JR Salzman, the “Lumberjack in the Desert” blogger, was the ESPN Outdoor Sportsman of the Year back in 2005.
Then he went to Iraq.
JR lost his arm in an IED attack.
In July he came back and won his 7th ESPN Logrolling Championship.

J. R. Salzman, who lost an arm in Iraq, with his sister after winning his seventh logrolling title. (The New York Times)
J.R. passed this on to me last night.
He’s not too happy about the latest BS coming from the state-run media:
I’ve been pretty pissed off about the PTSD by proxy BS being passed around the media. I blogged about it the other night and debunked that nonsense.
…You don’t get PTSD from sitting on your ass around Walter Reed. Not only is it not possible to “catch” secondhand PTSD, but it is not that kind of a place. I would know, I was a patient there for nine months. The place is simply not that stressful or chaotic. When I was there my PTSD got better, not worse. And I would be willing to bet my dog tags that I saw far more wounded Soldiers than sh-t bag Major did during our overlapping time there in 2007. I regularly visited Ward 57 to give advice to the new wounded. Other Soldiers and amputees did it for me when I was there so I considered my visits “paying it forward”. I had daily physical and occupational therapy with other Soldiers. I regularly partook in activities in and out of Walter Reed with present and past wounded Soldiers. To say that this guy got PTSD from being stationed at Walter Reed is an absolute farce. The people who are making this sh-t up have never set foot on Walter Reed, let alone met a soldier with PTSD.

Here is J.R. with his lovely wife duirng his recovery at Walter Reed.
J.R. has much more on his road to recovery and success here.
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Published February 8, 2012 at 8:42 pm - 31 Comments
averagemelon commented:
Tell it like a marine…no bullsh*t. Semper Fi.
non_dhimmie commented:
I hope Hassan Catches death by a firing squad.
I hope the Military, Big Sis, FBI CATCH a clue.
Conservative Soccer coach commented:
Thank your for your service and for telling it like it is. Folks got to understand we live in the real world, not someplace with unicorns blowing pixie dust out its’ politically correct arse.
manateespirit commented:
Thank you for a first hand account from a soldier who has been there and has suffered a trauma.
I value his opinion more than any journalist, paid or otherwise.
May God guide and protect JR in his life. May he continue speaking the truth.
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olm commented:
Thank you for your service, sir.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the media and the government will not be able to sugar coat Hasan’s motivation. That is a good thing, but the cover up of motivation goes back a long long way.
We need to get honest about radical Islam and it”s reaches if we truly intend to protect our citizens.
Steve commented:
JR is completely correct. The day after the Ft. Hood attack, I talked to my brother, a Ph.D. clinical psychologist and captain in the U.S. Army, who has worked with the worst cases of battle stress and PTSD, and he says that PTSD by proxy doesn’t exist.
In fact, he said that, either the day of the attack or the day previous, he and a bunch of other psychologists had a meeting discussing this particular subject.
It’s ridiculous, and it’s ridiculous–and maddening–that some in the mainstream media are considering PTSD by proxy a legitimate cause.
Robb76 commented:
You da man JR. Thanks
Robb
US Army retired
Nam 1-68-3-69
Annie commented:
What a wonderful young man. I remember reading about his winning the log-rolling contest and was in awe. He doesn’t disappoint but continues to take the principled road of truth and reason. All he does is an inspiration and protecting his brave fellow soldiers and the saints at Walter Reed is proof.
He’s also a great writer – hope he’s doing journalism at college – the current idiotic bunch needs replacing ASAP.
God bless and thank you JR along with all our brave military for what they undergo to keep our nation safe.
Annie
myna commented:
Chris Matthew is a dirt bag and f***g idiot. Asking if calling an Al-Queda is a crime. Chris, you should relocate and broadcast in Yemen. Let us see how they treated gays in there.
Ladue Pundit commented:
Thank you for your service, sir, and for the courage to stand up with and FOR the truth.
How many lies have we been told:
You can keep your doctor.
You can keep your insurance company.
The stimulus is working.
The recession is over, the recovery has begun.
Islam is a peaceful religion.
My healthcare plan won’t raise the deficit one dime.
Illegals are NOT covered under my healthcare plan.
Islam had nothing to do with the Ft. Hood. massacre.
Major Hasan was a peaceful man who snapped under stress.
……………………
LIE. YOU LIE! Our president is a confirmed liar. He lies about easily verifiable facts.
Tom63010 commented:
God (Jehovah not Allah!) speed to those who tell the truth about what is and was going on.
This political correctness is not only a joke but dangerous!
Just like absence makes the heart grow fonder so I believe that with time hatred wanes.
I truly believe there is a LOT of citizens that voted in a media created hate frenzy “against” George Bush by blindly voting Democrat and are waking up to what they have done. I believe the start of the purge will start in November 2010 and every two years thereafter to make up for that mistake.
Rick554 commented:
This Pre-post traumatic distress disorder meme is disgusting , disgraceful, cowardly and so typical of the MSM. Continue on JR and Good luck to you. And THANK YOU
God bless our TROOPS
PS: Happy birthday to the
United States Marine Corps!!!
kate commented:
@12
To your fine list let me, on this very appropriate day, add
There is no connection to islam, terrorism or jihad in regard to the DC sniper, John Allen Muhammed.
Gina commented:
Iowahawk has a devastating takedown of this media silliness. It might be too soon to laugh about the attack, but the target is the idiotic media.
seven commented:
Anita Dunn is done done. She is leaving her red China advocacy chair at the white house. I wonder if she also contracted second hand PTSD???
fallingfast commented:
Thank you for your service, JR
Bless you and your family! Keep speaking out and telling it like it is……we need more guys like you shouting in the wilderness!!!!
keith commented:
Amen and amen (from a retired flyboy). Incisive assessment sweeping away the irresponsible bilge of the left. May God bless your Veteran’s Day
USMC Thomas commented:
I seriously believe SOBama is still a Muslim, as lying and using deception to further Islam is acceptable; like denying being a Muslim. SOBama eclipses Clinton in the scumbag category.
John in the Land of Louis commented:
Gateway, I would agree. His wife is lovely.
Ummm, mmmm.
One Way commented:
J.R. is an extraordinary man. What a gift from Above to see him on the pages of GP.
It was wonderful to learn of his progress over the past few years. It seems like ages ago that I, like so many, would visit his site almost daily to make sure he was recovering from his wounds.
And to learn all our prayers were answered – he’s the logrolling champ again! But it’s no surprise, really – it was obvious to even this stranger that he was made of that kind of stuff.
I’d forgotten about the woodworking; so I’m glad to know that passion is still a good part of his life.
After so much time, J.R. happened to come to mind some days ago and I wondered how this man, whose life story had affected so many of us, was doing.
God, in His goodness, found a way to let me know. Continued blessings, J.R.