On this 4th of July weekend, let me introduce you to Jerrod Fields. This remarkable young man lost his leg to a IED while serving in the United States Army in 2005.

Despite his injury, not only did Fields reenlist in the Army but is now a United States Paralympian track and field runner. Faced with the opportunity to save his leg but live in pain for the rest of his life, Fields opted for a prosthetic leg in order to play the sport he loves – - basketball.

Fields along with other athletes are fundraising to support Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls through a new mission called “America Supports Team USA.”

Fields chatted with BET.com about his passion for basketball and his reason for joining the military.

On his passion for basketball:

Growing up in Chicago it was the Bulls or nothing. Just watching Michael day-in and day-out, competing on the highest level motivated me to go out there and try to be like Mike. I played a little bit in high school so I got my name pretty much from playing in the streets.

On his decision to join the military:

I decided to join the military to help pay for college. I always wanted to succeed in college and do well and the Army was offering a government G.I. bill with ways of helping you pursue a higher education.

I just wanted to do my enlistment time, which was three years and I probably would have been out by the time we went to Iraq but I reenlisted because I liked the military. I figured I could make a career out of it.

On the roadside bomb:

I remember everything. Our mission was to access a dead dog. I guess the Iraqi’s had hogtied him and they threw him off a truck or something like that. The reason why he had to access that is because they were cutting these animals open  and placing explosive devices inside them. We wanted to make sure this dog didn’t have that. We got a call from the higher ups that told us to get rid of it and it wasn’t a threat. As we were turning around to go back to camp, that’s when the IED’s went off and I was struck in the leg. My fellow soldiers were all right and that point, I started praying and asking God to get me out of there.

On who he turned to for support:

Nobody. Nobody was there. I just looked to God and he had put a lot of people in my path. The best surgeons, the best helicopter pilots, I was just real at ease with everything going on. I give credit to God for everything.

On the decision to amputee his leg:

90 percent had to do with basketball and 10 percent was to enjoy life. Basketball up to that point was my bread and butter. I would still pay in Iraq when we had down time. I just think it would have been painful for me to keep the leg and having a fused ankle and not able to go out and enjoy life.

My sister flew in from Chicago when I told her I was going to get it cut off and she gave me this big speech about not to do it and you’re just high off the morphine. Once the doctor showed her my leg and what they were planning to do, she thought it was a great idea to get it amputated.

On returning to the Army:

There were a lot of people that said I couldn’t. I always wanted to stay in. That wasn’t the question. I wasn’t going to let some people from a different country alter my future plans.