The Bales Family

On May 19, 2010, Army Cpl. Christopher Bales was on patrol in Afghanistan in an ATV when he noticed troops from his Platoon heading into an ambush. Seeking to shift the draw of enemy fire, Bales and his spotter purposely drove their ATVs into plain sight. Immediately Bales was shot in the lower back, the bullet lodging into his hip, causing sciatic nerve injury. Ten minutes later, a second round entered his left thigh six inches above the knee, destroying all the nerves providing mobility and control to the lower left leg. Bales’s sacrifice earned him a Purple Heart.

Following numerous medical procedures and more than two years of therapy, with perseverance he has gained partial use of his leg. While no longer serving as an infantryman, Bales continues to exemplify courage, intellect and determination throughout his recovery.

Prior to his injury, Cpl. Bales graduated from Ft. Benning, GA and was stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY in the 3/187 Infantry 3rd Brigade. He graduated from Sniper School in 2009. He served two tours of duty, deployed to Iraq from 2007 – 2008 and redeployed to Afghanistan in 2010.