Welcome LTC (P) Greg Gadson, New AW2 Director

Filed under AW2 by on July 13, 2010 at 4:58 pm {no comments}

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

I’m proud to welcome LTC (P) Greg Gadson as the new Director of the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2).

LTC (P) Greg Gadson talks with LTG Eric B. Schoomaker, The Surgeon General/Commander, U.S. Army Medical Command and BG Gary Cheek, Commanding General, Warrior Transition Command.

I served with LTC Gadson twice in Afghanistan, where he was my XO and later my Operations Officer.  He also commanded a new Artillery Battalion during the surge in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007—getting everyone back alive.  He is a strong leader who understands the important mission of AW2, as well as the Soldiers, Veterans, and Families it supports.

LTC (P) Gadson lost both his legs above the knee and sustained severe damage to his right arm due to an IED explosion in Iraq in 2007.  This officer remained committed to serving in this U.S. Army, and continued on active duty after his recovery.  Like many wounded warriors, LTC (P) Gadson knows that his injury is just one chapter in his story—his focus is on what’s next. 

I am confident that LTC (P) Gadson will be a great leader for AW2.  He’s a leader who will continue to focus on providing personalized support to severely wounded Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families—support that will foster their independence and help them transition to a productive life post-injury.

I also congratulate COL Jim Rice on his three years of leadership at AW2.  He led with confidence and a strong commitment to providing the very best support to AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families.  He will now serve as the Chief, Health Service Support Directorate on the Joint Staff.  In this role he will coordinate medical support for all the services to combatant commanders around the world.

We Cannot Do It Without You

Filed under AW2, WTC Commander by on June 29, 2010 at 3:29 pm {no comments}

BG Cheek talked with wounded Veterans and spouses at AW2’s Symposium Family Night in TX

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

This past week I got to know many of the delegates at the AW2 Symposium—wounded Soldiers and Veterans, along with their spouses and caregivers.  They were in Texas once again serving the Army by working to identify and recommend ways government agencies can improve warrior care.  It was an honor to listen and learn from them so that I can do better to shape the Army’s programs in the future. 

Event delegates spent a week hashing out ways to improve “the system” and then voted on their top five priorities.  They selected:

  1. Medically retired service member’s eligibility for Concurrent Receipt of Disability Pay (CRDP)
  2. Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability to dependents for all medically retired service members
  3. Mandatory post-traumatic stress disorder/traumatic brain injury (PTSD/TBI) training for Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare staff
  4. Transfer option from Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) to Permanent Disability Retired (PDR) for wounded warriors
  5. Benefits and entitlements information to wounded warrior primary caregivers

Our work at the Warrior Transition Command is such an important mission for the Army and if we don’t do it right, and take the best care of our wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans—and their Families—then we will run the risk that young people will not step forward to serve and defend this country in the future.  I am honored to have this responsibility. 

I told the AW2 Symposium delegates they’ve given us great work to do with these five recommendations and I plan to do it right. 

AW2 Kids Serve Too

Filed under AW2 by on June 28, 2010 at 11:14 am {no comments}

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

AW2 Director COL Jim Rice teaches AW2 kid Drayson Hill the fundamentals of archery at Operation Purple®, a camp for the children of wounded warriors hosted by NMFA.

AW2 Director COL Jim Rice teaches AW2 kid Drayson Hill the fundamentals of archery at Operation Purple®, a camp for the children of wounded warriors hosted by NMFA.

Being an Army brat isn’t easy. I should know—I used to be one. Over the last few days, I’ve gotten to meet some very special Army brats: the children of severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans.

While their parents spend the week working at the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Symposium, these kids had a blast. At Operation Purple®, an urban adventure camp hosted by the National Military Family Association (NMFA), they got to do some really cool stuff. They went to Sea World, horseback riding, archery, swimming, and so much more. I have to admit that I was a little jealous of AW2 Director COL Jim Rice, who got to spend a whole day with the kids at Camp Flaming Arrow.

The kids did some work too in the middle of all that fun. On the last night of the AW2 Symposium, 17-year-old Kyle McCormick briefed me, AW2 staff, NMFA, and all the parents on the ways to make camp even better next year, including:

  1. Separate activities for each Operation Purple® camp (OPC) age group
  2. Make OPC a residential, not day, camp
  3. Create a website and Facebook page for AW2 teens
  4. Establish longer duration of OPC to two weeks with more hours each day
  5. Allow more free time during OPC

Afterward, Kyle talked about his OPC experience.  “I didn’t expect to have fun,” he said. “But the counselors were really good at knowing what teens want to do. I really had an awesome time.”

And the parents agreed.

“My 15-year-old daughter fought me about coming to camp,” said AW2 caregiver Maria Mendez-Valentin. “After the first day, she was so excited—there were a lot of other kids her age, and they talked about their feelings toward their injured Soldier. It was really helpful in opening up the conversation for our Family.”

Thanks to all the AW2 kids—both the ones who came to OPC and those throughout the country who are dealing with a wounded parent. Thanks for the support you give your parents and the joy you bring to their lives. You are an important part of their recovery and return back to life.

Wounded Warriors Give the Army a Piece of Their Mind

Filed under AW2, WTC Commander by on June 21, 2010 at 5:52 pm {no comments}

AW2 Symposium delegates focus intently on their role in improving Army warrior care.

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

This week, the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) is hosting its sixth annual Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. It’s is a great event, where 65 AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families get together to prioritize the issues and problems facing wounded warriors in the Army. Not only do they tell us what’s wrong, but they also tell us how they think we should fix it.

At the end of the week, I’ll listen to their recommendations, along with several other senior leaders from the Army and other government agencies. Then we’ll roll up our sleeves and start taking the actions necessary to address the problems.

The issues identified at past AW2 Symposiums have produced lasting improvements for wounded warriors and Families, such as…

  • access to treatment for TBI at every military installation
  • the creation of Soldier Family Assistance Centers

And new legislation that includes…

  • an additional $10,000 in VA housing benefits
  • a monthly stipend for primary caregivers
  • expanded Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance coverage by adding TBI and uniplegia (complete paralysis of an arm or leg) as qualification criteria

I look forward to meeting the delegates and hearing their personal stories. I attended the event last year as well, and I noticed how seriously the delegates took their responsibility and how committed they were to making things better for wounded warriors and Families who will follow. Supporting the severely wounded is one of the most important missions in the Army, and I look forward to hearing the delegates’ recommendations on how we can continue to expand and improve the system.

AW2 Staff Provide Excellent Support to Wounded Warriors

Filed under Annual training, AW2, WTC Commander by on April 20, 2010 at 10:36 am {no comments}
annualtraining

AW2 Advocates attend AW2 Annual Training to enhance the services they provide to AW2 wounded warriors and their Families.

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

On Monday, I had the privilege of joining the staff of the Army Wounded Warrior Program
(AW2) at their annual training conference in Dallas. I talked to so many of them, and I was impressed with their passion for their jobs—or for many, their calling.

AW2 Advocates are very special people. They work directly with the individual wounded warriors and help them find benefits, programs, and resources throughout their transition. Their work is vitally important, in fact, it’s one of the most important parts of Army Warrior Care.

I really enjoyed AW2 Advocate Yvonne Michek’s training on case management. Her candid, heartfelt, and humorous presentation had the entire group captivated. She brought the impact of Advocates’ hard work and long hours to life.

“If it takes anything to do this job, it’s compassion,” Yvonne told the staff. “Most of us who take this job fall in love with it, and Advocates’ contributions to the Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families are invaluable.”

AW2 Soldiers and Veterans have experienced this compassion for six years this month. And, it’s this compassion that has enabled more than 6,000 Soldiers to find their new normal post injury. Seeing all 200 AW2 staff together, it was clear we’re doing something right—and we have the right people on the job.

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