U.S. Army soldiers react after Sgt. Matt Krumwiede was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in southern Afghanistan June 12, 2012. On June 12, 2012, Krumwiede was on patrol in Afghanistan when he stepped on an IED, which tore away both his legs, damaged his left arm, and ripped open his abdominal cavity. The 22-year-old has since undergone around 40 surgeries and is learning to walk with prosthetic legs. He is keen to re-join the infantry as soon as his injuries allow. U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan since 2001. Thousands of Afghan elders gathered in Kabul on November 21, 2013 at a Loya Jirga, or grand council, to debate a crucial security pact with the United States, a day after Kabul and Washington reached a draft agreement laying out the terms under which U.S. troops may stay beyond 2014. Picture taken June 12, 2012. | Foto: Reuters