PHOTOS BY KIM ROSCOE

From left to right, lead guide Art Rausch, Joey Martinez, Chad Jukes and Alex Quad, a correspondent from Cable News Network.

Bravery, determination on ascent of Rainier

By John Larson

Three young men who suffered serious injuries while serving their country in Iraq accomplished a remarkable feat earlier this month when they climbed Mount Rainier.

Fife City Councilmember Kim Roscoe found spending time with them an inspiring experience.

The event was organized by Camp Patriot, which provides outdoor activities for veterans returning from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq with injuries. Three veterans participated.

(Ret) Special Operator 2nd Class Ryan Job graduated from Issaquah High School in 1999. He attended the University of Washington for three years before enlisting in the Navy in 2002. He was assigned to SEAL Team 3 and deployed to Iraq in 2006. While on patrol in Ramadi, he was shot through the eye by a sniper and lost sight in both his eyes.

Now retired from the military, he lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. with his wife.

Chad Jukes is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. In 2006 the vehicle he was in struck an anti-tank mine while running security for a convoy in Iraq. The explosion shattered his heel bone and broke his femur. After months of rehabilitation, he agreed to have his foot amputated. He received his first prosthesis in May 2007. He lives in San Antonio and maintains an active lifestyle, including rock climbing,

water sports and cross-country skiing.

Marine Corps Sgt. Jose (Joey) Martinez III attended Texas A&M University for two years before joining the Marines. He deployed to Iraq in 2006. While on patrol in the volatile Al’ Anbar province, Martinez was wounded by an improvised explosive device. He lost his eyesight in one eye and has minimal function in the other. He enjoys surfing and snowboarding.

Roscoe got involved through her brother-in-law, Curtis Fawley, who used to be a guide on Mt. Rainier. After the 9/11 attacks he wanted to give something back to military personnel. He met Micah Clark, founder and executive director of Camp Patriot.

Fawley participated in a climb on Rainier last summer with two disabled veterans. “It was more of a learning experience last year,” Roscoe commented.

This year Fawley asked Roscoe to put together a social event for the participants. She and some friends organized a get together

during Tall Ships on the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Eagle, where they mingled with people such as Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma, former

Tacoma City Councilmember Kevin Phelps and David Seago, who just retired as opinion page editor for The News Tribune. Phelps presented money to Camp Patriot he raised by contacting friends and associates.

“It was a great venue for people to talk to the veterans,” Roscoe said of the Eagle. “It is heart breaking to hear about how young they are.”

The group left for Mt. Rainier on the morning of July 7. Art Rausch was the other guide on the journey. He spent much time with Job, showing him how to tap poles to gauge distance as he hiked.

Roscoe was with the group, returning to Fife around midnight that night.

On July 8 the group trained on a glacier.

Roscoe’s brother Chris Casson, who operates a fight-

er pilot instruction school in Oregon, and two other pilots came up for the climb. He owns a commercial

smoker, which Roscoe’s father brought up to cook meat for the celebration barbeque.

The climbers reached the summit early in the morning on July 9. After about an hour, they began their descent to Camp Muir.

Casson contacted Pentagon officials in advance, and received permission for two jets from a National Guard facility in Oregon to do a flyover above the camp on the morning of July 10.

The celebration was held July 11.

Roscoe was inspired by the three veterans’ determination and the amount of physical and emotional strength they possess. “It was an opportunity to focus on what they are able to,” she said of the climb. She added that she felt honored to be asked to be involved.

While she did not go all the way to the summit, she did hike with them part of the way. She tried to keep a bit of distance. “I did not want to interfere with their experience.”

Roscoe said Clark hopes to someday establish a facility in Montana that can offer outdoor activities to wounded veterans year round.

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