Wes Walker, a former sheriff's office deputy serving in Afghanistan as a contractor embedded with the Marines, confirmed this week he recently had been a passenger in a mine-resistant vehicle that was completely destroyed when it drove over an improvised explosive device.
None of the five people on board the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle were killed, but all suffered minor injuries, said Walker, who was deployed with a Marine platoon in March for the one-year contracted position.
Walker will be returning home Friday for a 26-day break from active combat in Afghanistan, where he's seen plenty of action in fire fights against the Taliban.
Extended fire fights with the Taliban are frequent in what Walker describes as a "very active" region in southern Afghanistan.
During a patrol of the Farah province, Walker's vehicle drove over a dug-in, pressure-plated IED containing an estimated 500 pounds of explosive material.
"The wheel of the vehicle came to rest 50 meters from the truck," Walker said, "and we found parts away as far as 100 meters."
The $900,000 vehicle undoubtedly saved lives of the occupants, as Walker noted how a standard Hummer - even armor plated - would have been insufficient to allow anyone to survive.
A feature story in the Friday edition of the Free Lance will tell more of Walker's story and give an accounting of the local support he has received, as well as comments and details provided by the local contractor embedded in Afghanistan.
Jeff Gatlin Jeff Gatlin is a staff writer at The Hollister Free Lance. You can call him at (831) 637-5566 or send him an email.
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