An update from Wills

Fifteen years ago, a hidden IED in a mud-walled compound in Marjah, Afghanistan, detonated just feet away from Marine Bill Bee - and changed the course of his life forever.
I’ve gotten to know Bill over years of conversation and through writing The Shot: The Harrowing Journey of a Marine in the War on Terror. His story is one of valor and quiet endurance - not just on the battlefield, but in the long fight that followed.
That explosion in June 2010 ended Bill’s military career, but not his service. The blast came two years after a Taliban sniper nearly killed him - a moment captured in one of the most iconic photos of the War on Terror.
Since then, Bill has carried invisible wounds: PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and a body still bearing the trauma of war. For 15 years, he’s fought through it all - for his wife, his son, and the life he’s tried to piece back together.
He’s never asked for much - not even now. Earlier this year, he lost his job when his contract ended. He still hasn’t received full medical retirement from the U.S. government, despite doctors determining long ago that his wounds would keep him from ever returning to combat.
Bill isn’t one to complain. He doesn’t post angry rants or demand attention. He’s shared his story to help others - to shine a light on what too many veterans silently endure.
So I’ll post my plea for him: A Marine who deployed four times to Afghanistan and who was so close to dying in service to this country deserves better.
If you’re in a position to help - whether that’s through job leads, advocacy, or simply sharing his story - please do.
Because the battle doesn’t end when veterans come home. And neither should our support.