Soldier gets support on long road home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - When military men and women return from Iraq and Afghanistan, their battles are not over. If they've been injured, they can spend additional months, even years, recovering.

Sergeant Robbie Laux landed at Indianapolis International Wednesday and got a big dose of Hoosier hospitality. Members of the Indiana Patriot Guard -- a group of motorcycle riders who provide escorts for events such as military funerals -- were on hand to give an escort to Laux.

Find out more about Sgt. Laux by visiting his web site

Laux is a dear friend of Gabby Ramsey, a Fishers resident. She and her husband Derrick have known Laux since he and Derrick served together in the Army.

"This is amazing, amazing," said Gabby Ramsey of the Patriot Guard escort. "The support, that's all the soldiers need. They just need to know that back home there's people there that support them. He's from California and we're in Fishers, Indiana and he's getting all this support just for coming and visiting and that's amazing."

Gabby had not told Laux that he would receive a Patriot Guard escort from the airport to the Ramsey's apartment. The Patriot Guard wanted to show its appreciation for Laux's sacrifice.

Laux ran into an improvised explosive device in Iraq and the injuries to his arm -- and the 42 subsequent surgeries -- have had him in Walter Reed Army Medical Center for almost two years. He said he's gotten very good care at Walter Reed.

"I can't really make a fist yet," Laux said, "but this is what I have and I'm working with it."

Laux said he was shocked, surprised and nearly speechless that a group of former military men took the time to escort him.

He expects to be receiving medical care at Walter Reed for about another nine months and hopes he can go back to some sort of work with the Army.