escort the remaining trucks back to Kuwait .
“ We were 15-45 minutes outside of Marez ,” Dustin said , adding that there was conversation about radioing into the base so that they ’ d be expected when the impact occurred .
From a ridge along the road , a SVBIED ( suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device ) came across the median and struck Dustin ’ s truck in the left rear corner . Though an MRAP ( Mine Resistant Ambush Protected ) vehicle , the truck was primarily designed to withstand land mines or IEDs from below . The side impact was enough to injure the three-man crew inside .
As the gunner , Dustin had been inside the truck ’ s turret and was thrown into the back of the vehicle . He noted that the truck rolled over three
times .
“ There was a brief loss of consciousness , I believe ,” Dustin said , “ because there are a few seconds where I don ’ t remember anything .… My helmet came off somehow .”
Miraculously , none of the men were incapacitated by initial crash . The one who appeared to suffer most initially was Will Hendrickson , from western Kentucky , who ’ d been riding next to driver Bobby Mills ( from Barbourville ) and suffered a leg injury that left him requiring help to walk . They were even able to help with cleanup as they waited for a quick reaction force ( QRF ) to arrive from another base hours away . It wasn ’ t until much later that the extent of Dustin ’ s injuries as well as the others would become apparent .
Shown is a photo of Barnett holding newborn son Gamble on October 7 , 2013 — two years to the day after Barnett was injured in northern Iraq . | PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
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