Local Resources for Soldiers and Veterans

Filed under Community Support Network, Warrior Transition Command by on January 22, 2013 at 12:29 pm {no comments}

By LuAnn Georgia, WTC Stratcom
We are pleased to announce six new members in the Community Support Network. These organizations offer local resources and connections to help better the lives of wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, their Families, and Caregivers.  Click on the links below to learn more about them and the types of products and services they provide.

1.  Paws 4 Independence

Website:  www.paws4independence.com

Type of Organization:  Service Dog Organizations

Description: Paws 4 Independence is a non-profit organization that specializes in training and providing service dogs to Veterans, adults, and children with disabilities, adults and children with diabetes, psychiatric issues, and seizure disorders.

2.  Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut

Website:  www.biact.org 

Type of Organization:  Resource Databases

Description:  The Brain Injury Association of Connecticut (BIAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and information to survivors of brain injury, their Families and the community. Programs and services include a toll free helpline that directs callers to resources and providers and support groups throughout Connecticut for survivors of brain injuries and outreach and education for Families, Caregivers, and Veteran’s Families, on a variety of topics related to living with a brain injury.

3.  Rainier Therapeutic Riding

Website:  www.rtriding.org

Type of Organization:  Other:  Therapeutic Horsemanship

Description: Rainier Therapeutic Riding provides horsemanship services to wounded active-duty and Veteran servicemembers and their Families.  Rainier Therapeutic Riding helps heroes struggling to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), combat injuries, mental health challenges, and other visible and invisible wounds of war.

4.  Johnny’s New Hope, Inc.

Website:  www.johnnysnewhope.org

Type of Organization: Assistance with Federal Benefits; Care Packages, Letters and Messages, and Moral Support; Housing Assistance; Physical Rehabilitative Support; Retirement and Transition; Services for Families, Children, and Caregivers

Description: Johnny’s New Hope is a Veteran owned organization whose primary mission is to provide housing for military Veterans and their Families.  Cabins are available for emergency housing to get heroes back on their feet.  Johnny’s New Hope also provides food, clothing, and home renovations.

5.  Therapy Achievements

Website:  www.reachTA.com

Type of Organization:  Physical Rehabilitative Support

Description:  Therapy Achievements provides out-patient occupational, physical and speech therapy services for people with neurological, orthopedic, or pain conditions.  There are programs which address balance and movement, speech and swallowing, swelling from edema and lymphedema, driving rehabilitation and adaptive technology and seating. Services are provided by therapists with advanced training.  Therapy Achievements is dedicated to helping people re-gain access to their community and to maximize their independence.

6.  VetsYoga  (aka  Yatra Yoga International)

Website:  www.vetsyoga.com

Type of Organization:  Support Roster; Mental Wellness and Counseling; Physical Rehabilitative Support; Retirement and Transition; Services for Families, Children, and Caregivers

Description:   VetsYoga offers an alternative approach to coping with combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through an instructional DVD that includes easy variations which can be practiced in the privacy of home. The material and training focuses on strength, flexibility, and relaxation. The DVD is available for purchase online at a 50% discount available to Veterans with the coupon code.

To learn more about the Warrior Transition Command Community Support Network and to view a complete list of member organizations, visit http://www.wtc.army.mil/community/.

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.

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

It is From the Heart

Filed under 2011 Symposium, Community Support Network, Non-profit, Resources by on July 19, 2011 at 5:24 pm {no comments}

By Patricia C. Sands, WTC Stratcom

Twenty-five organizations convened at the Community Support Exhibit Hall at the 2011 AW2 Symposium to share information about their local support to wounded warriors and their Families.

Twenty-five organizations stood up to be part of the Community Support Exhibit Hall at the 2011 Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Symposium, and more wanted to attend. It’s a very heartfelt gesture when one considers the commitment in time and resources it takes to attend. However, this was not business as usual.

When companies and organizations attend events they have a goal in mind, usually to make money and expand their market. However, these 25 organizations are not at the 2011 AW2 Symposium to make money. Their goal is to see how they can serve our wounded warriors and their Families more effectively. They want to meet the community and the leaders of the Warrior Transition Command and AW2. They want to get the word out that they are here to help and support wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families.

When reviewing the list of participating organizations below, please remember that their services and products are either free or are covered by insurance. Their efforts are from the heart.

Who are these generous organizations? They are as varied as the individual needs of the Soldiers, Veterans, and Families they support. They also run the gambit of expertise that cover each of the lifecycles that a wounded warrior works through. In addition, many are members of the AW2 Community Support Network, a group of organizations that are needed and vital to the AW2 Soldier, Veteran, and Family as they recover and assimilate back into the community.

I encourage wounded warriors and their Families to click the links below and get to know them.

It doesn’t end with giving wounded warriors and their Families a link to each organization’s website. They will know more about each of these organizations as we follow them through the next year. We will detail their stories through articles and blogs. The more wounded warriors and their Families know, the more they can help. It is all about networking and communicating.

Maybe you, as a wounded warrior or Family member, will be the vital link to refer a resource to the AW2 Community Support Network. Maybe you will be the one to connect another wounded warrior to a much needed resource. The Army cannot do it all. It takes the whole community to work together to make a difference.

Sixteen Organizations Join AW2 Community Support Network

Filed under Community Support Network by on July 7, 2011 at 5:33 pm {no comments}

By Patty Sands, WTC Stratcom

Join me in welcoming the newest organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network. These organizations are part of the 236 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

“Healing Waters” Showcases Fly-Fishing for Wounded

Filed under Community Support Network by on June 22, 2011 at 5:36 pm {no comments}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

Editor’s Note: Project Healing Waters is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Project Healing Waters was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), with the help of local Trout Unlimited (TU) and Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) volunteers. PHWFF provides basic fly-fishing, fly casting, and fly tying instruction for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans, ranging from beginners to those with prior fly-fishing experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities.

While initially focused on military personnel in the Washington, DC area, PHWFF expanded and now offers its services to active military personnel and Veterans in military and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the nation. Currently, PHWFF offers services in more than 70 locations in the US and Canada. Since its inception, PHWFF helps disabled active duty Soldiers and Veterans to overcome the obstacles associated with their military service-related disabilities. The relearning of the fine motor skills required in fly-fishing and fly tying proves to be particularly effective in the overall rehabilitation of the disabled.

While PHWFF emphasizes the skills of fly-fishing and fly tying to help the patients regain the use of their damaged bodies, perhaps the greatest benefit is in their realization that a more normal life is possible. Fly-fishing can be a lifelong recreation, both physically and emotionally. As one Soldier explained, “PHWFF helped in getting my head together during my recovery at Walter Reed. It was the perfect outlet for me while I was trying to adjust to my injuries and was a great help in broadening my horizons, giving me the hope and confidence that, no matter what my disabilities, I could still achieve and enjoy the activities of the outdoors and accomplish what I wanted to.“

To learn more about the organization, please visit the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc website. Additional information on nonprofit organizations may be found on the National Resource Directory website.

AW2 Caregivers: Join Robin Carnes and Learn Stress Relief Techniques

Filed under Behavioral Health, Community Support Network by on June 17, 2011 at 2:09 pm {one comment}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

Robin Carnes is the founder of Warriors at Ease.

Editor’s Note: Warriors at Ease is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Who: AW2 caregivers and spouses
What: Caregivers support group to learn stress relief techniques
When: Thursday, June 30 at 1:00 p.m. EST
Where: Nationwide conference call
Why: To give support, friendship, and new strategies to succeed

Join us this month and every month for Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT) Meditation Hour. This regularly scheduled event on the last Thursday of every month will help relieve stress and assist caregivers and spouses in finding new coping skills.

Robin Carnes, founder of AW2 Community Support Network member Warriors at Ease will lead iRest, an easy-to-learn meditation technique, during the teleconference call. Carnes teaches this technique at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and has great success. For example, after using these techniques, her students report sleeping more soundly, having less pain, and generally feeling a greater peace of mind in daily life.

If you are interested in participating, please email me at AW2communitysupportnetwork@conus.army.mil to request the phone number and access codes for the call.

TGIT!—Thank Goodness it’s Thursday Meditation Hour

Filed under Behavioral Health, Community Support Network, Resources by on May 25, 2011 at 3:45 pm {one comment}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

Editor’s Note: Warriors at Ease is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Thank Goodness it’s Thursday Meditation Hour is launching for Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) spouses and caregivers.

This teleconference meditation hour is a regularly scheduled event that assists spouses and caregivers to relieve stress and to find new coping skills. The teleconference call is scheduled for the last Thursday of every month and will be first held tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

Robin Carnes, founder of AW2 Community Support Network Member Warriors at Ease, will lead the meditation using iRest techniques. These easy-to-learn meditation techniques are taught by Carnes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and have proven to be successful. For example, after using these techniques, her students report the ability to sleep more soundly, a decrease in pain, and a general increase in peace of mind in daily life.

If you are an AW2 spouse or caregiver who would benefit from stress reduction, please email the AW2 Community Support Network to reserve your spot for tomorrow’s call at AW2communitysupportnetwork@conus.army.mil.

 

Welcome to the AW2 Community Support Network

Filed under Community Support Network by on April 29, 2011 at 4:04 pm {no comments}

By Patty Sands, WTC Stratcom

Join me in welcoming the newest organizations in the AW2 Community Support Network. These organizations are part of the 223 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

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