Army Specialist Branden Stackenwalt of Rapid City, who was seriously wounded in Afghanistan last week, arrived at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington on Sunday, according to a story in the Alliance (Neb.) Times Herald.

Stackenwalt's parents, David and Kim Stackenwalt of Rapid City, met him at the hospital late Sunday night and plan to stay in the Washington, D.C., area through October, according to Steve Stackenwalt, David's brother and general manager of the Times Herald.

The Stackenwalts are former residents of Alliance.

Spec. Stackenwalt, 22, was critically wounded Sunday, Sept. 20, when an improvised explosive device exploded under the tank he was driving while clearing roadways in southern Afghanistan. He was extracted from the vehicle with three other seriously injured soldiers. Another soldier in the tank was killed by the impact. Stackenwalt and the other soldiers were treated in Afghanistan, and then flown to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany.

After seven days of treatment, including surgery to begin repairing several broken vertebrae in his back and neck, Stackenwalt was cleared to return to the U.S. He flew on a C-17 cargo plane with dozens of other wounded soldiers Sunday morning.

His uncle, Rick Stackenwalt, who flew to Germany to be with him shortly after the attack, accompanied him on the flight and subsequent ambulance ride to Walter Reed, according to the Times Herald.

Since arriving at Walter Reed, Stackenwalt has had surgeries to repair broken bones in both legs, Steve Stackenwalt said Tuesday. Over the next few weeks, Stackenwalt will have surgeries to repair other broken bones in his arms and to continue repairing his spine.

He is in stable condition and is showing good signs of healing, the Times Herald said. He has moved his fingers and toes and is responding to questions with a thumbs-up and even writing single words on paper. He is unable to speak because he has a feeding tube, according to Steve Stackenwalt.

One thumbs-up response was to Gen. George W. Casey, the chief of staff of the Army. The general visited Stackenwalt in the hospital and awarded him the Purple Heart.

Casey called Stackenwalt's mother in Rapid City to let her know how Stackenwalt was doing and to tell her he would be flying home to the U.S. soon.

Doctors have told the family that if everything goes well, Stackenwalt could make a full recovery over the next one to two years.

To follow Stackenwalt's recovery, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/brandenstackenwalt.

To make a donation toward expenses that will be incurred by the family over the next months, visit any Wells Fargo Bank and ask to help Specialist Branden Stackenwalt.