Happy Homecoming for Injured Soldier

There’s no place like home when you need to heal and rest.

For the last 30 days, Grafton native Andrew Piiranen, 26, has been back in town to enjoy the comforts of home during a month-long convalescence leave.

He is recuperating from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device exploded Sept. 14 while he was on duty in Afghanistan.

“It was like getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer,’’ he said. “I kept yelling for what seemed like a few minutes, though it was probably only a couple of seconds.’’

He suffered partial hearing loss and needed a portion of his ear sewn back on.

He also sustained injuries to his face, neck, arm and stomach, in some cases so deep that his tendons were visible. He underwent extensive skin grafts.

As a result of his injuries, he received a Purple Heart.

But as serious as his injuries were, some of his colleagues were hurt even more severely because they were closer to the point of impact. Another soldier lost his legs from the knees down.

Today Piiranen’s face shows little visible effect of the injury, in part because of a lucky piece of timing: He was treated by the same plastic surgeon who worked on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and critically wounded in January.

The doctor happened to be at the base where Piiranen was flown to.

After his immediate treatment in Afghanistan, he was flown to Germany, then to San Antonio, Texas, for further treatment before being released and allowed to fly home early this month.

Ironically, Piiranen knows explosive devices all too well: He received months of specialized training on how to recognize and detect the devices. His unit was called out to sweep areas for signs of the explosives.

When his leave ends, likely in early November, Piiranen will return to Utah, where he is stationed. He will work in conjunction with the Secret Service to sweep areas where President Obama is scheduled to visit for potential explosives.

He will likely do the same for the eventual Republican presidential contender.

Piiranen remains on active duty until December 2014, which will mark his 11^th year of service. He joined the Air Force not long after graduating from Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School in 2003.

He is not sure what he will do after December 2014. But he does know one thing: He will remember the  good wishes and prayers he received throughout his ordeal.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve gotten amazing support,’’ he said.

And when Christmas arrives, his family will receive the best possible present: He will return home again, for a visit to Grafton.