— LEON PANETTA, U.S. Defense Secretary, wrote in a letter to Dancing with the Stars champion J.R. Martinez, congratulating the Iraq War veteran on his win. Martinez was burned over 40% of his body in 2003 when he was hit by a roadside bomb.
Winning contestant J.R. Martinez and instructor Karina Smirnoff from the cast of "Dancing With The Stars" visit "Good Morning America" on November 23, 2011.
“Your victory sends a powerful message about the strength and resilience of our wounded warriors.”
