The Carlton Family

U.S. Army CW2 Daniel Carlton is from El Cajon, California. Carlton joined the Army at in August 1999, enlisting as a motor transport operator. Carlton served in the First Armored Division for two years as well as the First Corps Support Command (COSCOM) for two years. He also served at the U.S. army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and Schools and finished his career in the Seventh Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Carlton’s military assignments took him to the Balkans, Central and South America, the Middle East and Southwest Asia. While on these assignments, Carlton participated in Global War on Terror Campaigns, Peace Keeping missions and Humanitarian Expeditionary missions. His deployments included Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2007, 2008 and 2012.

During his second tour in Afghanistan, Carlton sustained a gunshot wound with shrapnel in his left hand and suffered various hand fractures. In November 2012, Carlton was injured by two improvised explosive devices (IED), which resulted in the amputation of his left leg above the knee, loss of use of his right leg, hand fractures, burns and a mild traumatic brain injury. Initial treatment began in Afghanistan and continued in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. A month later, Carlton was transferred to the San Antonio Military Medical Center where the rest of his surgeries and procedures were completed, which totaled over a dozen.

Carlton was honorably retired after serving over 15 years of service in the Army. Due to the severity of injuries he sustained, Carlton still requires basic medical services, such as occasional X-rays and he also works with his prosthetist on a regular basis. In honor of his service, Carlton has been awarded several accolades, including three Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, three Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Medal and Kosovo Campaign Medal and many more.

Eager to continue his service to the country and to his community, Carlton is currently finishing his degree in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis. Carlton is also focusing on spending time with his family, something he never had much time for while being deployed. In 2014, Carlton was selected to represent the USA in the first ever Invictus Games that was held in London. That same year, Carlton was also nominated to be the first Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Warrior Games team captain.

Partnering with the H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Operation FINALLY HOME will provide Daniel Carlton, his wife Juanita and his six children with a mortgage-free home in New Braunfels, Texas, in 2017.