Grand Stand

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Heather Kelly
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  After receiving a warm welcome back to the 920th Rescue Wing last month, Senior Airman Diane Lopes recently marked another career milestone: pinning on the rank of staff sergeant.

"It feels good to be here, it's been great to be back with friends and familiar people," said Sergeant Lopes, wounded during a rocket attack at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. She was awarded the Purple Heart while recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center last year.

"What happened to me was an occupational hazard--it wasn't heroic," she said. "It's a danger we all have to face in that environment."

Wing commander Col. Steven Kirkpatrick was there. He read the promotion citation during the ceremony. Although Sergeant Lopes is quick to dismiss any notion of heroism, Colonel Kirkpatrick said her story is one of inspiration.

"Diane's courage has been an inspiration to us all," he said. "She embodies the characteristics of a true Airman. We were all very proud of her."

Sergeant Lopes is currently on active-duty orders, receiving follow-up medical treatment at the local Veterans Affairs clinic. She also participates in physical therapy three times a week.

"I've made more improvement since I've been home," said Sergeant Lopes. "It gets easier each time. It's hard to believe--a year ago I wasn't even walking, I was in a wheelchair. Being home makes me think about how far I've come."

While excited to return home, Sergeant Lopes said she was initially apprehensive about leaving the safety of her fellow patients at Walter Reed.

"I've kept in touch and speak regularly with the folks I met," Sergeant Lopes said. "As I got better, I became aware of other people's situations. There are stages to recovery ... everyone helps each other."

During her recovery, Sergeant Lopes applied for and received a scholarship from Colorado Technical University. She's studying for a criminal-justice degree, taking classes online.

"It helped to use my noggin' again," she said. "It has improved my memory and concentration," she said.

Undeterred by the rocket attack that nearly killed her and the painstaking rehabilitation that followed, Sergeant Lopes plans to reenlist in January.

The soft-spoken, newly-pinned sergeant credited the kindness of fellow servicemembers as one of her reasons for staying with the 920th. "I appreciate all the support I've been given," she said. "It's great to know so many people care. When they say we're a military 'family', we really are."