Army Amputee Carries Flag in Paralympics Closing Ceremony

Paralympian swimmer retired Army 1LT Melissa Stockwell was chosen by her fellow athletes to bear the US Flag during the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Paralympic Games Sept. 17 in Beijing, China.

	Paralympian Melissa Stockwell. Military Times photo.

1LT Stockwell, who lost her leg when a bomb exploded alongside her Humvee in Baghdad in 2004, swam the 400-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly, though she did not place. The US Volleyball Team nominated 1LT Stockwell to carry the Stars and Stripes.

The Army veteran told Paralympic reporter Tara Dugan Kusumoto that she was proud to continue to wear a uniform of the country she served in the Army and especially honored to carry her country's flag. "To now walk and hold the flag is a huge honor, especially knowing that I'll be alongside all of my teammates, who have accomplished so much. To be the one representing them is pretty incredible," she said.

To learn more about 1LT Stockwell's experiences at the Paralympics, visit the Paralympic Web site.

(October 2008)