Profiles in Courage: Major Kent Solheim
by Ride 2 RecoveryWelcome to PROFILES IN COURAGE, a series of articles profiling the courage and honor from some of the many Wounded Heroes that Road 2 Recovery has come in contact with. It is an honor and privilege to have worked with these brave men and women who have been severely wounded and had to overcame both mental and physical injuries. They have sacrificed so much to defend our freedom.
This week’s special edition profile features someone who took part in the first ever Road 2 Recovery event and is the exact image of what you would hope your son or daughter could grow up to be, We hope you read this story and remember what makes America great.
One of the greatest characters in the comics is Captain America. Captain America had superhuman power and saved the US from any evil. Meet a real life version: Kent Solheim.
On July 27, 2007, Captain Kent Solheim, participated in an operation designed to capture a senior leader of the infamous Mahdi Army (High Value Target) in the city of Karbala, Iraq.
Solheim’s team “fast roped” from helicopters into the area. The insurgents attacked the American forces from three sides with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s.
With the insurgents targeting one of the American positions, Solheim aggressively maneuvered his men to reinforce the beleaguered soldiers. It was then that he noticed an insurgent armed with an RPG, less than ten meters away from his position. Disregarding any concern for himself, he bravely charged forward, shot and killed the insurgent, saving the Americans in the nick of time.
Realizing that the US forces in the building were in grave danger, Solheim exposed himself to enemy fire in order to gain a better position to cover the other soldiers in his unit. From this location, he managed to limit the insurgent fire on his team. In the final moments of the engagement he rounded a corner and he found himself face to face with an AK-47-wielding Mahdi fighter. Solheim made a split second decision, firing at and killing the insurgent. However, as the terrorist fell to the ground fatally wounded, he let loose one last burst from his AK-47, which wounded Solheim in the legs and back.
Solheim with Ferris Butler
Despite being wounded in both legs and his back, Solheim shot three enemy soldiers in the encounter and his actions earned him the Silver Star. He has also been awarded a Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
Thanks to Captain Solheim’s heroic actions, dozens of American lives were saved.
On the way to Lowes Motor Speedway
Solheim suffered severe nerve damage to his right leg that made him wheelchair bound. Solheim was not one to sit still and once fitted with a special brace, he decided that cycling would be a great way to get back in shape and realize his goal of going back on active duty. Initially using a special crank adapter to allow him to pedal smoothly, Solheim was soon able to regain enough range of motion to allow him to join the R2R Challenge last May that finished with a lap around Lowes Motor Speedway prior to the Coca-Cola 600.
Capt. America made it back to Bragg and was assigned to Headquarters Company, Support Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, where he served as the company commander.
Riding with Mike McNaughton
He was very happy to be back riding on a regular basis and enjoying being able to use his knowledge and experience to help those that will follow him to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, March 2, Solheim, promoted to Major last week, will have his leg amputated below the knee at Walter Reed due to pain and loss of function from his encounter more than 17 months after that mission on July 27. While he will be out of action while undergoing rehab, he knows that he will be back in action soon and is already talking about going for a bike ride. In fact, he brought his bike in the truck of his car waiting for the day he gets to ride.
Despite this temporary setback, he plans to participate in the Road 2 Recovery Memorial Challenge in May from Washington DC to Virginia Beach. The ride will end with a concert by American Idol winner David Cook.
In the comics, Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of perfection. In real life, Capt. Solheim, now Major Solheim, will be enhanced back to perfection with a new limb.
For more Info see: TheRoad2Recovery.org, and join us on Facebook
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Tips & Feedback
28 Comments
An inspiration to wounded veterans! Great story. Congratulations on your promotion. I wish you the best in your continuing recovery, Major! – Viktor Felkers, SFC, U.S. Army
Thanks for these stories. They're very inspirational. I'm also glad that people get to hear what these guys have done (and overcome), and I'm very happy to hear that they're recovering and thriving. Best wishes to you and all the R2R folks!!
By the way, I think it's amazing that these guys want to go back and it really says volumes about their characters!
Back in the day, we called these 'million dollar wounds' because they sent you back to your safety and your sweetie…
with a professional all-volunteer force in place, the dedication and proffessionalism of these troops is amazing…
it's what they do, and do well.
Civilians can have a tough time wrapping their arms around this concept…
[...] what I hope will be an ongoing feature spotlighting wounded veterans. In this instance, it’s Major Kent Solheim. Why the media continues to completely ignore these stories is beyond me. Well, not really, but [...]
It is impossible for most people to get thier heads around the Military Mind Set. To Liberals it is in direct oppostion to thier own mind set and world view. Duty, Honor, Country are not mere words. Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution of the United States are not some abstract concept to these people. They live evreyday of thier lives trying to live up to these ideals. They are the true idealists in a culture that is increasingly finding the way of life embraced by the Military as Old Fashioned and out of date.
I Salute(a sign of respect) all our Military Men and Women who have put the welfare of the Country before thier own. As a former Sub Sailor I have nothing but contempt for those that demean thier sacrifice. It is these wonderful young men and women who run to the sound of gunfire and thier desire to return is to support thier bretheren still in danger.
Thanks for another positive story. Best of luck to the Major in his continued recovery. The attitude of these soldiers is very inspiring.
Once I was taping a fly fishing segment with a young soldier (a BK amputee), the young man waded waist deep in the water with his prosthesis while I tried to catch up. When I got up to him, impressed, I asked if the prosthesis was water proof. "I hope so," he replied and kept fishing. These guys just do.
good for you… was an army type but respect pigboats and their very talented crew. Highest casualties in WW11 were the silent service…
it was the zeitgeist of the day… do your tour and go home. Nutjobs volunteered for two, three tours. Now you have Marines with 4 Iraq tours in Afghanistan… they'll see more combat than any 10WW11 soldiers did in their entire '42-'45 tours. Take that, Tom Brokaw…
[...] Random Feed wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWelcome to PROFILES IN COURAGE, a series of articles profiling the courage and honor from some of the many Wounded Heroes that Road 2 Recovery has come in contact with. It is an honor and privilege to have worked with these brave men and women who have been severely wounded and had to overcame both mental and physical injuries. They have sacrificed so much to defend our freedom. Any resemblance? This week’s special edition profile features someone who took part in the first ever Road [...]
Are these the same guys who busted the the doors of private homes, terrorized and murdered women and children, all for our "freedom", which we have lost ever since they started busting doors and terrorized populace in Iraq?
God bless 'em. Where would we be without men and women like Major Solheim? Abraham Lincoln's words come to me every time I see, read about, or hear about such people: "The solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice on the altar of Freedom."
Here's another piece worth reading about our men and women in uniform: "Duties That Are Best Shared" by LTC Matthew Bogdanos, author of "The Thieves of Baghdad." It appears (unbelievably) in Sunday's "Washington Post." (Their censors must have been attending another Obama drool session when it came through for publication).
Major Bogdanos's article eloquently explains how the anti-military bias hurts both the military and those who unquestioningly swallow the anti-military propaganda and how it hurts our country perhaps more than we can imagine. For one, I would love to see more Ivy League smart guys do a tour of duty. We would get the advantage of having a broader cross-section in our uniformed services and the Ivy Leaguers would gain the advantage of growing a pair.
HA HA!!! Troll in the dungeon!!! You're silly.
God bless all our wounded veterans and all those serving in the military.
"Amigocabal" must be John Kerry.
The depth of character and profound heroism of these and so many other soldiers always leaves me with a feeling of pride and gratitude. I realize how lucky we are to have them and the freedoms they fought/fight for. And there are SO many heroes and soldiers of uncommon distinction! Sez a lot about the sort of person who decides to join up.
Thank you Major Kent Solheim – I will be praying for your speedy and healthy recovery.
Well said richb. Very well said. I so hope your wrong about their brand of idealism being old fashioned and out of date.
This man is a hero. My heart goes out to him. Evil and loathesome politicians (Dick Durbin's name comes to mind) are not worthy to polish this brave officer's belt buckle.
Great point dcase – in (particularly Vietnam) movies you're always seeing soldiers happy to be wounded and going home. Now you've got guys fighting to go back. Men like Major Solheim are proof that there are still heroes in this country. I can't wait to read more in this series so that I can share their example with my children someday.
Thank you, Major Solheim, for protecting me and mine. I thank your family also for their sacrifices for our country. I am so in awe of our military and their families. They don't consider themselves heroes at all. True humility.
No Amigo, you are thinking of the men who worked for Saddam Hussein. They are no longer in power thanks to men like Major Solheim. We are sorry if that fact disappoints you.
The troops often educate me on the value of humility and how important it is to never take my Liberty for granted.
While most American institutions (religious, financial, educational, political, entertainment) are falling apart and have lost all purpose and meaning, the men and women serving in the military are rising above the fray.
Amigocabal, another troll who lives safe at home with mommy and daddy glad that the boogie men are kept far away by other peoples sons and daughters.
the good news is hundreds of thousands of these guys are returning to civilian life- an Obama army is not conducive to hard chargers- and will be the next generation of leaders… take that, Ben Affleck…
I had the pleasure and honor of speaking to one of our Wounded Warriors recently and I can not say enough what their courage and outlook has done to inspire me to do all I can not only for them but this nation. It would be very easy to sit in my livingroom watching sitcoms and pretending it would be ok and let someone else deal with it. But if these men can do what they do how can I do anything less than have their backs here at home and work just as hard to make a difference!
"Everyday is an Opportunity Disguised as a Challenge."
Hey Amigocabal u punkass troll,I wish u had the guts to say that in front of me.Youd wind up worse off than Maj.Solheim;whos more of a man than u can ever be.
Dick Durbin?Dont u mean Obama,stupid?How many times has that idot (our Commander in Chief) put his life on the line for anyone?Or Biden-or Clinton,or Pelosi,etc?
I want to thank you Major for your, service, dedication and commitment. You are truly a HERO. We are FREE because of self-sacrificing young men and women like you. May God Bless You and your family and hold you close to His Heart! A Grateful American……Maureen Wise
You must be logged in to post a comment.