Honoring an injured alum

Last week I travelled to Washington, D.C., to meet with General Gordon Sullivan, chairman of the Norwich Board of Trustees.  Together we went to Walter Reed Army Hospital and visited 1LT Bergan Flanagan '08. On Feb. 24, while on patrol in Afghanistan, Bergan was wounded by an IED blast. She lost a good portion of her right leg and suffered other injuries. When we saw Bergan, her spirits were high, but she realizes she has a long road to recovery ahead of her.

During our visit we had an opportunity to see Bergan's husband. Tom '07, and her mother, Amy Arsenault. Bergan and Tom met at Norwich and were married in 2007. 

The couple were commissioned officers upon graduation and were assigned to the 293rd Military Police Company out of Ft. Stewart, Georgia, and based in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  They were profiled in a Wall Street Journal article in December that chronicled the relationships of the three married couples in their company. 

Since Bergan sustained her injuries, Tom has been reassigned from their combat unit and will be working with the Old Guard in Washington, D.C. The Old Guard serves as the

Army's ceremonial unit and, as an active and well-trained Infantry Regiment, is responsible for the protection of Washington, D.C. Several Norwich graduates currently serve in the Old Guard. Tom's reassignment is wonderful news for them as a couple and a family.

Our brief hospital visit was very meaningful to me. I brought Bergan greetings from the university, and she was interested in knowing how everyone was doing. We reminisced about faculty members and classmates.

It is clear that the Norwich family is watching over Bergan, as her hospital room was filled with Norwich memorabilia. A large number of alumni from the Washington area, as well as all four general officers that are Norwich graduates stationed in Washington, have visited her. It is great to see the Norwich community pulling together in support of this wonderful, courageous couple.

Before leaving, General Sullivan presented Tom with a signed men's hockey jersey and I presented Bergan with a signed women's hockey jersey from our Cadet hockey teams. We also gave both Bergan and Tom challenge coins.  

Bergan is faced with a long period of recuperation. She will be recovering from the amputation of her right leg and some significant surgery on her left leg. Bergan remains very optimistic; and to hear her talk you know she is a fighter. 

She has just started physical therapy and is looking forward to being able to increase the weight strain on her left leg. Once she is able to build up her strength, she will eventually be able to wear a prosthesis for her right leg. Bergan anticipates that she will have approximately a year's worth of therapy before she reaches her full potential, but she is up to the challenge. 

At this writing, it is not clear how much longer Bergan will be staying at Walter Reed, but eventually she will be released so that she can do her daily physical therapy on an out-patient basis.

I ask that you keep Bergan and Tom in your thoughts and prayers as she continues with her recovery.