Wed, 09 May 2012 06:44:25 -0800WeeblyWed, 15 Feb 2012 16:50:11 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2012/02/air-force-officer.htmlWell to make my experience even better as I am trying to retire I had to go to my daughter’s two week appointment today. I dropped my wife and daughter off at the front. So I then tried to find a parking spot. I saw someone getting in and it had the space on the driver’s side for me to use my crane. I sat and waited for a good 5 min. Then right as they were pulling out of the spot I have suv pull past me and then tried to back into my spot. Well I pulled forward and tried to block her and I honked. She rolled down her window and she was an Air Force officer and she then turned and cussed me up and down. Well I simply replied I needed this spot because im in a wheelchair and she ended the conversation with “you’re a stupid ass” once again the air force for values are exemplified especially integrity.


]]>Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:07:10 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2012/02/medical-mistake-stikes-again.htmlHey Everyone,

I’m really excited to tell everyone that I had my baby girl on February 1st 2012. She was born at 9:28 A.M. she was 6lb 14oz. I tell you I have fallen so in love with my daughter. It has been a real treat to have her. I already thought I was a lucky man but now I realize I’m even luckier.  This has been one of the greatest weeks I have ever lived.  Well of course nothing can go right for Jessica and I. We found out on Sunday that they made a medical mistake with her too. She was put on an antibiotic as a precaution. The med was meant to be given every so many hours. When it was time for a dose the pharmacy did not have it ready so it delayed the dose by three hours. Then somehow the next person did not know that it was given three hours late so they went on with the regular dosing time. So she got the dose three hours too early. They told us she can have hearing problems now because by them giving her the dose three hours early it put too much medicine in her body. They also said that it can take up to a year to take effect so once again the military medicine has hurt my family. I’m sure we will never know the whole truth because the military lies about this stuff and will hide behind the Fares doctrine.

Then to add to my stress my squadron told me I need to start taking leave if I don’t have an appt that exact day. I have been here for a two and a half years and never had to do this. So I then asked if I need to be on leave days that my wife and Eden had appointments because Jessica is not allowed to drive for 6 weeks so I am the only option for them to get to the appointments they need to be at. They in turn told me that I need to be on leave. The air force says that they are about families I just don’t see it. All of this happened the Friday after she was born and I was not discharged until Friday after noon so I could not get the paper work done so on Monday saying if I was not on leave by a certain date they were going to say I was AWOL.

I am still waiting on my Medical board to get finished so I can get out. I am becoming miserable waiting on this and my squadron is only making it harder. I am also still appealing my Insurance where I am supposed to get money for losing my legs. They have denied me a couple of times already. I submitted for a final review that is not supposed to take longer than 60 days. I am right about 365 day and they will not talk to anyone. They are putting me off and putting me off. They have even lied to Governor Perry because they said they would get right on it and they didn’t. They have now brick walled the Governor so they can squirm out. They have no integrity when it has come to me.

Then to put the cherry on top I was lied to by a Senior NCO that I would not have money taken out of my check because when I was in the hospital when I first came there was other people that were suppose to check me in to the base and they made a mistake. So I kept getting California basic housing allowance money. I tried to tell them 3 times that I was getting over paid and I got the same answer every time in that there is a waiver you will not have to pay this back. So 2 months before I was suppose to have the baby they took $900 and that hurt me at a time when I needed to buy stuff for my daughter. Then at the same time someone in the military is suppose to only be able to carry over so many days of leave. I asked my supervisor if I had any use or lose time she told me no. Then I found out two weeks before the dead line that I had a lot of use or lose. I was then told don’t worry there will be a waiver so you could keep it. I ended up losing 24.5 days of leave. So it is extra frustrating that I lost almost 5 weeks of leave if you don’t count the weekends. I guess they could make it right and not make me take 5 weeks of leave or they could give it back but I’m not holding my breath.

If the Air Force only lived by the core values they preach

Integrity first, Service before self, and excellence in everything we do.

Thanks for all the support

Colton Read

]]>Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:02:50 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/11/no-title3.htmlHey Everyone,

Well I have had a great past couple of weeks. I will start off with I went on a hunting trip with L.E.E.K Preserve in Pennsylvania. I had an awesome time there. While I was there I got a chance to ride around in an Action track chair. I posted some pictures of me in it. While I was there I shot an antlerless deer and I got my limit of pheasants. I learned how to process my own deer which was really cool. I got to meet a couple of special people while I was out there. Everyone out there was really great but two of the families really had a special connection with me. While I was there we got to go to Ontario Knife company they gave us knives that had our names and rank engraved. I will say it was a great trip. Now I am greeting ready to go on a hockey trip in Minnesota. I am really excited because hockey is one of my favorite sports since my injury.

            Since I have gotten back from Pennsylvania, I have tried to do some research on how to get an Action track chair. I was gave some information about an organization called Serenity outdoors. They are going to help me raise the money to get one of these chairs. The VA does not cover this chair. This chair is a life changer! It can do ANYTHING. I went through a creek, mud, and steep hills. The link to the organization is http://www.serenityoutdoors.org/colton.htm.

Also, JR Martinez from Dancing with the Stars, chose Operation Finally Home as his charity of choice. Myself and everyone in the OFH family would appreciate any support you could give him by voting!

I will try to start updating a little more often. Things are starting to move forward for me when it comes to my medical board. The Air Force leadership that has control over my insurance money has pretty much blown myself and Governor Perry off.  It’s really sad. There board to review my appeal for my TSGLI is supposed to be an average of 60 days. As of today, they received my appeal package 255 days ago and still nothing has come through. I don't understand why we are almost 200 days past their average.

Now, for the most exciting part! We have found out we are having a baby girl. We are going to names her Eden Grace Read. It has been exciting getting ready for her. We have painted the room, got a rug, and just yesterday we got the crib. Jessica and I put it together last night. Everything is coming along well. Jessica is almost 7 months now and we can’t wait to welcome our little girl in February.

]]>Sun, 28 Aug 2011 08:44:24 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/08/great-news.htmlHey Everyone,

Things are going good here lately. Jessica and I are proud to announce we are expecting our first child in early
February. We were supposed to find out boy or girl on Friday but he or she was hiding.  So now we are going to
have to wait for a little bit. Jessica and I are excited. We have been looking up names and planning the nursery. We feel very blessed.

We have had a lot of challenges with the Air Force. Governor Rick Perry has been helping me a lot, but even with his
support the Air Force has stalled.

There was a great story published today in the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Here is the link if you would like to see the
story. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/08/27/3318017/colton-read.html

I am about to start school again. I am looking forward to getting some more of my basics out of the way. My medical
evaluation board has been delayed, so I’m excited to get some schooling out of the way before I retire and the baby comes.



Thanks,


Colton

]]>Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:17:49 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/06/6252011.htmlHey everyone


 
I have been really busy lately. The first week of June I went to Alaska with
H.A.V.E Alaska organization. They were so great and friendly. 
I ended up getting a Brown/Grizzly bear that was a little over eight
feet. I started to get sick towards the end so that was a bummer. 
It was defiantly neat there. I thought it would be hard to sleep because
it never got really dark. After I got use to that it was really nice because you
can go do anything at anytime of the day. I got to try some new foods I would
have never thought I would like and I loved it.



Then this Thursday we went down to Galveston for the Sellers Brothers fishing
tournament with Operation Finally Home on Friday. I caught a Trout, Catfish, and
a Stingray. We did not win but it was fun.  It was really nice and relaxing to get
out.


I have still been fighting for my insurance through the Air Force. Governor Perry
has been trying to help me too. We still have not gotten very far with the
insurance.  If you would like to help I have looked up the Public Affairs office for the Secretary of the Air
Force’s office. I would really appreciate any help you all can provide but will
you all please send a letter letting him know how this is wrong and I deserve my
insurance money that I been paying into. He has been ignoring Governor Perry’s
pleas to help me. I could really use all the support I can get. The Address is



Honorable Secretary Michael Donley
1690 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330.



Thanks, 
Colton 


]]>Wed, 18 May 2011 20:06:42 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/05/moving-in.htmlWell it has been almost 2 weeks since we recieved our mortgage free home from Operation Finally Home. We love it. It is a dream come true. We are so thankful for Blue Green Communities, Jimmy Jacobs Custom Homes, and of course Operation Finally Home. We were excited to have our family, friends, and members of the community there to celebrate with us. It feels like a dream living here. We feel so free, and relaxed, and thats a gift we cannot say thank you enough for. Heres a link to the interview I did the day before with San Antonio Living..


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8BCGdrIQ_s

Please check it out, and thank you all for your support! We are very excited to have moved to a new phase in our life! ]]>Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:38:41 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/04/moving-on.htmlAs we approach May, it's getting closer to time to leave our on base housing, and move to the new house that Operation Finally Home has built for us. We were hoping the Air Force would help move us, but they have declined to be of any help to us. Thank God for Operation Finally Home, who will move us, but we are once again, disappointed that the Air Force won't take care of this severely wounded Airman. Our house will be ready for us May 6, 2011 and we are very excited. We can't believe it's almost here! Thank you to Jimmy Jacobs Custom Home, Bluegreen Communities and of course BABA Operation Finally Home! You have made our dreams come true and we are so excited to be "finally home"!

UPDATE:: 4/23/2011::
As a cowardice commenter so wisely pointed out, the Air Force has now intern decided to move us after 3 weeks of petitioning for them to help move us. I believe it is common courtesy, that if you have an issue with our blog, perhaps you should address it in an email to Jessica and I but, I suppose those who post nasty comments, in the cover of anenemity are the same cowards as the Air Force itself. Thank you cowardice commenter for the correction, if you would like to know the stuggle we have been through and what it has taken to achieve this move, feel free to email me, but please devulge your actual name this time, so I know who I am dealing with. Thank you to all the rest of my supporters who know the true struggles we have been through and what it takes to live the life the Air Force has bestowed upon me. ]]>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:57:09 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/02/progress.htmlHey yall! We've added some new pictures to the website so you can keep up with the progress of our home right along with us! Also, the facebook and twitter feature have been added so you can share Colton's blog and posts with your family and friends on your social networking site! Colton has started rehabbing full time at the Center For the Intrepid again. After some much needed time off to re-evaluate his life and what he wants to do, Colton was ready to go back to therapy and get back into his prosthetics. I am extremely proud of him. If you watch the videos of Colton walking you see how it almost look effortless, but I assure you its not. It takes a great deal of physique, balance, and conditioning. Again, I am very proud of him. Below, I have also added the link to our facebook group page, "Airman Colton Read". If you have facebook, make sure you join!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109155386641

We are anticipating to be in our house by the spring of this year. We will be very glad to be in our home thanks to  Bay Area Builders Operation Finally Home. As a lot of you know, we have struggled with our on post housing run by Lincoln Military Housing. Everything from discrimination of Colton's rank and disability, to fighting for simple modifications for our home, that should already be in place in a "handicap accessible" home. I think it's very sad, that we live on base that offers the premire prosthetics center in the country, a renouned burn unit hospital, and one of the largest bases with the most handicap children and there are not enough wheelchair accessible houses to accomate the need. There are four wheelchair accessible houses for ranks E-6 and below and there are 14 for ranks E-7 and above. This makes no sense to me because the majority of the men at the Center for the Intrepid are E-6 and below, and lower ranking individuals, including us, have been told we are ineligable for one of the 14 houses because we are "junior enlisted". This is disgusting to me. First of all, being placed in a handicap home should be based on NEED not rank, and you should not be withholding an accessible home due to rank, I believe that is discrimination. The whole situation is very sad.  

We feel very blessed to have you all in our lives, whether you read the blog all the time, or this is your first visit. Please keep Colton in your thoughts and prayers.

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'plans to prosper you, not harm you. Plans to give you hope, and a future." Jeremiah 29:11



]]>Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:18:24 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2011/01/our-new-home.htmlI hope
everyone had great holidays. There have
been lots of great things happening for
Jessica and I.  We did our ground
breaking ceremony in December. We
also finished up all of our selections for
our home. I am so excited our
house is going to be beautiful. As of right now
our foundation is poured and
they will be working on our framing. Last week Jessica
and I got to go to the
international builders show with Operation Finally Home,
the organization
that is building out home.  We met a lot of people
that want to help out
with the organization so we can build more homes for
more wounded military members.
I am about to start going to rehab a lot
again. I have not been walking a lot because
it has been hurting. I really
want to get back into walking again. I also want
to start swimming again to
get back in shape. I might have to have another
surgery on my shoulder. This
will be hard because I use my shoulder every day.  I
will find out how invasive it will be in
six weeks.



]]>Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:48:15 -0800http://www.coltonread.com/1/post/2010/11/happy-holidays.htmlHey everyone,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I started back to work for the Air force,  I only work half days, the other half I attend therapy. It’s nice to be back at work.  Jessica and I were very fortunate to be able to go on a 5 day long trip to Midland/San Angelo with a group called “Show of Support”. This organization takes wounded military and their wives out to west Texas for several days filled with parades, a banquet, pampering for the wives and a hunt for the men! I was able to shoot an 8 point buck while I was on the trip and am very excited! This organization was wonderful and everyone we met there was so kind and welcoming.

We are going to break ground on our new house December 17, we are very excited. We were able to go select things like our counter tops, and outside stone before the holiday. We are expecting the house to be done between May and June. The founder of “Operation Finally Home”, Dan Wallrath, was named one of CNN’s Top Ten Heroes of 2010. The special was on Thanksgiving night and is repeating if you get a chance to catch it! Jessica and I appear in the footage honoring Dan.

My wife and I are going to start mentoring for the Recovery Care Coordinator Program for the Air Force. We are hoping to use our experiences to help others. We flew out to Orlando before the holiday to get some training and leadership skills.  

I feel very blessed being able to spend another Thanksgiving with my wife and family.  I am very thankful for the recent opportunities God has blessed me with. Again, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

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