The Story:
Chief Gebhardt, a superintendent of an Air Force medical group, recently returned from a deployment to Balad Air Base in Iraq. In addition to his regular duties, he volunteered extra time at the combat hospital. One day, Chief Gebhardt met a young Iraqi girl whose family had been executed by insurgents, and survived a gunshot to her head. The girl had a lot of difficulty in her recovery, but seemed comforted by Chief Gebhardt. For many nights, he slept with her in a chair. With his own children grown, and out of the house, Chief Gebhardt enjoyed the opportunity to cradle the child. The Iraqi child continues to recover from her wounds.