Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks prepares for the womenâs breast stroke finals, in which she took a gold medal, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla., on May 11, 2016. (Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace/U.S. Air Force photo) WASHINGTON â Lying in a hospital bed in Landstuhl, Germany, a 19-year-old combat medic had endured three operations to fix hip injuries suffered in Iraq and now faced the unthinkable: a medical discharge from the Army. Neither she nor the Army will disclose what caused her injuries, but doctors told the young soldier that certain parts of her life might no longer be an option, including serving in the military.