Losing both legs after stepping on an explosive device this past January, friends and neighbors of Staff Sgt. Charles Allen plan to give him the reception he missed when his fellow soldiers came home in April.
In what is being kept as a surprise from the homeward- bound soldier, a reception is being planned for when his plane touches down in Clarksville this Saturday morning. The ceremony is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at Outlaw Field, in honor of the 1-75th Cavalry member. Organizers are encouraging friends and well-wishers to show up at the airport with signs to cheer Allen, helping give him the reception his fellow soldiers received when they returned home from combat.
Allen has been under treatment at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. since shortly after he stepped on the explosive device while on patrol looking for IEDs in Afghanistan. His rehabilitation has advanced to a point he is able to use prosthetic legs to walk although his rehabilitation still has a way to go.
He is coming home to Clarksville for about a month before returning for further rehab. Allen, an Oklahoma native, is the husband of the former Jessica Collins who was born and raised in Warren County.
The event is being organized by Team Allen, which is a support organization for the Allen family which keeps its members up to date on Allen’s progress. The Team Allen website is being headed by local resident Demetria Hale. Organizers ask that those attending the event not bring balloons since it is an airport.
While Allen will be staying at his current home in Clarksville for the month he will be here this time, plans are to build a handicapped-friendly residence for his permanent return home. Donations can be made to the Charles (Chaz) and Jessica Allen Fund at Heritage Bank, 3845 Trenton Road, Clarksville, TN 37040.
For more information on Team Allen, visit the group's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/goteamallen.