Just one year ago, CPT Teri Onoda, former commander of Charlie Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, oversaw the aerial security for the Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in the Nation's Capital. At this year's ATM, Onoda placed first in the recumbent division, finishing the race with a time of 36:41.
On April 17, 2017, Onoda's life was forever changed. While engaged in an Air Assault training exercise, he and two other Soldiers with C Co. were involved in a fatal Black Hawk helicopter accident in Leonardtown, Maryland. SPC Jeremy Tomlin, a UH-60 crew chief, was killed in the accident. Onoda and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Nicholas survived the crash, however, both were critically injured.
Due to the accident, Onoda suffered several injuries including a broken back, ribs, wrist, ankle, torn elbow, a traumatic brain injury and diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While in the hospital recovering, the gravity of the effects of the accident began to overwhelm the husband and father of three. Onoda began to express his concerns to his nurse.
"One day while I was feeling pretty down about the potential of never flying again," Onoda said, "I started to share everything I was thinking to my nurse. That's when he was like ‘why don't you cycle the ten-miler this year?' As a pilot, I had never thought about being on the ground during the ten-miler." Full Story»
Photo: By Sgt. Nicholas Holmes