Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Overcoming immeasurable obstacles, Staff Sgt. Brandon Dotson completed the 40th Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 25 in Arlington, Va, making it his third in 15 days.
As a member of Team Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit for wounded veterans, Dotson finished with a personal best of 2:06 in Sunday’s race. This was the third marathon finish line crossed by the veteran this month. As a personal goal, Dotson completed both the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Oct. 11 in 2:15 and the 36th Detroit Free Press/ Talmer Bank Marathon Oct. 18 in 2:14 with the support of Achilles International Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans.
The tragedy of September 11 impacted Dotson’s decision to enlist in the Marine Corps in 2003. “I honestly wanted to serve my country, but I didn’t know what an infantryman was before speaking to a recruiter,” said the 12-year veteran who began his career at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego, Calif.
The infantry platoon sergeant served on active duty and deployed to Iraq twice with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. Following a movement with a Marine expeditionary unit to Southeast Asia, he worked as a drill instructor at MCRD.
“Being a drill instructor for three years was no easy task, but it is worth it to know that your thumbprint will be on the Marine Corps for years and years to come,” said Dotson, who followed the three-year duty assignment with two deployments to Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division out of Twentynine Palms, Calif.
During his fourth deployment to Afghanistan in 2014, on what Dotson called his last patrol, with two weeks remaining in country, his life changed forever. He stepped on a five-pound pressure plate which detonated an improvised explosive device, and severed both of his legs in seconds.
Within 30 minutes of the blast he was evacuated from the battlefield.
“An amazing field combat medic, Corpsman Cappella, made sure I stayed alive. It was a pure nightmare that I couldn’t awake from,” said Dotson when describing toeing the line of mortality with a shattered pelvis and open groin that left his major organs exposed.
“August 14, I landed in D.C. and had my family by my side. Because of their support I could concentrate on recovery,” said Dotson. “I never wanted to slow down or stop living. I’m the same person I was before the injury, but without legs.”
An adaptive sports therapist introduced him to hand cycling, which has led him to participate in three marathons. The wounded warrior doesn’t dwell around the real limitations of being a double-amputee. He continues to sets goals and inspire his fellow servicemembers and civilians through his bravery and dedication to life.
— Writer: iirby@quanticosentryonline.com