In 2008, when I was serving as the Chief of Staff for the Warrior Transition Command in Washington, D.C., the Secretary of Defense designated November as Warrior Care Month as a way to reaffirm the Army’s commitment to quality health care, education and careers for our nation’s wounded, ill and injured service members. I was intimately involved in the evolution of programs to meet that goal which are now implemented throughout the Army.
When we started this campaign we knew caring for and supporting wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and their families would be an enduring mission as well as a sacred obligation; we had been charged with creating programs that would ease their struggles while uplifting their spirits. We began working on concepts like the Triad of Care (primary care manager, nurse case manager, and squad leader), to ensure Soldiers’ cases were reviewed by a panel of experts to ensure each received appropriate care. We also envisioned the design of Warrior Transition Complexes, so that they would have safe, comfortable and appropriate living arrangements that provided easy accessibility to medical care while they recovered and transitioned either into civilian life or back to their units.
At 29 Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) and nine Community-Based Warrior Transition Units (CBWTUs) across the country, wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers have one mission: to heal and prepare for transition. Here at Fort Hood, the providers and staff of CRDAMC are committed to providing the framework of care and support to meet this mission.
Now as the Commander of Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, I have the great privilege to see these programs, and others, fully implemented first hand to the benefit of our wounded, ill and injured service members. An interdisciplinary team of medical and non-medical professionals are committed to the best care and treatment of wounded, ill and injured Warriors, and standing behind them through each stage of their recovery and transition. It’s heartwarming to see our vision, hard work and efforts come to fruition, but even more heartwarming to know the truly positive impact it has all had on the lives of thousands of service members and families. I am proud of the Army’s efforts to provide high quality care for our nation’s heroes, and I embrace the opportunity to continue those efforts in the future.
