Colorado Free Vacations for Our Military who has served in Iraq

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Michael Downey , Grand County Operation Vacation Mission

Michael Downey

Operation Vacation hosts wounded soldier, wife. by Stephanie Miller

Michael and Tracey Downey spent a well-deserved vacation in the Fraser Valley last week, only a couple of months after Michael left Iraq, riddled with shrapnel and bullets. I¹m not allowed to go back, Michael joked, as he stood next to his wife at the Fraser ballfields, the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall behind them.

The couple, who drove up from Colorado Springs for the Veterans Rally weekend, were part of Operation Vacation, a foundation that offers free vacations to soldiers stationed in Fort Carson. Michael, 36, was the warrant officer in charge of the 10th Special Forces Group in Iraq. He served in the armed forces for 19 years, was seriously injured twice, and received two Purple Hearts.

"I was just doing my job," Michael said.

His wife shook her head. "He¹s so modest."

Michael and Tracey haven¹t had time to themselves in five to six years, not since their son, Eric, was born. Eric turned four just three days after Michael was injured the second time. Eric has no idea how close he came to losing his Dad.

As Michael and Tracey walked along the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, viewing the names of those who died in wars past, Michael seemed humbled, perhaps secretly grateful that his name wasn¹t among those listed. He narrowly escaped a raid by Al Qaeda earlier this year, when a man ran out of a building spraying bullets from an AK 47.

Michael was shot five times in his legs, hip and arms. He spent a month in the hospital, and lost feeling in his right leg. Today he uses crutches to get around, but if his leg doesn¹t heal < for instance, if Michael can¹t run < he may need to have his leg amputated below the knee. A good prosthesis, he figures, will allow him to run.

But Michael is in good spirits, despite the shrapnel still surfacing in his arm, and the bullet still lodged in his left thigh. He recalled the weather in Iraq: Hot, 125 degrees during the day, and 90 degrees at night; his words seemed foreign as he sat against the backdrop of a clear, blue sky and the Continental Divide.

The first time he was attacked, he was also shot by a man with an assault rifle in April 2003. Eric was five months old at the time. Tracey doesn¹t let on how difficult those times were for her at least, not completely.

She was very worried, she admitted, especially the first time. But by the second time, she had had it. Enough was enough.

"I don¹t want him to go back," she said. "How many times do you go and expect everything to be OK? Enough." The couple met for the first time when Tracey was in college, although they both grew up 20 minutes from each other. After they married, they lived in Germany for three years, where Michael was stationed. Then they moved to Colorado Springs, and Michael was deployed to Iraq.

They have been married 13 years, and Tracey is looking forward to finally having her husband home.

"I picked out our house without him, drove myself to the hospital and had the baby without him . . . He was home for one of (Eric¹s) birthdays . . ." she said, good naturedly. Although Tracey has a good support system in Colorado Springs, having her husband home will be a welcomed change.

The vacation to the Fraser Valley was a good start to their new future together. Their weekend consisted of attending the Fraser rodeo, visiting the resort and being a part of the Veteran parade in downtown Winter Park.
It was their first time in the Valley.

"It¹s beautiful," Tracey said. She is 34 years old, and for the first time in 13 years, she can look forward to a worry-free vacation with just the two of them.
"Just being here, spending time together . . . I¹m so humbled by how much (Operation Vacation) has done for us," she said. "They put together a great package . . . We¹re very grateful.

Listing of Destinations

Michael and Tracey Downey Grand County Operation Vacation

VISITING THE MEMORIAL WALL IN FRASER

Green Beret warrant officer Michael Downey and his wife Tracey know the cost of freedom. Michael was wounded two separate times in Iraq. He is currently recovering from his second wounding.