“Operation Epic Fury” Survival Story Unveiled at Commissioners Meeting
Trevor Phipps
When a drone first struck a U.S. military building in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait on March 1, everything went black for Major Stephen Ramsbottom of Cripple Creek, as he soon experienced the worst day of his life.
According to his detailed account, the local veteran, who spend time on the front lines of the current war in Iran as part of “Operation Epic Fury,” he woke up moments later and started helping his co-workers to safety.
However, not all of his colleagues were as fortunate as Ramsbottom. Six of his co-workers passed away in the Iranian drone attack, and 25 others (including Ramsbottom) sustained injuries.
Ramsbottom, who lives with his wife and four children in the Cripple Creek area quietly returned home on Good Friday weeks after the attack. “This guy landed in the Colorado Springs Airport, saw Pikes Peak, teared up and said, ‘I just want to go home,’” Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams said.
But once Teller County officials heard the news, they had different plans. On April 9, the Teller County Commissioners held a special ceremony to welcome home Major Ramsbottom before their regularly scheduled commissioner meeting.
Once Ramsbottom arrived home, he was instructed by his doctor to go to his local veteran service office (VSO) for resources once back in Cripple Creek. Ramsbottom came into Teller County VSO Cynthia Meyer’s office, and tears immediately started to run down her face.
She went and told Williams that she had a recently wounded warrior in her office. Williams introduced him to fellow veteran John Bartlett and decided to give the injured veteran a public welcome home ceremony that included cake.
During the ceremony, the usual Pledge of Allegiance and invocation were held before the meeting or ceremony commenced. In addition, County Commissioner Erik Stone led the packed room in the singing of the National Anthem.
During the ceremony, Ramsbottom was given several gifts including a veteran’s coin, a symbolic knife, a specially-made quilt, and an American flag that has been flown over the State Capitol. Every commissioner then had the chance to say a few words to the veteran.
“What can a nation, county, state or community do when their sons and daughters come home after they left their home to serve their country?” Stone said. “While they are there, they shed blood. While they are there, they save lives. While they are there, they act as heroes. So, what can we do as a nation and a county? We can stand up and support them when times are tough.”
Ramsbottom was then given the floor to address the crowd. Ramsbottom made sure to mention each of his colleagues who didn’t return home after the tragedy that day and then said a few words about his fallen comrades.
Ramsbottom was thankful for the gifts and the ceremony put on in his name. “It just shows that the country is committed to supporting us,” Ramsbottom said.
Routine Tour Turns Into A Horrific Tragedy
Maj. Ramsbottom who is a reserve in the U.S. Army, started a nine-month tour last year in Kuwait as a logistics specialist. However, six months into his tour the climate in the Middle East Changed after the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
“Where he was at, and all of the places around it, were already pre-targeted,” Commissioner Williams explained. “So, when we attacked them, they basically went into an auto-pilot mode even having lost their key leaders, people below that level followed what we call mission orders. They know what to do. So, suddenly the drones came in.”
After getting an alert the day before, Ramsbottom and his colleagues did have protective equipment. However, they were not wearing helmets when the drones struck the building in the middle of their work day.
According to Williams, Ramsbottom turned around with a monitor in front of him to speak with a co-worker when the drone struck. “I had a big monitor between me and where the blast was,” Ramsbottom told KOAA News 5. “I think some metal shrapnel hit my monitor and just busted it and shattered it. All my wounds were actually from the monitor glass going into my head. Which was good because it didn’t crack the skull or anything like that. I put my helmet on, and I think it helped slide whatever was sticking out of my head slide down my neck. “After looking at pictures of the military base after he escaped it, he wondered how any of them were able to get out of the building. Luckily, Ramsbottom was treated by Kuwaiti doctors promptly and only sustained injuries related to a concussion.
As soon as Ramsbottom returned to his Teller County home where he and his family have lived since 2019, the first thing he wanted to do was drive his kids to school. Now that he is back, Ramsbottom says that he does plan to re-integrate with the local American Legion Chapter and his fellow veterans. But most of all, the major said he just wants to go back to his government contract job as a data scientist and return to normalcy.
