he was deployed to kuwait in 2003 and to iraq in 2004, where he served in the air force security forces. kolfage was injured in balad, iraq, on september 11, 2004, when a 107 mm rocket landed 3 feet from his position, and caused the loss of both his legs and his right hand. he received a purple heart after his injuries, and recovered in walter reed medical center until july 2005 and later found a civilian job at davis-monthan air force base. after his injury he began to speak publicly about his experience and recovery and filmed a campaign ad for rep. gabrielle giffords in 2011. he was invited as giffords's special guest to president obama's state of the union address in 2012.