We hear about the death toll in regard to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but you never hear anything about the wounded. You hear about things called "IEDs" and how the insurgents use them against our troops daily. So what happens to the troops who were wounded by these terrible things and during the battles?

After doing some research, I learned that the number of wounded is easily between 13,000 and 15,000. As you read deeper, you learn that the wounds are very severe and that many of the wounded will not return to duty. And most are very young.

At 18 these soldiers have already seen combat and are rebuilding their bodies daily, as I was soon to see.

In 2004 I decided that I should start writing letters to the soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. I wanted to let them know that they were not forgotten.

This year when my vacation from corporate America rolled around, I decided that I needed to go to Washington, D.C., to see these true heroes in person. I was told there was no room to visit the soldiers on the day I wanted to go--that they have a lot of political VIPs that visit and volunteers from the area who frequent the floors. However, I had to go anyway and try to get in.

When I arrived, I called the visitor coordinator that morning, and she said that for all my trouble she would allow me to visit. I took a cab down there and was quite nervous. I didn't know if I would get in or if I really wanted to. When I met with the coordinator, she allowed me to go with an escort to the physical therapy and occupational therapy areas. It was life-changing.

I met 12 wounded soldiers. Ten of the 12 were amputees, some single or double, or sustained a visual impairment. It was the most amazing experience of my life to see the energy of these heroes going through their daily routine.

I have to say that I felt a sudden overwhelming sadness as I first walked in there. Seeing anyone severely wounded is never easy, but seeing people so young was even more difficult. But there was no time for that as the atmosphere in there is unstoppable. The soldiers who are further along in the rehabilitation are jump-roping and walking around normally on one or two prostheses.

It was great to see older veterans, apparently amputees from previous conflicts, encouraging the wounded personnel. I thought it was brilliant of the staff to have the newly arrived patients in the same therapy rooms with patients who had been there for months. It was incredibly inspiring. There were guys doing pull-ups and using the workout balls that are so hip in our modern gyms. The wives are allowed to stay and encourage their significant others, too.

What I thought was wonderful and such a display of the military "brotherhood" was that most of the wounded were wearing their unit colors. They were wearing a T-shirt or something that signified who they were with. That truly displayed and demonstrated the definition of teamwork and teammate to me.

The soldiers I met were so gracious. They were funny and loved to talk. Tears came to my eyes every time I said goodbye to one. I told them they were true heroes for all of us, and especially my generation. But they just smiled back, shook my hand, genuinely said "thanks" and got back to work.

I flew back to Los Gatos that night with a new appreciation for life. I learned that there is a lot all of us can do, no matter where we live.

So now I have my definition of real American heroes. Not ones that make millions of dollars or are famous, but just a normal Joe or Jane who stood up and said, "I'll go."

Doug Feliciano is former Naval officer who lives in Los Gatos. He reached the rank of lieutenant before his discharge in 2002 and still works with Naval recruiters in San Jose and Santa Cruz. He wrote this for the Los Gatos Weekly-Times.

El Camino Hospital