News : Wounded soldier from WWP to speak at Flaughless 5K

Wounded Warrior Jeremiah Pauley will speak at the Flaughless 5K race.

The 4th Annual Flaughless 5K, a memorial event for U.S. Army soldier Dan Flaugh, is just over one month away and for the first time will have a representative from the Wounded Warrior Project -- who is one of America's wounded warriors -- speak at the event.

Jeremiah Pauley comes from the blue collar town of Massillon, Ohio. He’s proud to have served his country for 11 years in the U.S. Army. His journey in the airborne infantry ultimately took him to Tal Afar, Iraq – where he was injured by a roadside bomb. Due to his wounds Jeremiah was medically retired from the Army as a staff sergeant in 2007. His awards include the Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge.

Jeremiah will share his story with us before the race at approximately 9:30 am.

“We are excited that Wounded Warrior Project is sending Jeremiah Pauley to our event. With his background in the Army and serving in Iraq as Dan did, Jeremiah is a great fit for our event,” said Georgia Sysouchanh, the Flaughless 5K race director. “Jeremiah will be able to share with us how he overcame his own struggles with physical injuries as well as PTSD and offer insight on the role Wounded Warrior Project plays in his continued success.”

The 4th Annual Flaughless 5K will be at Riverside Park in Vinton on Saturday, October 10. Registration and check-in opens at 8 a.m., the opening ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will include speaker Jeremiah Pauley, the national anthem sung by vocalist Makayla Morrison alongside the American Legion Honor Guard who will then play taps. The race will begin at 10 a.m.

About Jeremiah Pauley

Jeremiah Pauley grew up in the blue collar town of Massillon, Ohio. When he thinks back, he says his mind can still hear the National Anthem playing at local sporting events. Massillon is a hotbed of high school football action – so popular you can hear the roar of the crowd from miles away.

“I come from a very patriotic family,” says Jeremiah. “I remember watching television during Operation Desert Storm and how I admired those men and women. I figured I owe it to them, and the many that came before, to dedicate myself to serve our country.”

For Jeremiah, his dedication motivated him to walk into the Army recruiting office in 1996 and tell them he wanted to be airborne infantry. It took nearly 10 years before he was deployed to Tal Afar, Iraq. Four months later, the unthinkable happened.

“I was injured by an IED. Shrapnel from the roadside bomb entered my right arm above the elbow.”

If not for the immediate treatment he received by the medic on hand, Jeremiah would have probably bled out.

“I was at a hospital in Mosul for about a day, then at Landstuhl, Germany for about a week,” says Jeremiah. “I then spent about three months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.” Due to his wounds he was medically retired from the Army as a staff sergeant in 2007.

Jeremiah says it took him a long time to adapt and overcome negativity. He worked hard on developing the right perspective on life and practicing a positive attitude. A lot of his inspiration in life comes from his kids.

“I see them smile, and it inspires me to be even better. I also see things that fellow warriors are doing – some with injuries much worse than mine. They inspire me to carry on and be positive, and they fuel my desire to help others.”

About the Flaughless 5K

Dan Flaugh was a SPC E4, Calvary Scout in the United States Army and served his country on the front line as a Re-Con Scout of Bush's Surge on Baghdad, Iraq. Dan was honorably discharged from the Army in 2008. In December 2011, after struggling with PTSD and depression, Dan took his own life.

The Flaughless 5K was started by Dan's friends and family in 2012 as a memorial to Dan and a tribute to all service members struggling with the mental and physical damages of war. The proceeds from the Flaughless 5K benefit the Wounded Warrior Project®. For more information on the Flaughless 5K, visit www.flaughless.com.

About Wounded Warrior Project®

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.