9/18/2009 - Redmond

by Matt McDonald

Home at last, Reid Walch a twenty four year old Redmond soldier wounded in late august in an attack that claimed the lives of two other Oregon National guard soldiers in Rashid, Iraq. Walch flew into the Redmond airport late Thursday night. He spoke to KOHD News by phone but did not wish to appear on camera, saying he wants people to know he is recovering and needs time to reintegrate to life at home. His focus of concern, the soldiers and friends still serving in iraq.

Dennis Guthrie, the National Surgeon General for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, went to visit Reid a week and half ago during his recovery at Fort Lewis in Washington state.

"I was happy to see that he was able to get up and be mobile in some respect," said Guthrie.

At the time, Reid was using a walker. His mother seen here hugging Reid the last time she saw him before he left for Iraq, described Thursday night's homecoming as wonderful. Reid walking under his own power now with just a cane. Walch was manning the gun atop an armored vehicle that was hit by an explosively formed penetrator.

"He's having some pains in his lower extremities still from the shrap-metal he was wounded with," said Guthrie.

Reid's mother Susan says he is also suffering from headaches. Nineteen year old specialist Taylor Marks of Monmouth Oregon and thirty eight year old Sergeant Earl Werner of amboy, Washington were killed in the attack.