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Jan. 26, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Now, it's Joe Heck's war

ER doctor, state lawmaker takes his expertise to Iraq

By KEITH ROGERS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Wife Lisa listens as Joe Heck, emergency room doctor, Republican state senator and Army Reserve colonel, talks about his upcoming deployment to Iraq. Heck, 46, refers to Lisa as "the most understanding wife in the country."
Photo by Ralph Fountain.

Joe Heck's uniform hangs on his dresser in preparation for a three-month active duty tour in Iraq.
Photo by Ralph Fountain.

Army Reserve Col. Joe Heck packs his duffel bag Friday afternoon at his Henderson home.
Photo by Ralph Fountain.

When the sun comes up today over the Las Vegas Valley, Army Reserve Col. Joe Heck will look out the window of a jetliner and think about the family he's leaving behind and the task that lies ahead: tending to wounded soldiers and civilians on battlegrounds in Iraq.

"Our men and women over there are putting it on the line. They deserve 110 percent support from the American people, and this is my way of supporting them," Heck said Friday afternoon at his Henderson home before he stuffed socks, shirts, underwear and his duty gear into an olive-drab duffel bag.

Heck, a 46-year-old emergency room doctor and Republican state senator, expects he'll face some of the biggest challenges in his medical career. There will be people with traumatic brain injuries, mangled limbs and multiple gunshot wounds. And he knows he will be working the longest 90-day shift of his life.

His colleagues have warned him, "You'll be seeing potentially devastating things," he said.

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He anticipates there will be scenarios that his schooling at Penn State University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, or any other higher place of learning, couldn't prepare him for.

Nevertheless, he said, he welcomes the challenge and will draw on his experiences in the emergency room at University Medical Center, his field work as an emergency technician in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains and the lessons he learned in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Two days later, he was sent to ground zero in New York from Washington, D.C., to provide medical support to federal agency responders.

Heck, who commands the Reserve's 6252nd Army Hospital in San Diego, could have accepted the commander's deferment and declined a three-month tour in Iraq.

"But my number came up," he said.

As a volunteer citizen-soldier in the Army Reserve, he felt obligated to follow through after he was allowed to delay deployment in February last year while the Legislature was in session and before he assumed command of the 6252nd.

"I had given my word I would go on the next rotation," he said. "I'm going on 17 years in the Reserve. This is what you train for.

"Nobody wants to go to a combat zone, but there are dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedoms," he said.

Much of his motivation to serve stems from the sight he saw while driving through New Jersey toward New York City with paramedic Jason Kepp to provide support at ground zero after the attacks. The drive took them through an area where they had grown up.

"It was the most heart-wrenching experience I ever had," Heck said. "We looked across the river, and the towers weren't there. There was a huge plume of smoke and dust. We both fell silent and couldn't speak."

Heck's flight today is destined for Atlanta. From there he'll go to Fort Benning, Ga., where he'll be issued his equipment and a handgun. Then he'll go through a week of training before heading to Kuwait and "then to wherever we'll be assigned."

"My goal and my motivation is we've seen 44 casualties from Nevada in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and I want to make sure there's no 45," he said.

Back in Henderson, wife Lisa, whom he described as "the most understanding wife in the country," will be waiting for him along with Joey, 10, Chelsea, 20, and Monica, 21.

Lisa said she realized "a long time ago when I met him" that there would be times when his obligations with the Army Reserve would send him away for months at a time.

"It wasn't a shock to me," she said. "But this one is a little different because of where he's going."

His mother, Mary Heck, and father Joe Heck Sr. said they, too, are concerned.

"Like all moms, I'm worried," Mary Heck said. "I've got to be positive."

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0308.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Mary Lardino-Berg wrote on January 29, 2008 08:29 PM: I am the Mary that the Porters are referring to in their comment. I'm a Democrat and Clinton supporter but when I needed help with a medical situation, Joe Heck didn't care about my political views or that I don't even live in his district - he stepped in and helped WITHOUT HESITATION. Thanks to him, I am now going to be able to continue my care at UCLA, a facility that my HMO denied because there was no contract. Yes, as late as 5:30 Friday night, Sen Heck was emailing me that all was well with the HMO and that I would receive a confirmation within days. On Monday, 1-28, I received that call from the VP/Chief of Operations at the HMO that my situation was resolved and care would continue at UCLA. As far as I am concerned, Sen Heck is a man of integrity and compassion. He didn't have to get involved with my case but as a human being and a physician, he saw a wrong that needed to be corrected. My family and I are in his debt. Shame on you Dave L. for smearing the name and honorable intentions of this man. We should be praising his ethics - he could have found a way out of serving but he didn't. Yes, ALL soldiers deserve our praise and support but don't confuse what Sen Heck has done with dirty politics or I assure you sir, you will have me to answer to. Lisa - you and your family are in my daily prayers and I would consider it a great honor to meet Sen Heck upon his return from Iraq. God bless ALL of our brave men and women! Lisa Heck wrote on January 28, 2008 09:30 PM: Normally I don't respond to those who like to fuel the fires on the political front but I was saddened to read the response below by Dave L. The news media has been trying to focus more on various military people in our community as a way of promoting support instead of just pushing the bad news. They may not interview every soldier who gets deployed or everyone who returns but the effort is worthy of praise. FYI, we agreed early on when we found out he was going, we would keep it to ourselves for as long as possible so no one would think what Dave L thought. But when you deal with constituent calls, letters and emails on a daily basis, it wold have been irresponsible of Sen Heck not to notify his constituents of his upcoming deployment. He did not call anyone, calls came to us, and we decided the best way to reach his over 20,000 constituents population was to allow the local news to carry the story, but military in nature only. No conspiracy theory here. Sometimes, there's just no alterior motive. Don't be so quick to judge people without the facts first- Cheri wrote on January 28, 2008 09:08 PM: (n respnse to Dave L; Shame on you for writing what you did- anyone who knows Sen. Heck knows he doesn't need the press to win an election, as evident from the RJ endorsing his opponent last time! I heard about this before the press got a hold of it and that was only as a result of people talking. I think being a doctor, state representative and Army Colonel warrants a little more recognition for him and all the time he devotes to serving in various entities. After all, how many troops are legislators, military high-ranking officers and physicians trained in terrorism wrapped in one great man, all the while promoting support for all troops- he is a great carrier of the message to SUPPORT our men and women, and you bringing politics into this is- well there will always be people like you wanting to see the bad in everyone. How horrible it must be to be so cynical and never see all the good someone might do. Jan & Jim Porter wrote on January 28, 2008 07:28 PM: I loved the piece on Senator Heck, too bad Joe is so humble he didn’t tell anyone about the incredible intervention he did for Mary Lardino-Berg a lovely young mother in Pahrump who is in need of a liver transplant and who has been fighting with HPN… Loved the story, but I am more blessed that I know the back story, Joe was working as an advocate for Mary and the transplant through Friday night before leaving…… And now you know the rest of the story… Scott Young wrote on January 27, 2008 08:29 AM: In response to Dave L: You do not know Dr. Heck or you would not have made the comment you did. I do know him and for anyone who is interested, he does not care about the publicity. He cares deeply about his country, the troops in Iraq and his family. You may not agree with the policies that have caused him and so many others to go to Iraq; you may not like his political views but shame on you for disparaging his commitment to his country, family and comrades, which you know nothing of, nor of this man. Scott Young Dave L wrote on January 26, 2008 09:48 AM: Shameless publicity for Heck's reelection! How many stories have been written and television stories and interviews has this guy asked for?! Someone had to reach out to the media to tell them. Most individual soldiers take their orders and proceed anonomously; they don't call the press and Jon Ralston. Think I'm kiding that this is all about SENATOR Heck's relection and using the war for his personal gain? How many stories have you read or seen about an anonymous kid from East Las Vegas packing his olive green duffel bag for his trip to Iraq? Exactly. Shameless. Bill Buschur wrote on January 26, 2008 06:21 AM: Joe,,,,Hurry back we need you here. Bill Sid wrote on January 26, 2008 04:46 AM: Thank you Dr. Joe Heck. 3 months is good enough and I hope we can find 4 per year like you. 4 x 3 equals 12 months. Brian Hale wrote on January 26, 2008 04:02 AM: 3 month tour? What a lucky break that is. Count your blessings Colonel. He will be home before the group that I have deployed with, and we have been here since April. On a serious note though, thank you for your service. We need good doctors here.