Faced with a shortage of doctors, the Navy needed a junior-level doctor to accompany a Marine batalion to Iraq. Lt. Commander Richard Jadick, one of the senior medical officers at Camp Lejeune, volunteered. He left a pregnant wife at home and headed straight into the Second Battle of Fallujah, where he earned a Bronze Star with a Combat V for valor. It's the only Combat V awarded a Navy doctor thus far in the Iraq war.
All he had to do to get it was step directly into the fighting and work for 11 days and nights under fire, setting up shop in the city itself and moving forward with the troops rather than waiting for the wounded at the medical stations to the rear. Dr. Jadick knew about a trauma patient's "golden hour," and he knew that in combat, that hour was shorter still. USMC Lt. Col. Mark Winn estimated that without Jadick's bravery and determination to do absolutely everything he could, the Marines would have lost an additional 30 men. This is his story: "On Call In Hell."
Why is someone so great whom just goes about and does his job? This was all by his choosing and he did his job. the hero adulation is sickening
Ok, I'll come to your place of work and fire RPG rounds at your head. If you don't have the money drawer counted a half hour past closing you're fired.
Seriously though. Quite a few reasons.
1) He volunteered
2) He saved people's lives
3) He did (2) while his was in jeopardy
4) He had to let someone die because of (3)
5) 99.99% of us will never do 1-4
That good enough?
Now tell me. What pissed you off more? That the article started off with a bible quote or that this guy is regarded as a hero? Just curious.
This man is truly inspiring. Those that can't understand that, will be perpetually crippled in character.
"Why is someone so great whom just goes about and does his job?"
That really depends on what that job is and how it was done. When some one does a near impossible job in exemplary fashion, it is notable, to some inspiring. Others feel threaten with their own inadequacies.
Robert M,
If you had read the link, you'd have read that most medics were working at the medical stations set up beyond the city. The problem is that you'd lose a bunch of soldiers taking them there, because helicopter evac wasn't really an option.
Jadick refused to accept that, and took action that endangered his life on multiple occasions. He didn't have to do that, just as he didn't have to go to Iraq in the first place. Neither was, in fact, 'his job' strictly speaking. When a Marine Lt. Col., says your actions are the bravest thing he's ever seen a medic do - that's pretty exceptional.
Dr. Jadick's escapades in Fallujah are a hell of a story, and one worth telling for sure. Take some time, and read the link. It's worth it.
Doc Jadick earned the respect of fighting Marines and his Bronze Star. I read the linked article and got the chills realizing the brave duty he and his Marines did those days. God bless Jadick and every young hero who was there.
Robert obviously has never put on a uniform in defense of this country, and if he has, he should be reminded it isn't the pink skirt he was wearing when he got "sickened" over the hero adulation.
Robert, Dr. Jadick wasn't just doing his job...do the words ABOVE and BEYOND, mean anything to you?
The singular action of not staying in the rear with gear and moving the surgical station, basically on the battlefield, to increase survival rates of the wounded, is, going above and beyond the call of duty, AND his job.
GET IT!
Cmdr Jadlick did choose to give up his nice job stateside, he did choose to be in the thick of the fight. For his choice people like Robert M can make a snide comment of his heroism. Robert must have not read or ignored the need to provide medical attention within the first 60 minutes of a combat wound. His aid station was initially 45 minutes away. In the rear. He was not a rifleman he was doctor. How many men would have died not for his CHOICE to be in the combat zone? The guy is a hero not because of a medal, not because he left his comforts of home. Because he cared enough to be where he could be value added and save fellow countryman. I spent 27 years in the Marine Corps I salute and thank this man for his courage, his convictions and his choice to be there. Semper-Fi Doc!!
great job sir with the book and all of your sucess.i was a lance corporal at the time but i was the driver of the ambulance that did all of your casualty evacuations. i thank you for telling the storys that i have had in my mind locked away since those crazy times. my wife now knows what fallujah was all about.
r/s
cpl jones
1st BN 8th Marines
I just last night finished reading "On Call In Hell" -- I couldn't put it down. I have worked for the military all my adult life. I guess I feel sorry for people like Robert M. because they just don't see to get it. If you were to read the book, you would see that Doc Jadick isn't even necessarily in favor of the war, but he was a Marine before he went to medical school and he IS in favor of doing anything to save a soldier or Marine.
I pray that should my son ever be in that position that there is a Doc Jadick around.
I seriously doubt that Robert M. is either very old or has traveled more than 50 miles from home. He really needs to read the book. Not only did he save lives, but when he couldn't, he made sure that the deceased were treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
And to CPL Jones who posted above -- you, as well as every other member of the 1/8 are heroes in my book! Semper Fi!
dr. jadick was one of the residents that cared for me when i had bladder surgery at MCG on 3/14/07. i did not know at that time he was a war hero until after i recovered and saw about the book oh call in hell. i requested the book from the library and when saw his picture on the front i knew it was the doc that cared for me. he was a wonderful physican and listened to all of my concerns. he is truly a hero in action at mcg.