Welcome home, Cpl Paul Hedge

TUFTONBORO — U.S. Army Cpl Paul Hedge received the keys to his custom-built home, donated by nonprofit Homes For Our Troops, in a ceremony Saturday.

Homes For Our Troops Executive Director Bill Ivey, along with numerous representatives of the organization, welcomed Hedge and Hannah King, his significant other, to their new, custom-made and accessible home, on Saturday morning. Community members lined the long driveway, waving American flags upon their arrival, under escort from Tuftonboro police and fire, and State Police. 

“I am humbled beyond words to be here,” Hedge said Saturday. 

“There’s so much intelligent design behind these houses, it’s incredible. To have friends who are in this program, and to have seen the night-and-day difference that the houses make for them, it’s not lost on me, how monumental this change is for my friends, and now for me, as well,” he said.

Homes For Our Troops is an organization that raises funds to provide severely-injured, post-9/11 military veterans with accessible homes in the United States. Hedge enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2010, seeking purpose.  

Homes For Our Troops has built and donated hundreds of specially-adapted homes nationwide, including a handful in the Granite State. Homes they build include more than 40 major special adaptations to allow for full access to the home for a veteran, including wider doors and hallways, automatic door openers, roll-under sinks, stove tops and counters, pull-down shelving, a backup generator, and roll-in showers.

The Tuftonboro house is relatively isolated, surrounded by woods and separated from a quiet, sleepy road by a long driveway.  

“I can’t even believe things like this exist, this is crazy. I’ll be surprised when they key works on the front door,” Hedge said with a laugh.  

In June 2012, while serving as an airborne infantryman with the 1-501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Afghanistan, on his first deployment, Hedge was shot during an attack on Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khost Province. He suffered gunshot wounds to both legs, shrapnel wounds to his upper and lower body, tinnitus and a traumatic brain injury in the attack.

Around 12:30 p.m. on June 1, 2012, insurgents detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device at a gate at FOB Salerno. The shockwave from the blast caused the roof of a building to collapse upon service members who were inside, many of whom were eating lunch. Insurgents apparently entered the FOB and a firefight ensued.

Hedge was evacuated to Bagram Air Base, then transported to Landstuhl, Germany, for surgery. He returned stateside to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, for the remainder of his treatment, then was medically retired. 

“The stuff that Hannah has had to adapt to as well, with my injury, she’s just kept this show on the road this whole time,” Hedge said.

He’d planned to make military service his career, and considered volunteering for the Army Rangers program, or for U.S. Army Special Forces selection before he was injured. In pivoting, Hedge attended college for music theory and composition, and is considering pursuing a second degree. Later, he wants to enter a master’s program in order to serve the public in homeland security.  

Ivey told those in attendance that Hedge was “really shot up.” 

“There’s a lot of stuff besides the missing limbs,” Ivey said. “Shrapnel, they never get it all out. Recovery is a lifetime thing, a constant struggle.” 

Hedge and King embraced after raising an American flag in front of their new home. They cut a ceremonial ribbon, before accepting the keys and entering the house for the first time. 

Ivey said staying in contact with and supporting veterans long-term makes a difference in ensuring their success as homeowners. His organization's members engage the veterans with financial planners, for example, as they’re expected to keep current on property taxes and homeowners insurance. 

“We do more voice- or motion-activated stuff for our veterans in wheelchairs,” Ivey said.

As of Sunday, Homes For Our Troops had completed 430 builds, and was working on 71 projects. The Tuftonboro house is about 2,600 square feet. 

“Thank you, everybody, from the bottom of my heart. To see the community come out and the folks from Homes For Our Troops — so many faces have become like family to us,” Hedge said Saturday. “Tuftonboro, State Police as well, coming out here, thank you guys so much. Fire department, God bless you guys, thank you for your service.”