A new unit activated on Fort Carson Sept. 5 that is responsible for the health of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers in six states. The Joint Task Force Carson Warrior Transition Battalion Community Care Unit is one of 13 units being established at 11 Army installations which will allow Soldiers to recover at home with the support of their families and communities.
"We are very fortunate to have been one of the few Warrior Transition Battalions selected to receive a CCU," said Lt. Col. Aaron Termain, commander of Fort Carson's WTB. "This activation is in recognition of the hard work and dedication of the cadré and civilian staff of this battalion."
During the ceremony, Capt. Jennae Pitts assumed command of the CCU, which is comprised of 12 civilians and 5 Soldiers. They will be responsible for Soldiers recovering at home not only in Colorado, but also Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah.
"The CCU cadré will travel and meet with each of the 100 Soldiers that we are responsible for and conduct Soldier Readiness Reviews. This critical tool will allow face-to face contact with our Soldiers and allows us to connect our CCU Soldiers with local community resources within their states," said Pitts.
"My cadre will also work with state Army National Guard and regional U.S. Army Reserve leadership to provide services to the Soldiers," Pitts said. "This community care will maintain the ongoing care and health care of Solders primarily using the TRICARE remote network."
While assigned to a CCU, Soldiers will receive care in the private sector and sometimes at a military hospital -- depending on where they live, their medical needs and facility/specialty care available. A transition coordinator will also be available to the Soldier to assist them with transition needs, such as career planning.
The establishment of CCUs is part of a force structure change within the Army's Warrior Transition Command, which is responsible for managing the care and recovery of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers. The WTC had nine Community-Based Warrior Transition Units scheduled for replacement by the CCUs.
CBWTUs provide Soldiers outpatient care management and transition services not provided on an Army installation. The CCUs are replacing CBWTUs due to the decline in the number of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers. At the start of 2014 the population of Soldiers in the WTB system decreased by almost 3,000. Approximately 1,377 Soldiers were using the CBWTU system. The Force Structure change does not require Soldiers to physically move or change their care plans.
Unlike Soldiers assigned to a post WTB, those assigned to a CCU will communication with their nurse case manager by phone or e-mail instead of desk side visits.
Pitts said that Soldiers assigned to a CCU will not only not only receive assistance from her dedicated staff, but also benefit from military hospital staff, the Warrior Transition Battalion Staff and installation resources to ensure that all Soldiers have the same experience of medical care that they would receive if they were assigned to an Army post.
Social Sharing