Vet shares story with goal of shedding light on soldiers' plight

Army Sgt. Chad Rozanski knows firsthand about the realities of war – the violent intensity of a firefight, the earth-rattling boom of a bomb, the unrelenting heat, the homesickness.

He also knows about sacrifice. The veteran from Greenbrier was severely wounded in July 2006 in Ramadi, Iraq, when two IEDs exploded while he was on duty with the 1st Armored Division.

Rozanski survived, just barely. The now 24-year-old lost both of his legs in the explosion.

The double amputee shared his story Wednesday in North Little Rock as part of an effort to raise funds for veterans organizations and shed light on the plight of those returning home from war. The American Freedom Festival concert, to be held Saturday at Verizon Arena, will feature the Rowdy Friends and is to pay tribute to veterans in the Armed Services. Proceeds from the concert, after expenses are paid, will go toward several veterans organizations in Arkansas, including the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (AIMM).

"This is a first-time event for Arkansas," said Steve Finnegan, a veteran who helped organize the fundraising concert along with the American Freedom Foundation. "We hope to make this a nationwide effort, and this festival is for the central part of the country."

A similar event was held in May in San Francisco, and several fundraisers take place in Washington, D.C.

Finnegan said it was important to hold the event in Arkansas, given the high per capita mobilization number in the state. And there are several soldiers with stories similar to Rozanski's that need to be shared, he said.

After extensive rehabilitation, Rozanski returned home to his wife. They now have a 20-month-old son, whom Rozanski held as he ended his story. The story, Finnegan believes, that needs to be heard by all.