SGT CHARLES DOUGLAS HARRIS

Romney, WV

Mission Accomplished on Dec. 19, 2015

On May 30, 2012, Army Sergeant Charles “Doug” Harris was on patrol with 5-20 Infantry, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 2nd Infantry Division in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). The subsequent blast resulted in the amputation of both legs and severe injuries to his right arm.

He was medically evacuated for immediate treatment. Stateside, he underwent underwent surgeries and rehabilitative therapies for approximately seven months at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Although Doug has made tremendous progress with his recovery, his everyday living situation in his previous home was difficult. He lived with his wife Autumn in her grandfather’s home, where maneuvering a wheelchair was not possible. A specially adapted custom HFOT home alleviated these issues. “Assistance from Homes For Our Troops greatly improved my well-being and my family life,” says Doug. “It allows me to do things like get something from the kitchen and laundry, without asking for help and feeling like a burden on my wife.”

Since receiving their HFOT home, Doug and Autumn became foster parents and have adopted seven children. In 2024, they welcomed their biological daughter, Davina. They enjoy hunting, fishing, and spending time together as a family. Doug is the founder and president of Operation Heroes Support, a nonprofit organization that provides outdoor opportunities for injured Veterans and first responders.

Doug is grateful to HFOT donors and supporters for giving him the opportunity to rebuild his life. “It’s programs like Homes for Our Troops that give injured Veterans like me a chance to be normal,” he says.

Ver:4-26