Author: Kevin Flike

After graduating from Union College (BA), Kevin R. Flike served as a Special Forces Engineer assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group and deployed to the Philippines, Thailand and twice to Afghanistan.

On September 25, 2011 during his second deployment to Afghanistan, he was shot in the lower abdomen and was medically retired due to his injuries. In the spring of 2016, Kevin completed dual masters degrees from the MIT Sloan School of Management (MBA) and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (MPA). Kevin is currently employed within the financial industry in Boston, MA.

Through Sickness and in Health

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Last weekend at the Green Beret Foundation Cincinnati Golf Classic, my wife finally received the recognition she deserved.  I would not be where I am today if it was not for her…this was my letter of recommendation.

My wife knew something was wrong when my teammate Adam called her at 0730 PST on Sunday morning September 26, 2011.  Not knowing how to break the news to Kim, Adam asked how the weather was in Tacoma.  My wife replied, “Good…What happened to Kevin.”  Adam said, “Kevin is OK but he has been shot and is intensive care, but don’t worry he is going to be OK.”  Adam was right, ultimately I would be OK but my wife and I went through hell during the process.  

When Kim arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas she burst into tears as soon as she saw me.  I had been shot in the stomach, my abdominal cavity was open, 20% of my colon had been removed, my hip was fractured and my left leg paralyzed due to nerve damage.  Tubes hung out of every orifice of my body and when Kim looked into my eyes she said I looked “dead on the inside.”  This was not the man she married or fell in love with.  However, In San Antonio my wife performed her first act as my caregiver; she gave me my first bath in nearly two weeks. This was just the first of many sponge bathes and during one of these sessions,

This is What Closure Feels Like

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(Drinking tea from a local villager on my second deployment)

This is the fifth in a series about my trip to Afghanistan with Operation Proper Exit (Feherty’s Troops First Foundation). Click these links to read #1 #2 #3  #4and #5

I kept asking myself, “why are you going on this trip and what do you expect to get out of it?” as our C-17 rumbled from Kuwait to Afghanistan. The resounding answer I gave myself was that I desired to make peace with my past and move on before the Afghanistan chapter became my entire life story. I was unsure of how or when it would come to me, but I knew at some point the closure I so desperately sought would be found.

At first I wondered why our schedule was packed with so many activities. Our time was accounted for from the moment we woke up until we went to bed almost 18 hours later. However, I quickly understood the reasoning behind our busy days. Besides boosting the morale of the troops on the ground, the trip was designed to offer a multitude of events to help each man find their desired outcome. I realized that closure is not one size fits all, each man would need something different to elicit this emotion.

One participant was able to connect with a nurse that helped operate on him five years ago.

The Meaning of Sacrifice

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(Members of Operation Proper Exit standing before the Special Operations Memorial)

This is the fifth in a series about my trip to Afghanistan with Operation Proper Exit (Feherty’s Troops First Foundation). Click these links to read #1 #2 #3 and #4

The sun crested over the nearby mountain range while I read the names on the Special Operations Memorial at Bagram Airfield. A member of my company, SFC Wyatt Goldsmith (KIA 15JUL11), had been added to the rolls just a few weeks prior. As I read the last few names, I wondered if my name would appear on the memorial by the end of my deployment (I had 5 months left). About a month later, I almost joined these men after being shot in the stomach.

Nearly six years to the day later, I was back in front of the Special Operations Memorial with Operation Proper Exit. The location had changed and the names had almost doubled. Just like I had done six years prior, I meticulously read each name and was reminded of how many of these men I personally knew. While I made my way down the list I thought back to a speech a LTC gave to my group after we found out we had passed Special Forces Selection and Assessment.

“Gentlemen, congratulations on being selected to continue training, but the true test lies ahead for those of you that make it through the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Retracing My Steps

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(Six years ago, I occupied Bed # 8 in Bagram Hospital)

This is the fourth in a series about my trip to Afghanistan with Operation Proper Exit (Feherty’s Troops First Foundation). Click these links to read #1 #2 and #3

For the next three days, our schedules were packed from the moment we woke up until we went to bed. Our first stop was the helicopter medical evacuation team, better known as DUSTOFF (Dedicated Unhesitating Service To Our Fighting Forces). If it were not for a fearless and relentless DUSTOFF crew in NW Afghanistan six years ago, I would not be here right now. These crews fly anywhere and anytime. I have never had the opportunity to thank those brave soldiers who risked their lives to save me, so I was happy to be able to thank this crew for their selfless service. While it was not the same crew, it felt great to finally thank members of DUSTOFF. Next up was my most anticipated moment of the trip, a visit to Bagram hospital.

After I was wounded, I was placed in a medically induced coma at the field hospital in NW Afghanistan. I traveled from the field hospital to Heart Airfield, to Bagram Airfield and then Landstuhl, Germany, where I finally woke up. It is un-settling to have a four-day period of my life that I have no recollection of. The trip to the hospital would begin to fill in the gaps.