Wounded Airman Slaydon retires from Air Force

  • Published
  • By Deborah Silliman Wolfe
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Two years ago, an improvised explosive device on a roadside in Kirkuk, Iraq changed the course of Tech. Sgt. Matt Slaydon's life forever. And on the morning of Aug. 27, 2009, another explosion, this time at Luke Air Force Base, marked a new chapter in Sergeant Slaydon's journey.

"Fire in the hole!" shouted Sergeant Slaydon three times before he and his wife, Annette, surrounded by friends and family, pushed the detonator marking his final detonation as an active-duty Airman.

Sergeant Slaydon, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance disposal technician, retired after 16 years in the Air Force and will be starting his retirement as a different man than he was when he entered the service.

In October 2007, Sergeant Slaydon was deployed to Iraq on his third tour, and leading a team of three EOD technicians and a weapons intelligence specialist. The team was outside the wire clearing paths for military convoys when they were asked to investigate a suspicious sign on the road. After the area had been swept by an EOD robot, Sergeant Slaydon went to investigate. He knelt down, stuck a mine probe into the dirt in front of him, and a buried EOD exploded, gravely injuring him.

Sergeant Slaydon, whose left arm and face were severely injured, was flown out of the field by a medical helicopter to Kirkuk and then taken to Joint Base Balad where he underwent hours of surgery. His left arm was amputated, his left eye was removed, his broken jaw was wired shut and a breathing tube was inserted into his neck. He was transported to Germany, then to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where his wife, Annette, met him and stayed by his side for the weeks to follow. The pair was then transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio to work on recovery.

20 months and hundreds of hours of physical therapy later, Sergeant Slaydon stood on his own two feet at the Desert Star Club in front of an audience of 300-plus Airmen, friends and family as he received several awards and recognitions during his retirement ceremony. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was in attendance as well as a number of other high-ranking military and civilian officials.

Annette was also recognized for her contributions, unselfish behavior and unfailing support of her husband.

"I want you to know that you have always been my hero," she said to her husband as she addressed the room. "Not because of what you have done in the Air Force, but because of who you are as a man. Because of your love for your country and your dedication, and your willingness to put yourself in harms way for other people, and your true sense of right and wrong."

After embracing his wife, Sergeant Slaydon took the stage and acknowledged that the day was bittersweet.

"This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do," he said.

Sergeant Slaydon thanked a number of friends, family and co-workers, and gave his definition of a hero.

"I know my wife says I am her hero, but I have an issue with that word," he said. "We overuse too many words in our culture -- hero, warrior, love. They are so overused, they mean little."

Sergeant Slaydon said that he doesn't like to be labeled as a hero, and that it makes him feel funny.

"I see myself as somebody who was given some amazing opportunities, has had some adventures and have seen things that I never thought I would see in a thousand years," he said. "And the people I consider heroes are the guys that didn't come back. Those guys are the heroes."

He then had all EOD badge wearers stand up and be recognized.

"I didn't do anything, other than get blown up, different than what these men and women have either done or are prepared to do," he said. "I just want it to be known that I am not unique, I am not special. I am just a sergeant trying to do my job and be the best NCO I can be. The next time you hear those words, hero and warrior, think of these guys, they are the ones that are out there right now."

As the ceremony came to a close, Sergeant Slaydon reminded the crowd of the most precious resource of the Air Force.

"It is the newest Airmen in your shop," he said. "That is your most precious resource. Because that is the person that is going to inherit our tradition, ways of life, our concept of core values. Take care of them, train them, teach them , mentor them. Anyone can be a hard ass, that's easy. It's hard to be a mentor, and it's hard to be a leader."

Sergeant Slaydon left the stage to a standing ovation.

"He has been an instrumental part of our shop," said Chief Master Sgt. Muhammad Mustafa, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron EOD Flight chief. "We are always going to be his EOD family, that doesn't stop just because he is retiring."