By BG Gary Cheek, WTC Commander
LTG Eric B. Schoomaker, the Army Surgeon General, commends SFC Derrick Brown for instituting monthly Purple Heart ceremonies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Today, I was proud to host LTG Eric Schoomaker, the Army Surgeon General and Commanding General of Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) at the WTC Winter Conference, and I was grateful that he took the time to travel to Florida to accentuate the importance of the Comprehensive Transition Plan (CTP) to WTC staff and cadre.
LTG Schoomaker summoned SFC Derrick Brown to the stage and told staff and cadre about SGT Brown’s efforts to institute monthly Purple Heart ceremonies at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he serves at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center. Then, LTG Schoomaker asked SFC Brown to lead the Army song, demonstrating his incredible voice. The crowd leapt to its feet and proudly belted their loyalty to the Army. When we finished singing, LTG Schoomaker emphasized that warrior care is truly an example of “the Army rolling along.” “Soldiers need to know that we as a nation are prepared to put them back on their feet literally and figuratively after they’ve walked through the most dangerous neighborhoods and flown over the most treacherous valleys,” he said. “That confidence is necessary for the effective defense of our nation.”
I appreciated LTG Schoomaker’s reminder of the important role cadre play in an individual Soldier’s recovery:
“It is critical that the Squad Leader, Nurse Case Manager, and Primary Care Manager meet as a team and support the Soldier and Family,” he said. “The CTP is not just a widget; it’s a program that embraces the Soldier and Family throughout recovery. Cadre cannot just sit down in a cubicle and check a box—they need to be out seeing their Soldiers while they’re working out and moving around in the hospital. This is an intense engagement with Soldiers and Families on a regular and recurring basis.”
I particularly enjoyed one story LTG Schoomaker told about two Soldiers injured in the Vietnam War who were sent to the same Army hospital for treatment. The two Soldiers set the same goal: they wanted to eventually serve in Congress and challenged each other to accomplish it. When Daniel Inouye of Hawaii got to the House of Representatives first, he called his friend Bob Dole and asked how much longer it would take him to get elected from Kansas. Both gentlemen served our country in the House and went on to serve in the United States Senate. They could have chosen to be defeated by their injuries, but instead, they focused on their abilities and their long-term goals, and went on to achieve great things. Both men have spoken about the “tough love” they received from Army nurses who embraced their goals and encouraged them to think about their abilities and what they wanted to do with their lives.
For today’s Warriors in Transition (WT), the CTP will help formalize the supportive role these nurses and all the many gifted and dedicated members of the Army Medical team play and ensure that this support and the Soldiers’ goals are documented and developed into achievable action items so all WTs can fulfill their potential.
