I served. I don't regret the injuries, not at al. It's just what happens in those circumstances. I got a Purple Heart from the President in Washington. He just came down and handed it to me.

I don't regret joining. If I could do it again, I would. I wanted to do something different. Now, I'm going to go back to school. The VA will pay for tuition. I'll go to school for 2 or 3 years. I think what I'll do is mechanical engineering. Then find a job in that.