Transition and Reintegration
Military training prepares people to become warriors. Combat makes a warrior, a warrior forever. Reintegration is the process and training to prepare warriors for life in their home and community after battle; to become peaceful warriors.
Listen to Radio Interview on:
Radio Show 27 - An interview with Dr. Michael J. Wagner, founder of the US Welcome Home Foundation and partner Sema Olson who spent 17 months at Walter Reed Hospital caring for her son who lost both legs in combat. Her compelling experience there inspired her commitment to the US Welcome Home Foundation.
Play Show: Click here to Listen
Body Politic - Echo Theater Company Production
'Body Politic' is a production by Echo Theater Company that provides insight to the general public about the experiences of wounded soldiers and the people that care for them on Ward 57 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.
Body Politic is about Ward 57 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and represents a very small number of wounded returning from war. There are over 1.7 million service men and women that have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, most of whom return with ‘hidden wounds’ of the mind, heart and soul. The US Welcome Home Foundation was inspired and created from the founders’ experience in Vietnam and Desert Storm, and living and working at Walter Reed AMC and Ward 57. As Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade played by Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman said; “I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that..” The US Welcome Home Foundation takes care of the soldiers and families after the parades and parties are over, after Ward 57; the foundation addresses the social, emotional, and spiritual wounds of war, when the soldier returns home. When a soldier goes to war, the family goes to war; when a soldier gets wounded, the family gets wounded, and the community gets wounded.
Health, Wellness and Quality of Life
The United States Welcome Home Foundation (USWH) is focused on providing services and resources that support and enhance health, wellness, and quality of life for members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their families.
The activities of the foundation are intended to provide services and resources beyond the budgetary and mission capabilities of the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other National, State and Local veterans’ agencies.
The resources of the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs are limited with regards to tending to the social, emotional, spiritual and economical needs of the family and community.
Integrative Health Care
USWH serves the military, veterans and families affected by war and acts of terrorism by providing retreats, education, training, research, and in-kind referrals towards the treatment of the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and economic wounds of war.
USWH promotes the integration of modern and, complementary and alternative medicine applied in a holistic, family-based approach.
Cost Benefit
There is a cost benefit to the involvement of business, military, state and local agencies, and local communities.
- Develop productive member of community.
- Reduce lost productivity due to downtime needed to attend problems.
- Reduce health and judicial costs and resources in dealing with health care or dysfunctional behavior.
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