CRESTVIEW — When Jesica Bullock began seeing her husband, Jared, 11 years ago, "I was excited to be dating a soldier," she said.
Three months after the couple married, Jared deployed for 15 months to Iraq, and her excitement turned to fear.
"But I think that time made me grow up and just appreciate what he was doing and not to worry every day about what we couldn't prevent," the 32-year-old said.
The unpreventable — and unfathomable — happened Nov. 13, 2013, when an IED hit Jared and two teammates on routine patrol. One teammate was killed, another was seriously injured, and Jared lost his right arm above the elbow and right leg above the knee.
"I never thought to myself that this could happen to us," Jesica said. "I didn't think it could ever happen to us."
'CAPABLE OF MORE'
Jared said he and his twin, Kyle, enlisted in the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"I joined the Infantry and was right in the middle of it all," the 30-year-old said. "I knew that I wanted to become Special Forces, because I knew I was capable of more and wanted to make a greater impact."
The Southern Illinois native, who was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), left Fort Bragg, North Carolina and bought a house in Crestview in June 2011 after the 7th Group Compound opened, Jesica said.
But last year's IED injuries required a temporary change of address.
The Bullocks and their 5-year-old son, Aidan, currently live in a San Antonio, Texas apartment while Jared receives physical therapy at the Center for the Intrepid. Jared initially received treatment at San Antonio Military Medical Center on Fort Sam Houston.
STAYING POSITIVE
Despite his amputations and downtime in hospital beds, Jared has stayed just as positive as photos of him wearing an always present smile on his Facebook page show, Jesica said.
And he's stayed active.
Jared "participated in a 10-mile Tough Mudder in West Virginia in September and a Spartan Sprint in Dallas at the end of October," Jesica said. "The pictures that you see on our support page are real. He doesn't ever have a bad day."
Support from friends, family members and 7th Group teammates fuel him, said Jared, whose "Jared Bullock-Support Page" on Facebook displays the hashtag #NeverGiveUp after a lengthy paragraph explaining his ordeal.
"My thing is, I always think that you can either let your injuries define you or you can define yourself," Jared said.
GETTING STRONGER
Occupational and physical therapy have gradually helped Jared regain his stamina, Jesica said.
"In the beginning, he worked on core strength, and learning to stand and balance on one leg due to not having prosthetics," she said. "That then progressed to getting his right leg prosthetic and learning to walk, and then by August he was working on using his new running leg …
"His progression to today has led him to be able to do one armed pushups and one legged squats."
Jared is wrapping up physical therapy, and plans to return to Crestview by mid-January, he said.
If the family didn't have to be in San Antonio, they'd be in Crestview on Sunday, when U.S. Gold Gymnastics and Cheerleading Academy will present a Wounded Warrior Meet, with proceeds benefiting the Bullocks.
SUNDAY BENEFIT
Kathy Dwyer, owner of Crestview's U.S. Gold, lost her brother, Christopher Kiernan, on May 6, 2007. The Army tank commander died after a sniper shot him in the heart during his second mission in Iraq.
So when the academy started having fundraisers, Dwyer wanted to give back to the military.
Sunday's Wounded Warrior Meet will feature 50 gymnasts on the recreational competition and bronze teams. The 5- to 6-year-old athletes will present floor, beam, bar and vault routines, according to office manager Nicolette Buddles.
For some of the gymnasts, it's their first competition, Dwyer said. But they've had plenty of practice; "they start training as soon as they're walking."
The public can attend the meet for a donation to the Bullocks.
The couple said they appreciate the gesture.
"We … absolutely love the support and love that we feel from everyone, and appreciate it more than anyone could imagine," Jesica said.
"It definitely has made this year a lot easier for us as a family."
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WHAT: Wounded Warrior Meet, a gymnastics competition benefiting Jared Bullock
WHEN: 1-5 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: U.S. Gold Gymnastics and Cheerleading Academy, 2118 3rd Ave., Crestview
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Thoughts? Email tboni@crestviewbulletin.com or tweet@cnbeditor.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Wounded soldier plans return home to Crestview; benefit scheduled