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Wounded Warrior

Wounded Warrior Assistance

November 17, 2008

2092693941_315d452219 AAFES has been working with the Department of the Army as well as the Clothing and Services Office in developing a program for Wounded Warriors long before Warrior Care Month was established. This is to include both Officers and Enlisted members having their Uniforms modified to fit their current needs.

The Army will provide a Gratuitous Issue of specified uniform items to the Wounded Warrior. The Occupational Therapist will then fill out an Army form listing the modifications that will need to be made to the garments for better fit and ease to the Wounded Warrior. The modifications will meet the Uniform Wear Policy.  The Warrior can then take the uniforms and the Army form to the closest AAFES MCSS for a Free Alterations slip. The Soldier may then take the uniforms, Army form and the free alteration slip to the Alteration Shop to have the uniforms modified. The uniforms should be available for pick up within 3-5 work days.

This is done at no cost to the Soldier at any Army location. These modifications will be done free of charge to the Soldier as long as they remain on Active status.

In the spirit of being a part of the online military community, this blog will spread the word about other military family inspired programs and initiatives.

Project-Valour-IT

I became aware of Project Valour-IT when I attended the 2008 Milblog Conference at Blog World Expo and met the fabulous people behind Soldier’s Angels. This friendly service branch/blog competition is for a very worthy cause. I have noticed the blogs already heating up…who will prevail? Competition ends on Thanksgiving.

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.  Technology supplied includes:

  • Voice-controlled Laptops – Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest of the world during recovery.
  • Wii Video Game Systems – Whole-body game systems increase motivation and speed recovery when used under the guidance of physical therapists in therapy sessions.
  • Personal GPS – Handheld GPS devices build self-confidence and independence by compensating for short-term memory loss and organizational challenges related to TBI and severe PTSD.

The experience of Major Chuck Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project who suffered serious hand wounds while serving in Iraq, illustrates how important these laptops and other technologies can be to a wounded service member’s recovery.

Read more about this project…

(Photo courtesy JQuest1.)

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November is Warrior Care Month

November 10, 2008

“After the war itself, we have no higher priority than caring properly for our wounded. -Secretary Robert M. Gates

Secretary Gates designated November 2008 as “Warrior Care Month” to communicate the Department of Defense’s commitment  to quality care to our Servicemembers and their families.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is doing its part to recognize and support those who have sacrificed for their country as part of November’s Warrior Care Month.

“With barber shops, fast food restaurants and stores with items to help pass the time at military hospitals such as Landstuhl Regional and Walter Reed Army Medical Centers, AAFES is uniquely positioned to serve wounded warriors and their Families,” said AAFES’ Chief of Corporate Communications Lt. Col. Dean Thurmond. “The relationship even extends beyond active duty as honorably discharged disabled veterans are granted a lifetime of unlimited exchange benefits.”

Warrior Care Month

  • A Pledge to Our Servicemembers and Their Families.
  • A Committment to Quality Care.
  • Transforming Warrior Care.
  • Simplifying Access and Establishing Channels for Reporting Problems.

Visit WarriorCare.mil for more information about how warrior care has changed and future initiatives. Please share this link with others who might have questions. Together we can continue to support our greatest asset: The valiant men and women protecting our nation’s security and their families.

The Military Health System launched a short, anonymous questionnaire for wounded, ill or injured service members to provide input about the care they received and what can be improved. Please complete questionnaire by 28 November. There is a separate questionnaire for families, both available directly here or through the MHS homepage, http://www.health.mil/.

Visit DefenseLink Blogger’s Roundtable to listen to Army Brig. Gen. Gary H. Creek discuss the Defense Department’s Warrior Care Month (audio posted 7 November, 2008).

“We have really, in many ways, transformed (outpatient care) in terms of the facilities that we use, the services that we provide, and the leadership that we have dedicated to that effort – which includes the medical management folks who help soldiers through that,” Creek said. “We want to make the soldier very much a part of and responsible for their rehabilitative program, and we want to work hard to measure…how well we’re doing satisfying soldier’s needs, families’ needs…and then listening to them to continue to refine the program.”

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