WOUNDED VET RIDES FOR OTHERS.Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS Staff Writer WOODLAND HILLS -- After riding his bike 50 miles and cresting crest·ing n. An ornamental ridge, as on top of a wall or roof. a steep mountain pass, Cpl. J.R. Martinez Martinez (märtē`nəs), city (1990 pop. 31,808), seat of Contra Costa co., W Calif., on Carquinez Strait between San Pablo and Suisun bays, in a farm area; inc. 1884. Its major industry is petroleum refining. expected to experience some muscle pain. But the training session was nothing compared to what the 24-year-old Army veteran from Louisiana Louisiana (ləwē'zēăn`ə, l  ē'–), state in the S central United States. It is bounded by Mississippi, with the Mississippi R. has already been through.
Four years ago in Karbala, Iraq, Martinez's Humvee hit a land mine and exploded ex·plode v. ex·plod·ed, ex·plod·ing, ex·plodes v.intr. 1. To release mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy by the sudden production of gases in a confined space: into flames. He watched his skin melt before his eyes. He spent more than two years in an Army hospital, receiving 32 surgeries as doctors covered over his burned face and arms with skin from unburned body parts. With that part of his life behind him, the pain of a 50-mile bike ride is only something to joke about, as Martinez did on Saturday. As for an upcoming Seattle to San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. bike ride to raise money for veterans, that's just something to look forward to for Martinez, who once tried to convince the Army to let him return to Iraq even after his injuries. "I'm serving in a different way, and my uniform now is my scars and my weapon is my words," Martinez said. Martinez is a spokesman with a veterans support group, and this month he will join actor Jack Scalia as they start a 1,500-mile bike ride called Operation American Spirit. As the two riders go through military bases and veterans' hospitals, they expect wounded veterans to join the ride. Scalia, who portrayed por·tray tr.v. por·trayed, por·tray·ing, por·trays 1. To depict or represent pictorially; make a picture of. 2. To depict or describe in words. 3. To represent dramatically, as on the stage. Nicholas Pearce on "Dallas," plans to make the whole ride from Seattle to San Diego. Martinez, who admits to not having much time to train, will bike for part of each leg, and ride in a van the rest of the time. Scalia hopes the organization can bring in $100 million in three years. "The government can't do everything, and there comes a time when the American people An American people may be:
Martinez, who travels the country for a group called the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, said many people he talks to are surprised to learn the military doesn't take care of all the basic needs of wounded soldiers' families. When those families spend weeks or months at a time with a recovering soldier in the hospital, they need someone to pay their bills. That's where veteran support groups come in, he said. Operation American Spirit will come through Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. on Oct. 5. alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com (818) 546-3304 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Actor Jack Scalia, left, and former Army Cpl. J.R. Martinez finish a 50-mile training ride in preparation for Operation American Spirit to benefit wounded war veterans. Dean Musgrove/Staff Photographer |
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