A Mother’s Perspective: The 2010 AW2 Symposium

Filed under 2010 Symposium, Soldier and Family Story, Soldier Story, Symposium by on August 30, 2010 at 1:43 pm {no comments}

By Luana Schneider, AW2 Mother

Luana Scheider (right) witnessed her son Scott Stephenson (left) publicly advocate for burn victims at the 2010 AW2 Symposium

When my son Sgt Scott Stephenson (Ret) and I decided to attend the AW2 2010 Symposium, we were unsure of what to expect. It was a poignant experience. We met so many wonderful people that we hope to have lasting relationships with and now feel a little less alone.

By hearing stories from others and how they deal with the issues that face so many of our wounded Soldiers, we felt we gave and received huge amounts of very useful information. We were also a part of initiating changes that will affect all of our wounded, whether they were in attendance or not.

By hearing all of the issues, not just ours, we were able to better understand what others are facing in their own communities. And the staff and volunteers were so helpful and informative. We could not have asked for a better experience.

My son was also one of the media spokespersons at the AW2 Symposium and was asked to give a live interview at 7:40 in the morning. Now for anyone who knows Scott, that is no time to be getting up. But he really wanted to help support AW2 and be an advocate for all wounded military. We sincerely enjoyed the AW2 Stratcom representatives; they were there prepping us on the proper ways to speak to the media. They were also very interested in Scott’s issues on being a burn patient. Scott equated being a burn patient to “being wrapped in saran wrap–your skin cannot breathe or sweat and you lose the ability to feel the breeze or the light touch of another living being.” This was an analogy that the media seemed to understand well.

It seems when we are outside of the Army, we lose touch with that military camaraderie. Having that for a week was an excellent mental boost for Scott. He returned happier and better equipped for dealing with his issues as well as wanting to be more on the front lines of our own non-profit organization. He blossomed at the symposium. And as a mother, I could not be prouder of him.

They Laugh At Me, That’s The Goal

Filed under Soldier Story by on August 24, 2010 at 1:57 pm {one comment}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

SSG Bobby Henline uses comedy to humor, inspire, and educate his audiences.

It’s another bout of physical therapy.

While lying down on a table, AW2 Soldier SSG Robert “Bobby” Henline is staring at the fluorescent lights above him. With 35% of his body burned, Bobby’s limbs need to be stretched to prevent scarring from immobilizing his joints. The therapist begins.

The areas that did not suffer third degree burns begin shooting pain all over him. Nevertheless, as Bobby’s mind instructs him to display the physical and mental reactions of pain, his heart leads him to another course of action—crack a joke.

It was during these moments that Bobby turned to comedy to help cope with the pain. As he explained to me during a phone conversation, “…there is no way people would get this, but I figured if I could get people to laugh at me, then I would be able to get myself through my recovery.”

And laugh they did. His jokes didn’t just help him through the 3+ years of hospitalization or through the 40 or so surgeries he has undergone, in Bobby’s eyes, they more importantly made those around him crack a smile.

“They laugh at me. That’s the goal,” says Bobby. Through his comedy, Bobby attempts to break down his story so the general public doesn’t just accept his disfigurement, but rather understands that he’s still the Bobby he was before his injury—hilarious. 

For Bobby, his stand-up comedy is part of his mission to raise awareness. From influencing people to enforce fire prevention policies to giving people inspiration to overcome their own challenges, Bobby’s stand-up is more than laughter. It’s hope.

“If a smile or chuckle from a burn joke makes even just one person think about installing sprinklers in their house later down the line, then that’s one joke that may save a life.” This is the mission that Bobby has set for himself.

Even on the phone, Bobby made me laugh. While discussing his experience with skin grafts, Bobby explained, “…we may look like zombies, except we get our meat from the local morgue.” Responding with laughter, I realized that I had experienced what his audience must experience, understanding through laughter.

Bobby has taught people many new things, myself included, and is actively pursuing his career as a comedian and motivational speaker.  It’s a goal he plans to complete with each new performance and it’s a mission he plans to accomplish one laugh at a time.

Lending a Hand: 7,000 Mile Hike for Military Families in Need

Filed under Soldier and Family Story, Soldier Story by on August 19, 2010 at 11:01 am {no comments}

By Kristle Helmuth, AW2 Spouse 

Nate Helmuth (left) and Troy Yocum (right) hike through Fort Riley to help raise $5 million for military families in need.

Between going back and forth for medical appointments, and trying to overcome the feeling that he has failed his family, my husband has few things in this world that make him feel the sense of accomplishment that he felt the day that he had the honor of joining Troy Yocum on his Hike for our Heroes trip.

Iraq War Veteran Troy Yocum is hiking 7,000 miles across America, banging his drum, and sounding the call for $5 million to help military families in need. We had known about the hike for a few weeks, but it hadn’t crossed our mind to try and be part of it.

The Wednesday before the hike, I happened to notice that Hike for our Heroes was looking for volunteers on their Facebook website to assist Troy with choosing his route, and informing the public about what he was doing. I spent the rest of the day making phone calls, and composing emails about the great things Troy and his team were doing.

I secured him an MP escort, media coverage, and permission to do a meet and greet at the local Post Exchange. After all that, I was sure my job was done until Troy and his team invited me to walk with him as they journeyed through Fort Riley.

The day of the hike, we met Troy at the gate just outside post and I began my journey. About 2 miles in, I got a call from my husband. “I want to hike too,” he said. Coming from him, this was huge. He had not really done any kind of large physical event since before he was injured in Iraq.

We switched places and I followed behind them in the car, taking pictures along the way. I was sure he wouldn’t make it far, it was really hot, and one of the issues he faces with his Traumatic Brain Injury is not being able to regulate his temperature. He also suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, so his oxygen intake isn’t always the greatest.

He ended up hiking more than I did that day, and even walked in the Independence Day Parade that Saturday. Although I was bummed that I didn’t get to hike the whole time, I couldn’t have been more proud of my husband. Troy and his team were truly an inspiration to us and to so many others, if one guy can make such a huge difference, so can we!  I couldn’t have asked to spend our 4th of July weekend any other way!

For more information on the Hike for our Heroes organization, check out drumhike.com.

The “American Citizen” Defined

Filed under Soldier Story by on August 16, 2010 at 9:35 am {no comments}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

SPC Tenniel Smith (right) and his wife Natasha Smith (left) during their wedding day in Clarendon, Jamaica.

American. It’s a word we probably hear every day either in the news or in daily conversation. It’s a word that unites us all and has an even more special meaning during our country’s time in war. Nevertheless, for Warrior in Transition (WT) and AW2 Soldier SPC Tenniel Smith, the word American has had a dynamic definition that has changed him for the rest of his life.

As a native-born Jamaican, SPC Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2009. Prior to his enlistment, SPC Smith had grown up travelling back and forth from Jamaica to Atlanta, GA, where his American-born father lives. Despite the difficulties of travelling back and forth between Families, Smith attended school in Jamaica while still receiving a healthy dose of American culture during his visits to the States.

During these cultural immersions, the military culture had always been one aspect of Americana that had always fascinated Smith. As he mentioned to me on the phone, “whether it was a conversation with my dad about the Army or even just watching an Army Strong commercial on TV, I always felt a hunger to enlist.” It was this statement that sparked my curiosity. Regardless of the influencing factors, what did it really mean to fight as a foreign national?

For Smith, enlisting was a way to satiate not just a hunger but a way to give back to the country that had given him so much. During his enlistment, Smith admits that his internal call to serve was being met, but that there was still something missing–his identity as an American. It was at this point that Smith decided to apply for American citizenship.

He applied twice and was denied, but after trying a third time during his deployment in Afghanistan, he was offered a citizenship application interview. As fate would have it, before the time scheduled for the interview, SPC Smith was knocked unconscious and suffered a closed fracture to his left femur during an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. Needless to say this interview was never completed. Nevertheless, after being transferred from Afghanistan to Germany, then to Washington, and now to Fort Hood, Smith would meet an individual that would help him attain the American identity he always knew he wanted.

At Fort Hood, Smith met AW2 Advocate Brandon Hicks, who with the help of the other Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) Staff, helped Smith attain the citizenship he strived to attain. As Smith still receives treatment, he now faces his second challenge–how to get his wife Natasha to the States. “The WTU Staff has been amazing and so supportive in helping me navigate through the process to get my wife American citizenship. After getting this far, they still help me work for my Family’s happiness and that is something that I will always remember,” explains Smith.

This set of circumstances made me understand that life’s challenges may be daunting, but that in the case of SPC Tenniel Smith, there is a community and network that truly cares about helping make the hard things in life a little easier.

Hanging up after my conversation with Smith, I realized that one thing was for certain. Regardless of his medical situation or his wife’s current citizenship challenges, Smith had been steadfast in overcoming the obstacles during his journey. In the greater scheme of things, Smith had definitely accomplished at least one thing in my mind. He served his country and he served it as an American.

Walter Reed Athletes Head to Warrior Games

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 6, 2010 at 1:43 pm {one comment}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom

I’m so excited about the Warrior Games next week! I headed out to Colorado Springs yesterday, and there was a great surprise waiting for me at the DFW Airport as I waited for my connecting flight.

I noticed several men and women with Army Strong shirts and digi-print backpacks. Not unusual, I know—I often see uniformed military personnel in airports. But several people in this group also had prosthetics and were waiting for the Colorado Springs flight. Something told me they were headed to the Warrior Games.

Now, I’m usually a very well-mannered person, almost to a fault. But yesterday, my curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn’t help myself.

“Are you going to the Warrior Games?” I bluntly asked one of the Soldiers with as much charm as I could muster.

“I sure am,” grinned SSG Jessie White, who will be competing in archery and shot put. “There are about 14 of us on the way out from Walter Reed to adjust to the Colorado Springs altitude. We’ve got to be in great condition for the Games.”

As I’d watched these athletes mill about the DFW terminal, grabbing snacks and bottles of water, shaking off the soreness from sitting on a three-hour flight, I saw that a lot of other passengers noticed them too. I could see the pride and gratitude in these people’s faces, the appreciation for the sacrifices these—and all AW2 Soldiers and Veterans—have made in defense of our freedom.

For me, this was a great start to the Warrior Games experience—the event will be an inspiring example of the warrior strength residing deep inside every Soldier in the U.S. Army. If the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Walter Reed group is an indication of the whole Army team, Army will make a strong showing next week!

Check back to the AW2 Blog throughout the Warrior Games for an inside look at the athletes and action. The WTC Stratcom team will be on the ground and blogging all week. You can also follow BG Gary Cheek, Warrior Transition Command Commander, as he blogs about his Warrior Games experience as well.

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