Educating and Informing Others on AW2 through Hockey

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Advocate Story by on November 4, 2011 at 3:38 pm {no comments}

By Stephen Lew, AW2 Advocate

AW2 Advocate Stephen Lew spread the word about AW2 with his local community during the annual Lebanon Valley College vs. Navy Hockey Game during the Military Appreciation Night at Hershey Park Arena on October 28, 2011.

The Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Advocates often attend events to support AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families and to educate others on the support that AW2 provides for them. I was fortunate to not only be invited, but provide AW2 information and material to attendees during the second annual Military Appreciation Night at the Hershey Park Arena in Hershey, PA.

The night consisted of the Lebanon Valley College (Dutchmen) ice hockey team playing against the Naval Academy team. During the event last year, the Hershey Park Arena hosted the event as a fundraiser for wounded warriors through a nonprofit organization.

As I stood at my AW2 table, the general public came to my display and asked what the difference was between last year’s nonprofit organization and AW2. My response –AW2 is the Army lead and designed by the Soldier for the Soldier. AW2 works inside the network of Army, government, and local and national resources to help Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families resolve many issues. Wounded warriors may apply for a wide array of benefits in order to help them recover physically, prepare financially, and build their skills for a rewarding career. AW2 Advocates, like me, ensure that AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families are connected with these benefits and services, which span:

  • Career and education
  • Insurance
  • Finance
  • Retirement and transition
  • Healthcare
  • Services for Families
  • Human resources

It was a great opportunity to inform and educate numerous Veterans and non-Veterans about AW2. In the end, The Naval Academy rolled over the Dutchmen by 3 to 2, final score.

Thank you to the Lebanon Valley College ice hockey team head coach, Don Parsons, and assistant coach, John Denver, for connecting the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program with this opportunity—and future opportunities—to help members of the community learn more about the Army’s support for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families.

 

AW2 Veteran’s Rehabilitation Is Definitely “On Par”

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Advocate Story by on November 3, 2011 at 10:45 am {no comments}

By Chris Lewandowski, AW2 Advocate

To say it has been a busy couple of weeks for AW2 Veteran retired CPL Chad Pfeifer, would be an understatement. One week after winning the 2011 National Amputee Golf Championship, Pfeifer made his way to Irving, Texas, where he won the Inaugural Bush Center Warrior Open. The Warrior Open was sponsored by the George W. Bush Presidential Center and is part of the center’s Military Service Initiative, a program designed to showcase the importance of sports in the rehabilitation of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

AW2 Veteran Chad Pfeifer received the Inaugural Bush Center Warrior Open championship trophy from former President George W. Bush.

Pfeifer competed against 20wounded warriors, ultimately winning the 36-hole event by nine strokes. Seven of the 20 wounded warriors participating were graduates of the Salute Military Golf Association’s program coached by PGA professional Jim Estes. After receiving the championship trophy from the former president, Pfeifer dedicated his win to “all of our brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

Pfeifer suffered an above the knee amputation of his left leg after the vehicle he was in rolled over a pressure-plate- activated improvised explosive device (IED) outside Baghdad, Iraq, in April 2007. After more than a year in recovery, Pfeifer took up golf as a form of physical therapy.  While attached to the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) at Fort Sam Houston, Pfeifer was allowed to hit balls and golf for free. “I just fell in love with it,” says Pfeifer.

AW2 Veteran Chad Pfeifer wins the 2011 Inaugural Bush Center Warrior Open in Irving, TX.

Three years after his injury, he finished fourth in the 2010 National Amputee Golf Championship, and immediately set a new goal. “My goal was to win it,” said Pfeifer. However, winning the Warrior Open wasn’t as easy as he made it appear. “It was a little nerve-wracking with President Bush watching a lot of my tee shots,” Pfeifer said.

A Life Remembered

Filed under Advocate Story by on August 22, 2011 at 3:00 pm {one comment}

By Ken Garot, AW2 Advocate

AW2 Veteran Bob Briggs and his wife, Michelle. Bob passed away on June 28, 2011 due to medical complications as a result of the injuries he sustained in Iraq in 2005.

On April 16, 2005, three days after returning to Iraq from spending time with his Family in Iowa, SGT Bob Briggs was taking a break with several Soldiers waiting for the remainder of his unit to move to their location in Ramadi. With no warning of incoming fire, 110 mm mortars struck their position. Five Soldiers were killed instantly and many were injured. Bob was only ten feet from where one mortar struck, and the impact almost took Bob’s life and the lives of two Soldiers standing nearby.

After his emergency surgeries in Iraq, Bob was airlifted to Germany for intensive treatment for a severe head injury. He was brought back to life three times as the medical team worked frantically to stabilize his condition. After rehabilitation at Walter Reed, Bob returned to Iowa where these traumatic events would change not only his life, but that of his wife Michelle and their two children, Ashlea and Cody.

As a result of his injuries, Bob developed left side hemiplegia , or total paralysis of the arm, leg, and trunk on the same side of the body, that required extensive and ongoing physical and occupational therapy.  Over the years, he would have his own dog, Pock, trained as a service dog to help him move without injuring himself. Bob remained active in many outdoor activities and events including bike riding and golf.

Bob and Michelle became deeply involved in Veteran’s Service Organizations throughout Iowa and the nation, and they were instrumental in the development and passage of an Iowa Grant Program worth up to $10,000 for Iowa wounded warriors medically evacuated out of the war zone. They were also the ground breakers for the English River Outfitters, an organization dedicated to providing all Veterans a place to relax and take time out to enjoy the outdoors in a safe and pleasant environment, free of charge.  More recently, Michelle traveled back and forth to Washington where she served on a panel of Veteran Family members giving input into the VA Caretaker program that was passed into law and implemented in early April 2011.

Bob passed away on June 28 at the age of 42 from medical complications related to the injuries he sustained in Iraq that fateful day in 2005. His sudden and unexpected death shocked and saddened all who loved him and created a deep sense of loss to a larger community who came to know and admire the work he had done on behalf of Veterans like himself. Bob’s life exemplified the phrase “selfless service” so others might give hope to those who sacrifice to serve their country. Despite his medical struggles, he proved that one person can make a difference.  His work will now go on through the efforts of Michelle and countless others who strive to make life better for those who gave so much.

 

Partners Across Texas

Filed under Staff Story by on March 14, 2011 at 3:50 pm {no comments}

AW2 Advocates (left to right) Laverne Hatcher, Edmond Murrell, Lisa Gallup, Deana Perry, James Malone, and David Gerdts gather to take a photograph at the 2011 Partners Across Texas/Inter-state Family Assistance Committee Conference.

By Deana Perry, AW2 Advocate

I was never someone who thought networking really made a big difference. It seemed like more trouble than it was worth, and I always disliked the saying “It’s who you know that will get you somewhere.” Now, after being an AW2 Advocate for six months and attending some events, I’m a believer in networking—not for myself but for our Army Wounded Warrior Program Soldiers, Veterans, and Families.

A few of us Texas Advocates attended the Partners Across Texas/Inter-state Family Assistance Committee Conference in Austin, TX. At the conference, we had the opportunity to set up an AW2 booth to share our mission, stories, and experiences with others. Most importantly, we had the opportunity to meet and connect with multiple non-profit and state organizations whose missions are to serve and assist Soldiers, Veterans, and military Families.

 There are over 6000 websites offering support and assistance to Veterans and their Families. It’s a wonderful wealth of knowledge, but information overload can be daunting and stressful for some. Looking for the right services can be even more cumbersome and confusing when every state, region, and local community resource is different. As an AW2 Advocate, I can help focus and guide people to the right organization and ease that stress. These face-to-face networking events continue to expand my contacts and allow me the opportunity to do a warm-hand-off to another organization. I’m able to give my Veterans and Families a name and a direct number to a trusted contact versus just giving them a 1-800 number or a Web address.

 These types of networking events help reduce gaps and duplication in services and support efforts. They broaden our scope of resources for assistance referrals. The more we know about our surrounding resources the better we can assist our Veterans and Families reach independence. I became a business card “cookie monster” at this conference—collecting as many as I could and talking with as many people as I could. I told myself, “I never know when I might need to call this person.” And you know what, the next day after a phone call with an AW2 Veteran, I called someone from my new pile of business cards.  

 I’ll say it again; I’m a believer in networking. It works! So, I challenge all AW2 Advocates to get out there and participate in these kinds of events—state conferences, county human services meetings, city volunteer group meetings, chamber of commerce meetings, and area Veteran’s advisory committee meetings. You could make the connection that will change the life of an AW2 Veteran.

 And to those organizations that support our wounded at the state and local levels, thank you for being a network for our wounded.

First Graduation of AW2 Education Initiative Students

Filed under Advocate Story, Career and Education by on May 20, 2010 at 11:25 am {4 comments}

By Jim Merrill, AW2 Advocate

COL Jim Rice, Former KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Wes Fine, and Jim Merrill at the AW2 Education Initiative KU graduation.

(L-R) COL Jim Rice, Former KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Wes Fine, and Jim Merrill at the AW2 Education Initiative KU graduation.

The weekend of May 15-16, 2010, saw many college graduations and ceremonies across the country. Along with COL Rice, I had the pleasure of attending a special one; the master’s hooding ceremony at the University of Kansas (KU) in Lawrence, for the first six graduates of the AW2 Education Initiative.

These new graduates, all wounded warriors, were the first selected to take part in an innovative cooperative program between the Department of the Army (DA) and KU. Soldiers that possessed bachelor’s degrees could attend KU as either COAD (Continuation on Active Duty) Soldiers or as paid DA civilians, with all fees paid, to obtain their master’s degree, and in return become an instructor at the Command and General Staff College (C&GS) at Fort Leavenworth, or in another capability with the Army.

Congratulations to the Soldiers who completed the AW2 Education Initiative Program this year. Their names, degrees, and next assignments are: 

  • CPT Gates Brown, Military History, Department of Military History, C&GS College, Fort Leavenworth 
  • CPT (Ret) Wes Fine, International Studies, Counterinsurgency Center, Fort Leavenworth 
  • CPT (Ret) Dave Holden, Military History, Department of Military History, C&GS College, Fort Leavenworth 
  • CPT Tim Hornik, Social Work, AMEDD (U.S. Army Medical Department) 
  • CW3 Ari Jean-Baptiste, Political Science, Department of Joint, Interagency and Multinational Operations, Fort Leavenworth 
  • SGT (Ret) Rob Laurent, Supply Chain Management & Logistics, Fort Lee, VA
AW2 Education Initiative KU Graduates are (L-R) Rob Laurent, CW3 Ari Jean-Baptiste, Wes Fine, CPT Tim Hornik, and CPT Gates Brown.

AW2 Education Initiative KU Graduates are (L-R) Rob Laurent, CW3 Ari Jean-Baptiste, Wes Fine, CPT Tim Hornik, and CPT Gates Brown.

COL Rice and I attended both the hooding ceremony and a reception that followed. In a short speech by CPT Gates Brown, on behalf of the other students, CPT Brown thanked all those involved for giving these Soldiers this opportunity. The words struck me as ironic; they were true American heroes standing in front of us, thanking us. In my opinion, it should have definitely been the other way around. My life has changed by being exposed to Soldiers such as these. Speaking as a proud and patriotic American, thank you, gentlemen, for what you have done, your pain, suffering, and sacrifices for this country, and the continuing service you are providing.

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