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.

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.

Stress Less Heal More Reduces Stress by Negotiating Bills for Wounded Warriors

Filed under Resources by on November 2, 2011 at 4:17 pm {no comments}

By WTC Stratcom
Editor’s Note: Stress Less Heal More is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Stress Less Heal More (SLHM) was founded in 2009 in San Diego, CA, by Julie Kalb after going through cancer treatment. As a single mother on a limited income, she quickly realized that negotiating her bills would be the key to her financial survival. Now Julie and two assistants help others through their own medical billing challenges.

Since its inception, SLMH has been negotiating household expenses such as utilities, phone, cable, rent, credit card debt, car payments, and hospital bills for anyone with a life threatening health condition.

While SLHM initially focused on cancer, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious health conditions, they are now offering their services to active military personnel and Veterans across the United States. Cases can easily be handled in person, by mail, phone, and email. At first while they are only staffed to handle the bill negotiation for five individuals at a time, eventually they are planning to increase the number Soldiers and Veterans they can help.

To get started, the wounded warrior or Veteran can contact SLHM at contactus@stressless-healmore.com, and they will send a form that will enable them to negotiate bills on your behalf. For more information, visit http://www.stressless-healmore.com.

Do you know of a caring organization that wants to assist wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families? If so, please email me at the AW2 Community Support Network at the email address below. I welcome your recommendations and referrals. Send organization referrals to AW2CommunitySupportNetwork@conus.army.mil

Welcome to the AW2 Community Support Network

Filed under Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources by on September 14, 2011 at 11:37 am {no comments}

By SSG Emily Anderson, WTC Stratcom

Join me in welcoming the newest organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network. These organizations are part of the 252 AW2 Community Support Network organizations that 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, injured, and ill Soldiers, Veterans and their Families? If so, please email the AW2 Community Support Network at the below email address. I welcome your recommendations and referrals.

Send organization referrals to AW2CommunitySupportNetwork@conus.army.mil

Counseling Awareness

Filed under Community Support Network by on April 20, 2011 at 11:16 am {2 comments}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

Give an Hour is one of several organizations that provide free counseling to help AW2 Soldiers and Veterans.

AW2 Soldiers, Veterans and Family members deal with many stressors on their road to recovery. Their lives have changed dramatically and the impact is felt by everyone involved. This stress can manifest in many challenges including:

  • Poor communication between an AW2 Soldier or Veteran and their spouse or caregiver
  • Lack of sleep from worry
  • Kids of Warriors in Transition slipping in school and withdrawing socially.

Having an impartial professional help you work through your thoughts and feelings can make a huge difference. Trained professionals can help a person step back and evaluate their choices for the future before he or she actually makes them. A counselor can assist Warriors in Transition by helping them better understand how to communicate with their Family, how to help their kids better adjust and succeed, and how to release stress for both the wounded warrior and their Family.

To help the AW2 community succeed, there are many resources available to address the various different challenges in each of the stages of the warrior care lifecycle. Along with the Army and VA resources, several organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network have stepped forward to assist.

An example of this support is AW2 Community Support Network Member, Give an Hour. Give an Hour provides free counseling and other mental health services to active duty service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, and Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have separated or retired from any branch of military service.

These services are also available to parents, siblings, and unmarried partners who are not entitled to receive mental health benefits through the military or VA. To learn more, please visit Give an Hour’s website.

In conclusion, the benefits of counseling are tremendous. Counseling can help heal unseen wounds. We encourage anyone that is struggling to reach out as there are many caring people ready to assist.

Resiliency and How Local Organizations Can Support Wounded Warriors

Filed under Community Support Network by on April 8, 2011 at 3:49 pm {no comments}

By Patty Sands, WTC Stratcom

Last week, the AW2 Community Support Network held its first 2011 quarterly conference call. During the call, participants from across the country discussed the various aspects of resiliency and how to view resiliency from a variety of perspectives. Facilitating the call was AW2 Director COL Greg Gadson, who provided insight into the areas of resiliency he felt Community Support Network organizations should target in their support of wounded warriors. COL Gadson stated, “There are five aspects of resiliency that play into recovery: spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and financial.” COL Gadson then asked, “Where does your organization fit in?”

In preparation to that question, AW2 Community Support Network organizations were asked to send in a statement on how they support resiliency. I found many of them compelling and wanted to share with you one that spoke to each area of resiliency.

Financial—Sew Much Comfort, “…provides free adaptive clothing to support the unique needs of our wounded service members…we have distributed more than 95,000 pieces of adaptive clothing.”

Social—Pets for Patriots, “…supports resiliency by giving service and Veteran members of the U.S. military a renewed sense of purpose through the companionship of adopted pets.”

Physical—U.S. Olympic Committee Paralympic Military Program, “…supports wounded, ill and injured service members by using sport to enhance the rehabilitation process.”

Emotional—Air Compassion for Veterans, ”…we help support, fortify and create a resilient format for our wounded and their families to be able to integrate into productive lives dealing with their new limitations.  We have flown over 18,000 flights so far making sure they can access these services.”

Spiritual—Irunforgod, “…helps [wounded, injured, and ill] achieve their personal, social, spiritual, and professional goals by providing them with a life transforming experience.”

Each quote demonstrates that organizations provide multiple types of support that strengthen wounded warrior resiliency. Although It is hard to categorize these resources, each phase of recovery needs different types of support for both wounded warriors and their Families.

In conclusion, COL Gadson said, “There are great resources available to assist wounded warriors and their Families. Our goal is to have them connect.” And that, is our goal.

If you know of an organization that also supports wounded warriors in their local communities, please point them to the AW2 Community Support Network Web page or email recommendations at AW2CommunitySupportNetwork@conus.army.mil

I Am Here. I Am Ready to Help.

Filed under Community Support Network by on December 2, 2010 at 2:49 pm {2 comments}

By Patty Sands, WTC Stratcom

Those were the words of Chaplain Steinberg of the U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) after the last 2010 quarterly AW2 Community Support Network conference call. The call focused on supporting Families during the recovery of AW2 Soldiers and Veterans and included a panel of guests including COL Greg Gadson, AW2 Director; Thomas Webb, WTC Deputy to the Commander; Jeff Cox, AW2 Advocate and social worker; and two AW2 Family members. Many more statements of support were heard at the conclusion of the call by the organizations that participated.

The catalyst for those strong statements came from hearing firsthand the challenges faced by the AW2 Families. AW2 spouses Diana Hume and Lisa Krohnke discussed their personal challenges and future goals, as well as specific ways the AW2 Community Support Network participants could assist to make a difference.

“The war is not over for our Family,” said Hume. “There is never a normal day with PTSD. It has not gotten better and the impact is to the whole Family.”

Krohnke also underscored the need for local support as she and her Family feel very isolated. She gave examples of educational issues with her children and financial concerns.

Hume brought the conversation to a close saying, “I don’t know what I would have done without AW2, but there is so much more to be done.”

The impact of the stories as told by the AW2 Family members was compelling and brought tears to my eyes. Hume and Krohnke both spoke in heartfelt terms that were very powerful. Their stories were different but similar in many respects. Each speaker was eloquent and detailed the challenges they faced and the isolation they felt. Without question, we all were very aware of the level of exhaustion they felt. It was a gift of time that they gave to be with us.

From an overall perspective, the problems are complex and varied. Sadly, we all knew there is no one “band aid” to fix things. COL Gadson said, “The Army and VA cannot do it all. It will take all of us working together to make a difference.”

The goal of this conference call was communicating the needs of Families to the Network organizations and to learn best practices from each other. Several participants explained the specific services they offer and engaged in a conversation about ways to connect with individual Soldiers, Veterans, and Families who can benefit from their support.

Thank you to all participants for the largest conference call turnout.

Tempered Steel: A Way to Breakdown Burn Stigma

Filed under Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources by on September 7, 2010 at 12:02 pm {no comments}

By Luana Schneider, AW2 Mother

For Luana Schneider (center) creating an opportunity for the public to interact with Tempered Steel wounded warriors will help break burn stigma

Editor’s Note: CaringBridge is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

While at the AW2 Symposium, everyone was very interested in our brand new non-profit that we were starting: Tempered Steel, The Stories Behind the Scars.

We decided to co-found Tempered Steel after my son Scott was seriously wounded and disfigured in Iraq in November 2006. Our first hand experience in handling the responses to Scott’s injuries from civilians and military alike, compelled us to break down the barriers between wounded and disfigured Veterans and those who only see their scars. Tempered Steel’s goal is to exchange fear for enlightenment by exposing the very real human stories behind the wounds of war.

In deciding to co-found Tempered Steel, we contacted other severely wounded military members and asked for their participation and involvement. The response was overwhelmingly, “YES.” Our severely injured military members have had to learn how to deal with the public’s perception on who they are on nothing more than a glance from a stranger. As these wounded explained, “they are in essence, still the person they were before the injuries… on the inside.” Each of them feel they had not fundamentally changed. The only difference was the way they looked and how the public now viewed them.

Each disfigured hero, in their own way, has had to learn how to function in a society that in many ways has shunned them or are even outright horrified at the mere sight of these wonderful heroic men and women. Through the photo introspective and videography of these wounded warriors, Tempered Steel will reintroduce society to the stories behind the scars. These wounded warriors from the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars allowed the photographer and videographer to share in their vulnerability, strength, humor, and adaptability. The very personal glimpses into the eyes of these military heroes will bring about a greater compassion and empathy that these injured heroes greatly desire from their communities. By exposing their wounds with great humility, they desire to open a dialogue between the disfigured and disabled world and the communities they live in.

Our wounded warriors will be talking to schools, community groups and at public functions. They will talk not only about their injuries and how the perceptions of others make them feel, but also will also teach individuals to treat others with disabilities and disfigurements the same as they would like to be treated. We plan on working diligently to have our seriously wounded military members play a vital role in their communities.

If you  would like to learn more, please visit: http://www.TemperedSteelInc.org

Higher Ground Offers Adventure Camps for Wounded Warriors

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Community Support Network, Resources by on July 15, 2010 at 2:50 pm {no comments}

A wounded warrior steers the boat amid rough rapids at Higher Ground’s camp in Sun Valley, Idaho. Photo courtesy of Higher Ground.



By Tom Iselin, Higher Ground Chief Executive and Guest Blogger

Editor’s Note: Higher Ground is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Would you like the opportunity to reenergize your life, reconnect with your spouse, and learn a new sport? Are you feeling a bit down or lonely and looking for a renewed sense of hope and joy in your life?

You can do all of these things and more, at Higher Ground, an adaptive sports and recreation program serving Veterans with injuries. Hosted in the beautiful mountains of Sun Valley, Idaho, and on the pristine beaches of La Jolla, California, we are sure to have a camp that matches your interests. We specialize in serving Veterans with traumatic brain injuries, blindness, visual impairment, PTSD, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and severe burns.

And it is all completely free for you and your spouse to attend! That includes transportation, lodging, meals, instruction, and entertainment. Apply today at http://www.hgvets.org to attend!

Popular activities include: Nordic and downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, fly fishing, water skiing, surfing, kayaking, and much, much more! Each participant receives private customized instruction from certified professionals.

After a day of fun, we cap each night off with entertainment that includes private concerts, comedians, and dinner cruises. We also provide amazing meals that will satisfy any appetite! Accommodations are first class.

Our staff is young, energetic and focused on making sure that your stay is comfortable, meaningful, and fun. Camps sizes are small, with only 6 or 7 couples. We will connect you with Veterans that have suffered similar injuries, who also share many of the same challenges. New friendships are easily formed in our stress-free, supportive, and private atmosphere. Each activity serves as a great time to socialize with your peers and spouse, and release stress you may be facing in your daily life.

Higher Ground is a great adaptive sports organization for Veterans because we are more than just a sports camp! Our goal is to give you the skills to not only build physical fitness, but manage the life changes you’ve experienced since your injury as you reintegrate into your home community or back into military service.

The amazing progress you can make at Higher Ground is not something that’s left behind when you return home. After leaving camp, we will connect you with recreation opportunities in your hometown, and even help purchase sports equipment and pay for recreational services. You will also benefit from the relaxing time spent bonding with your spouse, find increased self-confidence, and become part of a nationwide support network—all to help you rebuild the life you put on hold to serve our country!

Past participants agree that Higher Ground made a meaningful change in their lives. You were willing to sacrifice so much to protect America’s freedom, and the staff at Higher Ground is honored to serve Veterans like you. We look forward to meeting you at Higher Ground!

To apply, contact Bert Gillette, Veterans Outreach Coordinator, bert@svasp.org.

Check out our website, www.hgvets.org for more information!

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

New Organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network

Filed under Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources by on June 3, 2010 at 3:46 pm {one comment}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom

There are now 144 registered organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network to demonstrate their support for AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families.

In May, the AW2 Community Support Network hosted its second quarterly conference call to discuss the benefits of adaptive sports and recreation. BG Gary Cheek, Commander of the Warrior Transition Command, discussed the ways adaptive sports and recreation boost confidence as wounded warriors set goals and transition to life post-injury. I personally really enjoyed hearing from AW2 Veteran Kortney Clemons, who spoke about the ways training as a Paralympic-level athlete helped him move forward with his life and recovery. Many of the AW2 Community Support Network organizations discussed best practices in hosting adaptive sports programs for wounded warriors, and I hope they each learned something from their peers.

The list of newly registered organizations is below. AW2 has posted most of these organizations to the AW2 website and is working to post the others.

Federal Organizations: (registered between March 9 and May 31)

Non-Federal Organizations: (registered between March 9 and May 31)

AW2 encourages all AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Family members to nominate organizations for the AW2 Community Support Network. To nominate an organization that has made a difference in your life, contact me at AW2CommunitySupportNetwork@conus.army.mil.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.

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