The true face of courage: Bomb disposal expert who has ALWAYS kept a smile on his face - even after he lost his leg and hand in an Afghan IED blast

US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Brian Meyer was seriously injured after a bomb he was defusing exploded in 2011



The brave Marine ordered a comrade to take the battlefield photograph featuring his wounds while forcing a smile



He was afraid the impact of his horrendous injuries would have on his squad, now he uses the image to inspire others

Sgt Meyer now works with fellow wounded veterans and wants to join a major US Navy six-year rehabilitation study

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPH




US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Brian Meyer was deployed as a bomb technician in Afghanistan in 2011 when the device he was defusing exploded prematurely.



The then 29-year-old Marine was ripped apart by the blast. He lost his right leg above the knee, his right hand above the wrist and three fingers of his left hand.



While still receiving treatment on the battlefield, Sgt Meyer, fearful of the impact his injuries would have on his squad, ordered Eric Lunson to take his photograph. Forcing a smile through the pain, Sgt Meyer, raised what would have earlier been a thumbs' up as the shutter clicked. The photograph, Sgt Meyer hoped, would provide inspiration for his men as he began his own battle with recovery.



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Marine Gunnery Sergeant Brian Meyer bravely smiled for the camera after he lost his right leg above the knee, his right hand above the wrist and three fingers on his left hand after a bomb he was defusing in 2011 exploded, left, Sgt Meyer has rebuilt his life, right, and now works counselling fellow veterans who suffered terrible injuries

Sgt Meyer, has retired from the Marines however, he continues to undergo pioneering medical treatment from Navy Commander Peter Shumaker, right at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California. The special laser, pictured, softens scar tissue on Sgt Meyer's arm allowing him greater movement and less pain



Sgt Meyer said he did not want special ramps fitted to his home or be confined to a wheelchair, instead he vowed to walk again and maintain an active lifestyle



Since the War on Terror and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, almost 2,000 US troops have lost one or more limbs as a result of combat injuries. Now, the Naval Health Research Center has embarked on a six-year study, to help wounded warriors rebuild their lives.



So far, 1,500 personnel have signed up to the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project, however, the Navy wants to increase that figure to 10,000. In addition to the amputees, a further 50,000 people have suffered serious combat injuries while deployed in either Iraq or Afghanistan. A staggering 16,000 of them would not have survived in an earlier conflict.

Doctors say a positive attitude is key to recovery, so the study will also examine mental resilience and why some troops have it and others don't. It will rely on Web-based, telephone and mailed surveys conducted every six months about mobility, ability to function and social activity.



The aim of the study is to review how veterans cope and enjoy life after suffering debilitating injuries such as Sgt Meyer. It is expected to last six years and will help understand how the injured personnel's quality of life impacts their long-term care.

Troops such as Sgt Meyer are pushing military medicine to find better ways to accommodate such a large population of young, severely disabled combat veterans who want to maintain an active lifestyle. Many wear out their prosthetic limbs in a matter of months doing everything from mountain climbing to running marathons.

Among the projects Sgt Meyer is involved with is Warfighter Made, which customises sports cars, off-roaders and motorbikes for wounded veterans. He said: 'What we want is for a guy in the coolest car to drive up to a handicap spot and have people like, "What's this guy doing?" Then they see him get out with his prosthetic legs.'



Sgt Meyer has no regrets having ordered Eric Lunson to take the the battlefield photograph showing his horrendous injuries, instead looks at it with a certain amount of pride: 'It's the exact opposite of what somebody expects you to do. So when I show it to people they are inspired by it, instead of being shocked, I know they get it'

Commander Peter Shumaker, chief of dermatology at the Naval Center in San Diego pioneered some of the techniques being used on severely injured veterans, he said: 'It's a privilege to work with soldiers and Marines, like Brian, because they're young and motivated and healthy and they can go farther than we ever thought'

Meyer is not yet part of the study but intends to participate. His case was featured in the New England Journal of Medicine in May to demonstrate the success of battlefield trauma care over the past decade.



The retired Marine has benefited from a host of new medical strategies used by the military, including laser treatments.



Cmdr. Peter Shumaker, chief of dermatology at Naval Medical Center San Diego, helped pioneer the use of an ablative laser - commonly used to smooth wrinkled or acne-scarred skin - to ease Meyer's scar tissue, dramatically improving the range of motion in his fingers, among other things.



He said: 'It's a privilege to work with soldiers and Marines, like Brian, because they're young and motivated and healthy and they can go farther than we ever thought,

'They don't want to just walk, they want to do things that their colleagues are doing, their friends are doing.'

Meyer was hospitalised for a month after the 2011 bomb blast in Afghanistan. He lost his right leg above the knee, and his right hand above the wrist.



Early during his rehabilitation, Sgt Meyer rejected offers of installing ramps at his home as he wanted to lead as full a life as possible claiming 'I focus on what I have left, not what I lost'

Only his pinky and ring finger remained intact on his left hand.

After multiple surgeries, he was outfitted for prosthetics and learned to walk again. But Meyer, 29 at the time, wanted full independence.



He turned down offers to install wheelchair ramps in his home. He debated before accepting a handicap parking permit. He did not want to avoid the struggle to reintegrate. He wanted to go anywhere.



He said: 'I focus on what I have left, not what I lost.'.



His prosthetic arm has a flashlight so at night he can see where he plants his prosthetic foot. His prosthetic arm has the knobs and battery pack positioned to one side so he can shoot a bow and arrow.



Thanks to the laser treatments on his scar tissue, he can now hold a toothbrush, write with a pen, dial his phone, and pull the trigger of a hunting rifle.



Laser treatments also removed a sore, allowing him to withstand his prosthetic leg for 18 hours a day.



Shumaker and Dr. Chad Hivnor, who recently retired from Lackland Air Force Base, helped pioneer the method. Hivnor also discovered botulinum toxin A injections decrease perspiration where the prosthetic limb attaches, helping stop it from slipping off while the person is exercising or in hot climates.



The findings were recently presented to the American Academy of Dermatology to promote the treatment for severely scarred people in the general population.



Shumaker said: 'These are not special, scar lasers or special, wounded warrior lasers. We've taken these techniques that are primarily used for cosmetic purposes and altered them a bit to apply to trauma rehabilitation.'



Such unconventional treatments make a big difference in daily life, veterans and their doctors say. One soldier's scar tissue has softened so he can grasp his daughter's hand; another can now type.



A week after a recent treatment, Meyer rode on his motorcycle through a shopping district in Murrieta, 60 miles northeast of San Diego.



His pinky and ring finger operated the throttle that has been put on the left side because he only has a left wrist. It has a side car that can carry another amputee, wheelchair or his dog.



Meyer and two others have started the nonprofit organisation, Warfighter Made, which modified his motorcycle. It also customises sports cars, off-road vehicles and other transportation for veterans, who can join in the work.



'What we want is for a guy in the coolest car to drive into a handicap spot and have people be like, "What's this guy doing?" Then they see him get out with his prosthetic legs,' said Meyer.



His prosthetic leg features a sticker of Bill Murray and the word 'Laugh.'



Meyer works for the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund, counseling fellow combat veterans. He loves the photograph taken after he was injured.



He said: 'It's the exact opposite of what somebody expects you to do. So when I show it to people and they are inspired by it, instead of being shocked, I know they get it.'