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Welcome 7 New Organizations to the Community Support Network

Filed under Community Support Network, General by on October 24, 2012 at 4:08 pm {no comments}

By LuAnn Georgia, WTC Stratcom
Please join me in welcoming the newest organizations to the Community Support Network. These organizations offer resources that help better the lives of AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, Families, and Caregivers.  Click on the links below for more information about them and the types of products and services provided.

Type of Organization:  Adaptive Sports and Recreational Services

Type of Organization:  Adaptive Mental Wellness and Counseling; Services for Families, Children, and Caregivers

Type of Organization:  Housing Assistance

Type of Organization:  Career Training, Education, Human Resources Support, and Employment Opportunities

The Community Support Network was created based on direct requests from severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, Families and Caregivers.  Soldiers stated that connection with local communities and community leaders was essential for their success and reintegration.  For additional information, visit the Community Support Network webpage. 

Do you know of an organization that wants to assist wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, their Families, and Caregivers?  We are happy to provide membership information to these organizations based on your requests and referrals. Please email contact information to the Community Support Network at: usarmy.pentagon.medcomwtc.mbx.aw2communitysupportnetwork@mail.mil.

AW2 Veteran Shares Inspiring Message at 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium

Filed under General by on September 17, 2012 at 10:48 am {no comments}

CPT Alvin Shell and his wife Chilketha spoke at the 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on September 13, 2012.

By Alli Kartachak, WTC Stratcom
I had the honor of attending the 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium sponsored by Military Officer’s Association of America (MOAA) and National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in Washington D.C. The event truly moved me as I was able to hear some incredibly touching stories and witness first-hand the pain, hope, and love surrounding wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, their Families, and Caregivers.

The event was a tribute to these resilient men and women and their Families, and a “salute to their sacrifice.” Perhaps one of the most striking things I learned was that although wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers make incredible sacrifices to protect our nation, their Families also endure incredible sacrifices.

Veterans and Family members from several branches of the military shared their experiences on a panel. Each story reminded the audience that although wounds may heal and scars may disappear, the internal hurt, anger, and pain still lingers.

Eric Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs assured the audience comprised of Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families that he is doing everything in his power to better accommodate those who have served our Nation and to help heal this pain.

“We’re all astounded by the fight in you. Your stories inspire us to be better at our missions,” he said.

Another story of hope and true sacrifice was from AW2 Veteran CPT Alvin Shell, and his wife, Chilketha. Shell, who was severely wounded in 2004 in Iraq, shared his experience of overcoming the hardest time in his life with the help of his Family, especially his wife.

“When I woke up from the medically-induced coma, I saw my mother, father, and wife. I remember immediately everyone loving me,” he said. “My wife looked at me the same way she did on our wedding day. She accepted me for what I was.”

Shell, who now works as the Force Protection Branch Chief at the Department of Homeland Security, claims he wouldn’t be where he is today without the support and love he received from his wife and the rest of his Family. He emphasized that many wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans may not have the same support structure he did when they return home. Shell urged the audience to lend them a helping hand in any way possible.

“I often think, what would I have done if I didn’t have these people in my life to support me. I’m glad to say I’ll never have to know,” he said. “My question is, who is going to be there to support the other Veterans out there? How many of you are going to hold fast to your commitment to Veterans? We have an obligation to serve those who chose to serve this country.”

As one panelist and student Veteran explained, he felt as though “he was in a room completely surrounded by people who want to help.” But many wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans search for that same feeling of assistance and support when they return home, unable to find it immediately. Still, although the forum gave rise to multiple issues and challenges in the system, I think it also helped in paving the way to hope for many.

AW2 Veteran Alvin Shell To Speak at 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium

Filed under General by on September 13, 2012 at 11:26 am {no comments}

AW2 Veteran Alvin Shell’s wife Chilketha supported and encouraged him along his path to recovery.

By Allison Kartachak, WTC Stratcom
Retired U.S. Army CPT and AW2Veteran Alvin Shell, who survived traumatic injuries while stationed in Iraq in 2004, believes that even through the toughest times, a positive attitude, faith, and support from Family can allow one to accomplish anything.

As a living testament to this philosophy, Shell is now the Force Protection Branch Officer at the Department of Homeland Security. However, he isn’t quick to forget that he once faced a time when he wasn’t sure if he would ever work again, let alone survive.

On August 31, 2004, while stationed at Camp Victory in Fallujah, Iraq, Shell and his platoon from the 21st Military Police (Airborne) came to the aid of an American convoy  that was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. In an attempt to rescue his platoon sergeant, SGT Wesley Spaid, who caught on fire from the explosion, Shell threw dirt, hugged, and patted him to try to extinguish the flames.  Covered in gasoline, Shell found himself surrounded by fire and realized he needed to run through the flames to escape.

As a result of this traumatic event, Shell suffered severe burns to more than 33% of his body, in addition to several other injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and muscle loss. When he received his medical retirement from the Army, he also received a 100% disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs but chose to continue to fight to heal and work again because his parents “didn’t teach [him] any other way, but to work.”

After 18 months of rehabilitation and more than 30 surgeries, Shell knows better than many that the road to recovery can sometimes seem never-ending, but he chooses to share his story with others, even as he continues to heal.  He attributes much of his strength to his wife Chilketha for her unwavering support and love through the toughest times as she continued to care for their three sons and him, “a husband who couldn’t feed himself.”

“I admire my wife because she is tough as nails,” said Shell.

In his speeches, Shell also shares details of the challenges he faced in successfully landing a job after his injury, and how he persuaded others that he could meaningfully contribute in the workplace despite his injuries.  He notes how he decided to take the challenge of securing a job by focusing on his abilities rather than his disabilities, and he uses his speeches to inspire wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans to also accept and ultimately conquer this challenge. Shell also recognizes the importance of reminding employers to make a commitment to hiring Veterans.

Shell and his wife both will be panelists Thursday, September 13, at the 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.  The 2012 Warrior-Family Symposium (WFS), co-sponsored by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), will provide a forum for expanding on the collective efforts of government and non-government organizations, over the last decade, to improve the physical, psychological and overall well-being of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and their Families and Caregivers. Follow the conference on Twitter by searching for hashtag #2012WFS.

For more information on career opportunities for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans, e-mail usarmy.pentagon.medcom-wtc.mbx.career-education-readiness-br@mail.mil.

Proud of My Army

Filed under COL Gadson, WTC by on June 26, 2012 at 10:39 am {no comments}

BG Gen Darryl Williams, Commanding General, Warrior Transition Command, shares a light moment with outgoing AW2 Director COL Greg Gadson, who turned over command to COL Timothy Karcher on June 19, 2012. Both Soldiers lost both legs above the knee during deployment to Iraq and remained in the Army through the Continuation on Active Duty (COAD) program.

By Emily Oehler, WTC Stratcom
I wrestled with how to open this blog. It kept coming out a bit like an odd joke – what do you get with one star, two birds, and four prosthetics? A change of command. But, it’s no joke; it was the inspiring transition of leadership at the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) yesterday. BG Darryl Williams, Commanding General of the Warrior Transition Command (WTC), oversaw the outgoing AW2 Director COL Greg Gadson and incoming Director COL Tim Karcher—both double above the knee amputees due to combat in Iraq. Even COL Greg Gadson joked that it’s a sad state when the Army can’t find two colonels with both their legs.

For me the proudest moments were
•Getting goose bumps as Candice Barlow Jones sang the national anthem acapella  in her soulful, melodic voice to open the ceremony. Her interpretation came with an insider’s understanding of combat and brought that song to life in a new way for me.
•Looking at BG Williams, flanked on both sides by strong proven leaders who are stepping forward to continue to serve, even though they were stepping on titanium legs. Gadson stepping forward to lead as the incoming Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander, and Karcher to lead AW2—the program which supports the Army’s most severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and Families.
•Closing with Veterans, wounded, Soldiers, past AW2 directors, civilians, andcontractors alike united in the Army song—one team with one mission.

I was proud to be a part of such a landmark event and sincerely proud of my Army. I’m proud of an organization that stands by those who are injured in the line of duty, and then supports their long-term career with the option to continue to serve. As BG Williams stated, these two men were leaders before their injuries, and they still are—their careers were just interrupted while they recovered.

Check out the WUSA TV coverage of the event here.

Fourteen Organizations Join AW2 Community Support Network

Filed under General by on June 14, 2012 at 4:38 pm {no comments}

By SSG Emily Anderson, WTC Stratcom

Join me in welcoming the newest organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network. These organizations offer resources and help better the lives of AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. Click on the links below to get to know them.

The AW2 Community Support Network was created based on direct requests from severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and Families. Wounded Soldiers stated that connection with their local community and community leaders was essential for their success and reintegration. For more information, please visit the AW2 Community Support Network webpage.

Do you know of a caring organization that wants to assist wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families? If so, please email the AW2 Community Support Network at the below email address.  We welcome your recommendations and referrals.

Send organization referrals to usarmy.pentagon.medcomwtc.mbx.aw2communitysupportnetwork@mail.mil.

Using Mental Skills in Shooting Competition

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 9, 2012 at 12:47 pm {no comments}

By Lindsay Holtz, Guest Blogger and Performance Enhancement Specialist with the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness-Performance and Resilience Enhancement Program (CSF-PREP)

Army Veteran Justin Miller, a Galion, Ohio native, pauses before taking a final shot during the 2012 Warrior Games pistol shooting competition held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 3. Miller earned a bronze medal during the final pistol competition. (U.S. Army Photo by SSG Emily Anderson, WTC)

In competitive shooting, every step of one’s routine matters. Army Veteran Justin Miller spent the last few months working on the components of competitive shooting to create a consistent and accurate routine. Miller gave up all sport aspirations due to his injuries, but then he learned about the Warrior Games.

“I hadn’t heard anything about that before. And as they were talking I was thinking about my experience in shooting, swimming, and why not cycling,” Miller said. “It provided a lot of motivation.”

Shortly thereafter, Miller found himself on his way to attend the first WTC shooting clinic. It was at this first clinic I met Miller. I am a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) with the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness-Performance and Resilience Enhancement Program (CSF-PREP).

I introduced mental skills training with these athletes from day one. The training focused on creating routines and developing a consistent shot plan, including both physical and mental strategies. According to  SFC Janet Sokolowski, one of the team’s coaches from the Army Marksmanship Unit, “shooting is 90 percent mental. Once you get the fundamentals, it all becomes mental.”

Miller took this to heart and found that deliberately crafting and writing down his routine provided him with a personal point of reference to keep him consistent. In addition, Miller consistently set daily goals which provided him with something to think about while shooting during each practice.

I also worked with Miller on imagery techniques combined with biofeedback training. By using imagery, Miller is able to conduct a match in his head, and he found during practices that his shot groups have gotten closer. Miller is also able to think through and bring in all aspects of shooting without physically holding his weapon. The mental skills Miller incorporated in shooting have allowed him to be more automatic while in the midst of shooting.

While Miller has implemented a number of mental skills into his work in shooting, he has also found them to be valuable in his everyday life.

“One day, shortly after the shooting clinic in January, I was on my way to an appointment. My anxiety was spiking, and I began to think about what we discussed at the clinic,” Miller said. “I was able to use the skill of tactical breathing and it helped calm me down and gain greater control.”

Miller said at that moment there was a “pivotal change” for him. Using mental skills helped him get to a point that he was able to get out of the barracks and enjoy doing things again.

He has shown the importance of shooting through his dedication and passion both between and during practice. For him, shooting allows him to find enjoyment in a sport with similar intensity as rock climbing for which he has a strong passion but is no longer able to participate. From the his experiences  on his journey to the Warrior Games, Miller has found a passion for recreation therapy and plans to take what he  learned and help others, like him, find a passion for something in which they may have lost hope.

Army Sitting Volleyball Team to Compete for Gold at Warrior Games

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 4, 2012 at 6:43 pm {no comments}

Members of the U.S. Army sitting volleyball team faced the U.S. Air Force team during the 2012 Warrior Games at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (U.S. Army photo by CPL Kyle Wagoner, 43rd Public Affairs Detachment)

By CPL Kyle Wagoner, 43rd Public Affairs Detachment      
The U.S. Army sitting volleyball team was victorious in their match against the U.S. Air Force team during 2012 Warrior Games on May 2, 2012 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their victory placed them in the finals competing for gold against the Marines, on May 4.

The Army team of wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans defeated the Air Force team after winning the first two sets in the match.

The score at the end of the first set was 25-23, with the second set ending in 25-21.

The Warrior Games, hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee and supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, began April 30 and concludes May 6.

The Warrior Games allows athletes to demonstrate the dedication and determination of wounded, ill, and injured men and women of the armed forces by highlighting their abilities as athletes and warriors.

Army Soldiers and Veterans in the competition are competing against servicemembers from the Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Special Operations Command for gold in seven sporting events and for the Chairman’s Cup, an award given to the top-performing service team.

The game against the Air Force was neck and neck, but through skill and teamwork the Army team prevailed.

“We came back from behind, overcame adversity, and won the game,” said retired SGT Robbie Gaupp, a player on the sitting volleyball team and native of Gatesville, Texas. “I knew we were going to play for nothing less than gold.”

After losing to the Marines in their first match earlier this week, coach David Vendt prepared his players for an inevitable rematch.

“We have to make sure that we’re mentally focused and that we continue to play the game we know how to play. And play it the Army way,” Vendt said. “We’re going to take it tomorrow night.”

2012 Warrior Games Opening Ceremony Honors Spirit of Athletes

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 2, 2012 at 7:23 pm {no comments}

Mrs. Michelle Obama shares a moment with the 2012 Warrior Games’ torch bearers, British Royal Marine Captain Simon Maxwell and retired Army 1LT Melissa Stockwell, on April 30, at the Olympic Training Center. (Photo by U.S. Army SSG Tracy J. Smith)

By SSG Tracy J. Smith, Fort Stewart Warrior Transition Unit
Mrs. Michelle Obama led the opening ceremony for the third annual Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on April 30.

The Warrior Games is comprised of seven sports; archery, cycling, sitting volleyball, shooting, swimming, track and field, and wheelchair basketball. More than 200 wounded, ill, or injured servicemembers from each branch of service and the U.S. Special Operations Command are competing. The games began with the opening ceremony and continue until May 5.

The ceremony celebrated the resilience of our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers,  active duty, reservists, guardsmen, and Veterans  from all branches of military service. This year for the first time, our British allies brought 20-members to compete in exhibition games.

Mrs. Obama and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, GEN Martin E. Dempsey, applauded the competitors for their courage and for being inspirations.

“Every competitor here has faced adversity that most of us can never imagine,” Mrs. Obama said. “No matter how seriously you are injured, no matter what obstacles or setbacks you face, you just keep moving forward.”

Dempsey commended the service men and women for not succumbing to perceived disabilities.

“For me, these games embody the enduring resilience of our profession,” said Dempsey. “Your commitment to teamwork, and dedication to persevere at these games are the very same qualities that led you to serve our nation. Those qualities don’t go away.”

Retired Army 1LT and 2006 Beijing Paralympian, Melissa Stockwell, gives a celebratory fist pump after lighting the cauldron opening the 2012 Warrior Games at the Olympic Games Center.

Captain Simon Maxwell of the British Royal Marines and retired Army 1LT Melissa Stockwell shared the honor as torchbearers for the opening ceremony.  She was the first female Soldier to lose a limb in Iraq. Stockwell was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for the loss of her leg in 2004 by an insurgent’s bomb.  Maxwell was deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan in April 2011 where he served as a troop commander with Company L. He was wounded in August 2011, while on patrol resulting in the loss of his left leg below the knee.

Both adamantly profess finding a renewed sense of purpose because of their experiences. Stockwell uncovered her Olympian spirit during her rehabilitation at Walter Reed and represented her country in a different uniform during the 2008 Beijing Paralympics swim competition.

Other key speakers on hand to open the ceremony were Scott Blackmun, the U.S. Olympic Committee CEO, and Robin Lineberger, the Deloitte Federal Systems CEO.

The ceremony ended with the playing of each service song and a VIP reception for the athletes and Family members at the Olympic Training Center.

All of the athletic events are being held at the U.S. Air Force Academy, with the exception of shooting, which will take place at the training center.

Injured Women’s Veterans Study Provides Insight and Improvement in AW2 Advocate Care Coordination

Filed under General by on April 24, 2012 at 11:00 am {no comments}

By MAJ Faith Junghahn, AW2 Executive Officer
This past year, I had the amazing opportunity to present my graduate degree research study, Transitional Lifecycle Case Management for Injured Women Veterans Assigned to the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), at the 117th Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS) Karen A. Rieder Research/Federal Nursing Poster Session.

My graduate research was a quality improvement review; a study focused on improving current practice standards. Based on the prescribed Comprehensive Transition Plan (CTP) non-medical case management categories AW2 Advocates reviewed of the women Veterans assigned to AW2 at the time intervals of six, 12, and 24 months during the woman Veteran’s transition and reintegration phases.

For my audit, I designed a logic model based on the Total Force Fitness and Donabedian’sModel of Quality, entitled the “Transitional Lifecycle Case Management Model.”   Using this model provides a unique way of trending the non-medical needs Soldiers and their Families in defining their path towards independence.  Having the model allows for the command and supervisors to report data to leadership and supporting entities in order to best market and obtain resources focused on the Soldier and their Families.

The purpose of the audit was to begin to understand quantitatively and qualitatively-identified transitional care gaps, as delineated by the CTP prescribed non-clinical case management categories, and injured women Veterans’ experiences assigned to AW2 during their transition from the Army to Veteran status.

My study identified a transitional care gap in the non-medical case management category “care coordination”. The gap noticed was in the AW2 Advocate establishing local networks of non-profit and community services that willingly assist medically retired Veterans reintegrating into their communities. I already had an awareness of this gap through my work with AW2, and the findings of my quality improvement study led me to develop an online WTC Resource Center with the assistance of the WTC G-6 SharePoint team and WTC Strategic Communications.

My team designed the resource page using the study model based on the six domains of the CTP: physical, emotional, social, Family, spiritual, and career. The transitional lifecycle case management model aligns the non-clinical case management categories to one on the six CTP domains. The resources are classified using CTP non-clinical categories and listed under the respective CTP domain.

My research and conclusions have demonstrated an unmet need to increase the availability and visibility of warrior care resources and information for severely wounded Veterans, especially women. The WTC Resource Center is structured aligning the resources and information under the comprehensive transition plan’s six domains. When establishing the individualized plan for identified CTP categories, the nurse case manager, squad leader, or AW2 Advocate can quickly discover those community resources closest to the Soldier that have reputably supported medically-retired Veterans’ path to independence within each respective domain.

As Soldiers, Veterans, and Families move from rehabilitation from injuries to reintegration into communities, they will most likely need a particular resource for a short time to meet a specific need. The long-term value of the resource or information resides in both the WTC Warrior Resource Center expanding to list a local network of support accessible by the Triad of Care and AW2 Advocates at military and Veteran facilities across the nation and overseas.

New USO PSA Shows “Portraits” of Real Servicemembers with Invisible Wounds

Filed under Community Support Network, General, Guest Blogger, Soldier and Family Story by on April 10, 2012 at 1:34 pm {no comments}

By Susan Thomas, USO Vice President of Warrior and Family Care, Guest Blogger
Editor’s Note: USO is a member of the AW2 Community Support Network.

Susan Thomas and her husband share their story of dealing with invisible wounds in a new USO public service announcement.

It’s impossible to come back from war, regardless of your exposure to direct combat, and not come back changed. This was not something I widely recognized when my husband, then boyfriend, first deployed to Iraq back in 2003. While he was away, I prayed every night for his return, and return he did, to only deploy again a few months later. He was a communications officer, he would be fine. I kept telling myself that.

He was fine, at least on the outside. Little fights were normal, a lack of focus on our conversation to drift into a memory, that too was normal. Locking the doors, checking the window latches, that became just routine—some would say this hyper-vigilance is just part of serving your nation in the military. As a spouse, you sign up to stand by your servicemember and to support their decision to join the military—whether it was your decision or not. You love your servicemember as a military spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, or best friend.  What is essential to recognize is that you are not alone, and that by connecting with others who have had similar experiences you can see yourself in them, and through their stories and courage you can yourself heal.

When I joined the USO, as the Vice President of USO Warrior and Family Care, I knew I was becoming part of an amazing organization that would not just develop programs and partnerships, but would help build hope and confidence along the recovery journey for wounded, ill and injured troops, their Families and caregivers. Little did I know when I began this journey, that I would build my own hope and confidence and help my husband to regain his own.

Post traumatic stress has been coined as a signature wound of these conflicts over the last decade, and more and more Families are being impacted. Post-traumatic stress does not impact only an individual; it impacts all their loved ones. Seeking assistance whether it is through formal or informal channels is important. My husband and I realized this was an issue, and because of that, we are in an even better position today. This would not be the case if it weren’t for acknowledging his behavior was not normal, and there is nothing wrong with that acknowledgement.

It is for that reason my husband and I participated in the USO Invisible Wounds PSA campaign entitled “Portraits”.   I encourage you to check out the PSA at http://www.uso.org/warriorandfamilycare/and preview the videos that offer a more in-depth look into the lives of those living with invisible wounds, as well as caregivers like myself.

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