COAD/COAR Soldiers Prioritize Top Issues for Army to Address

Filed under COAD/COAR, Staff Stories by on January 30, 2011 at 11:07 pm {one comment}

By Emily Oehler, WTC Stratcom

1SG Mario Cirirese presented the top COAD/COAR issues to the Army G-1.

“I am proud that our Army has a COAD/COAR [Continue on Active Duty/Continue on Active Reserve] program as most armies around the world do not,” LTG Thomas Bostick, Army G-1, told the 30 delegates who continued on active duty/reserve post severe injury. “We are going to take what you give us and do our best by you.”

Bostick was joined by other senior leaders at the AW2 COAD/COAR Forum to hear firsthand what issues and recommendations the delegates had for updating the 40-year-old regulations. Joining Bostick on the panel was:

  • Human Resources Command Commander MG Gina Farrisee
  • Department of Military Personnel Management BG Gary Cheek
  • Warrior Transition Command (WTC) Commander COL (P) Darryl Williams
  • Office of Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Director of Installations Kathleen Marin
  • AW2 Director COL Greg Gadson.

Additionally, Deborah Amdur from Veterans Health Administration, Dr. Duncan from Civilian Human Resources Agency, Samuel Rutherford of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army/Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and Tom Webb WTC Deputy were in attendance for the delegate’s report out.

After three days of intense focus group work, the delegates narrowed down 57 issues to a consolidated list of 34 issues. Each of the two groups then selected their top five issues and presented them to the entire delegate body. Together, they then prioritized their top five issues—and due to a tie for #1, there was actually a top six list:

  1. COAD/COAR Soldiers to remain competitive with peers for promotion.
  2. Absence of continuity of understanding of COAD/COAR at all levels of the Army. Standardization of awareness and training, and effective distribution of information affecting all COAD/COAR Soldiers.
  3. Procurement, sustainment, and maintenance of durable medical and adaptive fitness equipment.
  4. Coordination of care is difficult for a COAD/COAR Soldier.
  5. Stipend for extra expenses directly associated with service-related injuries.
  6. Develop advanced education programs for enlisted COAD/COAR Soldiers.

After an hour of listening to the delegates explain the importance of these six issues and recommended actions for resolution, Bostick said, “This is very helpful. We need to work on this together.” In closing, Bostick stated, “We live by our ethos, ‘to never leave a fallen comrade.’ I am here to tell you we will not leave you now. I am extremely proud of you and your Family’s service, and your hard work and leadership this week.”

We Cannot Do It Without You

Filed under AW2, WTC Commander by on June 29, 2010 at 3:29 pm {no comments}

BG Cheek talked with wounded Veterans and spouses at AW2’s Symposium Family Night in TX

By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander

This past week I got to know many of the delegates at the AW2 Symposium—wounded Soldiers and Veterans, along with their spouses and caregivers.  They were in Texas once again serving the Army by working to identify and recommend ways government agencies can improve warrior care.  It was an honor to listen and learn from them so that I can do better to shape the Army’s programs in the future. 

Event delegates spent a week hashing out ways to improve “the system” and then voted on their top five priorities.  They selected:

  1. Medically retired service member’s eligibility for Concurrent Receipt of Disability Pay (CRDP)
  2. Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability to dependents for all medically retired service members
  3. Mandatory post-traumatic stress disorder/traumatic brain injury (PTSD/TBI) training for Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare staff
  4. Transfer option from Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) to Permanent Disability Retired (PDR) for wounded warriors
  5. Benefits and entitlements information to wounded warrior primary caregivers

Our work at the Warrior Transition Command is such an important mission for the Army and if we don’t do it right, and take the best care of our wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans—and their Families—then we will run the risk that young people will not step forward to serve and defend this country in the future.  I am honored to have this responsibility. 

I told the AW2 Symposium delegates they’ve given us great work to do with these five recommendations and I plan to do it right. 

The Votes Are In, and It’s Time For Action

Filed under 2010 Symposium, Soldier and Family Story by on June 29, 2010 at 1:59 pm {4 comments}

By COL Jim Rice, AW2 Director

At each of the last six AW2 Symposiums, we’ve given the delegates a mission: to be the voice of the thousands of wounded warriors, their Families, and their caregivers. Like delegates in years past, 2010 Symposium delegates accepted the mission and got the job done.

On Friday morning, each of the five delegate focus groups briefed senior officials from Army, Veterans Affairs (VA), and other agencies on their top issues. AW2 Veteran John Wright, spokesman for the careers focus group, got the session off to a great start when he plopped Veteran Scott Stephenson’s prosthetic on the podium and told the audience that his group “had a leg up on the rest of the delegation.”

After the briefing, the delegates voted to prioritize the top issues facing Army wounded warriors, their Families, and their caregivers. This year, the delegates selected the following things to be addressed:

  1. Medically retired service member’s eligibility for Concurrent Receipt of Disability Pay (CRDP)
  2. Post 9/11 GI Bill transferability to dependents for all medically retired servicemembers
  3. Mandatory post-traumatic stress disorder/traumatic brain injury (PTSD/TBI) training for VA healthcare staff
  4. Transfer option from Temporary Disability Retired List (TDRL) to Permanent Disability Retired (PDR) for wounded warriors
  5. Benefits and entitlements information to wounded warrior primary caregivers
At the 2010 AW2 Symposium, delegates in the medical focus group reflect on their discussions as they prioritize their top issues for the brief-out to senior Army leadership.

At the 2010 AW2 Symposium, delegates in the medical focus group reflect on their discussions as they prioritize their top issues for the brief-out to senior Army leadership.

Senior Army, MEDCOM, and VA leaders listened firsthand to the delegates talk about these issues and committed to work hard to resolve them.

Now that the votes are in, my team and I will get to work. We’ll coordinate with other programs within the Army, throughout DOD, and other federal agencies, especially those within VA. In addition to their commitment, I promise that AW2 will do all it can to continue to provide personalized support for as long as it takes. It’s our honor and privilege.

This week at the AW2 Symposium, there was a lot of hard work by our delegates—65 severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. They opened up about experiences they don’t typically share, they tackled hard issues facing wounded warriors, and came together to prioritize areas for change to improve things for those who come next—all while dealing with their own ongoing medical challenges such as burns, amputations, TBI, and PTSD. I was proud of how they continued to serve the Army. Their efforts will impact generations to come.

I thought AW2 spouse Loree Pone put it well, she said, “Delegates had a lot of compassion for other peoples’ issues—we’re here to make things better for the wounded Soldiers that follow. I know that some of these issues will take time to resolve, but I know that the Army will work to fix them as quickly as possible.”

I appreciate all the 2010 Symposium delegates, as well as delegates from all previous AW2 Symposiums, for taking the time to come and tell the Army how we can continue to improve the care we provide to severely wounded warriors and their Families. We heard your concerns, and now it’s time to take action.

RSS feed

Write a blog for WTC

Warriors in Transition can submit a blog by e-mailing WarriorCareCommunications [at] conus.army.mil.