By Julie O’Rourke, WTC Stratcom
I first interacted with the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) last week. Although I was aware of the program, I had never met an AW2 Soldier, Veteran, or Family member.
I interviewed four wounded Soldiers as part of a résumé workshop to prepare Soldiers for their transition to civilian work. I was surprised at the intensity of the emotions I felt listening to the interviews. I saw Soldiers who had already given freely to their country and struggled through painful rehabilitation, come back to learn how to give to a new employer, and struggle to establish themselves again in a new profession. Each of the Soldiers was grateful for the opportunity to learn a new skill and to take active steps to prepare for the next phase of his/her life.
Many of the Soldiers had never created a résumé before; they were truly starting over. I have had to start over a few times in my life—never because of a sense of volunteerism as strong as a Soldier’s. I was instantly overwhelmed with the feelings of uncertainty I saw in the program’s participants as they approach this transition to Veteran status. They have Families to support and medical challenges, new limitations on what they can do, and they need to learn to articulate their military skills in a way that makes sense to the civilian workforce.
Taking the perspective of a human resources officer, I can imagine that hiring a disabled Veteran would possibly be more difficult than hiring someone who had not been through that injury experience. Modifying office spaces, making counseling services available, and acquiring adaptive technology seems overwhelming to employers. As I listened to the Veterans tell their stories, however, I gained a deeper understanding of what Veterans have to offer. Soldiers bring a wealth of training and flexibility under layers of practiced teamwork and self-discipline. Soldiers are used to getting to work early and making sacrifices. Most will need more education and training in order to adjust to a new role in a civilian organization. I began to understand that these accommodations are really just a minor inconvenience in comparison to the sacrifices these people have made.
