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.

October 18th Speaking Engagement

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Sunday October 18th at 3:00 PM I will speaking at the Danforth Museum in Framingham, MA.  I had the great pleasure of working with artist  Leslie Starobin on her newest project called “Dearest Mother”.   Leslie created beautiful collages of soldier’s personal items from various US wars.   Leslie created a breathtaking collage that included the items I was wearing/carrying on the day I was shot.  If you are around please come and see her artwork and hear talk about five greatest lessons I have learned from my time in Special Forces Training, my deployments, getting wounded and the recovery process. For more information about exhibit, please follow this link:

 

 

 

http://www.danforthart.org/DearDearestMother-LeslieStarobinsWartimeStillLifeMontages.html

“Please Describe a Time When you had To Convince a Person or a Group of Your Idea.”

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This is Essay #2 from my MIT Sloan MBA application.  Between the two essays, the school threw me some softballs…probably the reason I got in.

  • Essay 1: Please describe a time when you had to convince a person or a group of your idea. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page) December 27, 2012

The job of a United States Army Special Forces soldier (Green Beret) is to deploy to foreign countries, earn the trust of local soldiers or militias, live amongst them, train them, and conduct combat operations with them.   Being a Green Beret did not give me instant credibility with the elite Afghan Commandos. In addition, outgoing American forces warned us that this particular unit sometimes took a lackadaisical approach to missions and training. To be successful in training and conducting combat operations with the Commandos I had to first win their respect. Gaining the trust of the Commandos was a difficult task due to cultural and language barriers.

Cultural misunderstandings are disastrous for a Green Beret. To build rapport, I spent my free time with the Commandos, learning their traditions and language. I learned that they love professional wrestling, so to help foster camaraderie, I dressed like the famous wrestler Hulk Hogan and staged mock wrestling matches. I showed the Commandos that I valued them not only as soldiers, but also as friends. Dancing is an important part of Afghan culture, so I asked the Commandos to teach me traditional Afghan dancing.

“Please describe a time when you overcame a personal setback.”

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A lot of people have asked me how I was able to get into MIT and Harvard, to be quite honest with you I am dumfounded and ask myself the same question.  I did not have the grades or the test scores, but I knew if I told my story just right, I might have a shot.  The following is one of my essays for MIT Sloan (27 December 2012).  The essay prompt really played into my favor.

” Please describe a time when you overcame a personal setback. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)”

On September 25, 2011, my United States Army Special Forces team (Green Beret) and partner force, the elite Afghan Commandos, battled Taliban fighters in the mountains of northwest Afghanistan. In the 10th hour of the engagement I felt a piercing pain in my stomach, hip, and leg; I had suffered a gunshot wound to my lower abdomen. I thought I was going to die. Thankfully, I lived, but it marked the beginning of a long and painful journey. I sustained a fractured hip, lost 20% of my colon, and suffered a damaged femoral nerve, resulting in permanent disability.

Initially, I was completely dependent on others. I had gone from a strapping Green Beret to a man who could not dress or bathe himself. Before I was wounded, I was an avid runner and outdoorsman. I was crushed when doctors told me that I would never run again and would only be able to walk with the assistance of a leg brace.

Today is my 4 year anniversary of being wounded!!

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Slide1Today marks 4 years since I sustained a gun shot wound in Afghanistan and began the long, painful and humbling road to recovery. I cant thank God, my wife, mother, father, brothers, teammates, friends, the Mayo Clinic and THOR 3 crew enough for everything they did to help me recover. Always keep the faith, stay determined and never give up!!!
‪#‎longtermgoals‬ ‪#‎nevergiveup‬ ‪#‎neverquit‬ ‪#‎greenberet‬ ‪#‎woundedbywar‬

Experimental Surgery at the Mayo Clinic

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After I was wounded the prognosis seemed bleak.  Many people told me that my injuries were permanent and there was nothing that could be done, that is until the Mayo Clinic took on my case.  Dr. Spinner of the Mayo Clinic performed an experimental surgery that gave me my life back.  The following link details my incredible experience at the Mayo Clinic.

http://sharing.mayoclinic.org/discussion/experimental-nerve-graft-puts-former-green-beret-back-on-his-feet/

http://sharing.mayoclinic.org/discussion/experimental-nerve-graft-puts-former-green-beret-back-on-his-feet/

 

Learn more at:

stage.woundedbywar.com
Facebook: Wounded by War
Twitter: @woundedbywar

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.