![Army veteran and Paralympian shares her story in Sioux Falls [Video]](https://usanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mp_1371099_0_NI6RU4KAJ5A2BJH43AEHR7Q5GYbmp.jpg)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – On Friday, an Army veteran and Paralympian was the keynote speaker at the Military Heritage Alliance.
Melissa Stockwell was deployed to Iraq back in March of 2004 and just three weeks into her deployment, a roadside bomb struck her humvee, causing her to lose her left leg above the knee.
Stockwell was awarded both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart and she made history by becoming the first Iraq war veteran to qualify for the Beijing Paralympics.
Stockwell recently qualified for the 2024 US Paris Paralympic Triathalon team.
Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.
![Navy conducts Hurricane Exercise/Citadel Gale 2024 training [Video]](https://usanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mp_1464464_0_ae4c491d1727470d8dfeb0f73c2786891140x641jpg.jpg)
![Colombia ends diplomatic relations with Israel, but its military relies on Israeli equipment [Video]](https://usanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mp_1464406_0_IsraelPalestiniansColombiaExplainerjpg.jpg)
![Watch terrifying moment Bruce Coval Meneley is gunned down by Seattle cops as Navy doctor confronted in child sex sting [Video]](https://usanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mp_1435730_0_SCSeattlePoliceShootingBreakerOPcopyjpg.jpg)
![Cambodia’s Defense Ministry says explosion at military base that killed 20 soldiers was an accident WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]](https://usanewsvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mp_1461678_0_MMQYMIEKTQ7U7HZDRUERFIHILQjpg.jpg)