Three Warriors escape suicide bomber with minor injuries Published Nov. 18, 2006 By Capt. Kevin G. Tuttle Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Members of the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team were fortunate enough to walk away from an explosion caused by a suicide bomber large enough to decimate a vehicle down to rubble and damage buildings over 100 yards away. On Nov. 1, a convoy escorting a cargo truck headed to Qalat from Kandahar crossed paths with a suicide bomber, who used a mini-bus full of explosives in an attempt to kill those traveling, but only managed to kill himself. "It should have killed me, considering it was a bus that was used and the close proximity of the blast," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Long, who suffered first and second degree burns to the face and hands. "I just feel blessed. It could have killed us all." Sergeant Long, the Civil Affairs noncommissioned officer in charge was traveling in the third vehicle of the convoy. As they traveled down a hill and turned right onto a dirt road to enter Highway 1, the suicide bomber detonated the explosives. "I remember the boom and fireball sound. I immediately knew I was on fire," said Sergeant Long, from Payson, Utah. "I was using my hands to put my clothes out. After the flames went out, I looked down at my hands and could see the skin of my hands sloughing off and thought, 'Oh, man!' I could tell my face was burnt, too. I thought I looked like Freddy Krueger." Sergeant Long had a T-shirt around his neck and face to protect himself from the dust, little did he know this smart move would help him survive the suicide attack in remarkably good shape. The intense heat melted his T-shirt and the gloves, but a piece of shrapnel punctured his right forearm. Tech. Sgt. David Quarnstrom, a medical technician, heard Sergeant Long yelling for help and immediately sprung into action. He poured saline from his medical bag onto Sergeant Long's hands and face to relieve the burning and assured him that he would be okay. Sergeant Quarnstrom, from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., helped pull Long out of the Humvee where he was placed in a secure area before calling in a medevac. But the blast also got Senior Airman Huey Harris III, one of the Humvee drivers, who was knocked unconscious as a result of the suicide attack. "I remember seeing orange, seeing smoke and hearing Long yell," said Airman Harris, whose home station is Dover Air Force Base, Del. "I don't remember anything until I woke up on the chopper and didn't know what was wrong with me. I got real scared because I knew [Sergeant Long] was hurt, but I didn't know what was wrong with me, but figured I must be in bad shape because I was on the helicopter." Airman Harris, a cook at the Qalat PRT, said he was happy to know that everyone else was okay. "I'm officially a combat cook now. It's unbelievable." Airman Harris and Sergeant Long were both taken via helicopter to the Kandahar Airfield Hospital after their team mates called for a MEDEVAC. Airmen Harris had a concussion and minor bruises, which were treated upon arrival. However, it is not a miracle that these service members walk out alive from this suicide attack. It was the Humvees equipped with extra armor and a fire depression system that saved them by automatically detecting the fire and smoke inside the vehicle and extinguished the threat. Army Spc. Ambrose Faatoafe, PRT Civil Affairs operator, was the gunner in another vehicle, who got hit with a piece of shrapnel that pierced his helmet, wounding him on the head. Specialist Faatoafe, from Salt Lake City, Utah, was about 100 yards away from the explosion when he got hit, but luckily he walked away with only a minor injury. As a result of this suicide attack, Sergeant Long had to end his deployment tour due to his injuries and was sent to a hospital in San Antonio that specializes in burn-patients. He will be sent home after treatment.