In 2004, Army 1st Lt. (Ret.) Melissa Stockwell was leading a convoy on a mission in Iraq when an improvised explosive device (IED) destroyed her Humvee. As a result of the blast, Stockwell lost her left leg. She was the first female service member to lose a limb in the Iraq War. After a year recovering and undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center Stockwell was medically retired in 2005. Her military decorations include the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Since then, Stockwell has completed multiple triathlons and has become a competitive swimmer. She competed in three events in the 2008 Paralympics and is the 2010 Paratriathlon world champion. In addition to her work as a paratriathlete, Stockwell works with the Wounded Warrior Project and is a certified prosthetist, fitting other amputees with artificial limbs.