FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Recognizing sacrifices wounded warriors and their Families make, John Stankey, president and chief executive officer of AT&T, presented a $500,000 check July 14 to the Returning Heroes Home organization to fund a learning center at the Warrior and Family Support Center for returning service members injured in war.
"What we've accomplished here is a small down payment on the debt that we owe to the brave warriors who put their lives on the line to protect us," said Steve Huffman, president and chief executive officer of Huffman Developments, a Texas corporation specializing in the development of health care, real estate, and Returning Heroes Home president.
"AT&T is one of the largest supporters of this project. Their willingness to underwrite the cost of the education center will make a permanent, positive impact on the brave wounded warriors and their spouses as they reintegrate into mainstream America. The training and education they receive enables them to undertake new jobs and financial stability at a very critical junction in their lives," Huffman said.
WFSC, located at Fort Sam Houston, provides injured servicemen and women a home-like atmosphere outside the hospital environment. The 12,000-square-foot building opened late 2008.
The learning center, inside the WFSC, is equipped with 24 computers giving service members and their Families access to online college courses, resume writing classes, career opportunities and general use of the Internet. It will also provide space for job fairs and employment workshops.
"The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten," said Senator Leticia Van De Putte, quoting former President Calvin Coolidge. "We're very proud to be in Texas. We have a wonderful culture of service to our country where generation after generation of men and women have answered the call."
According to Van De Putte, Texas has the largest veteran population, 1.8 million. But, she said, the more impressive number is the 240,000 men and women who have seen combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. "That's 12 percent of the total, even though our population is only eight percent of the United States.
For many Soldiers the sacrifice may have been an arm or leg or both. For some, you may never even see their wounds. These warriors are wounded, but they are not broken. Their fight does not end in Iraq or Afghanistan, they fight here every day to learn how to walk with new legs, how to brush their teeth with a new arm or hand, or relearn how to say 'I love you,'" Van De Putte said.
"Remembering our Soldiers is more than just that moment of silence on Memorial Day."
She said the investment in the learning center is one way of saying thank you for Soldiers' sacrifices for their country.
"We think when people are injured, it's just the person who is injured, but it's not. It's the entire community around that person and it's the Family that supports them," State Representative, (District 120,) Ruth McClendon said.
"I know your goal was to provide a home away from home, a place where veterans and their Families reconnect their lives. You have really succeeded in your mission," McClendon said, lauding WFSC staff, volunteers, and AT&T for giving Soldiers and Families the tools to build new lives.
"We've always had a long affiliation with the military," Stankey said, citing quite a few veterans and retired individuals connected with AT&T.
"We've done it through charitable contributions, sponsorships, hiring military veterans and maintaining policies that support reservists called to duty."
Stankey enumerated the contributions AT&T has made since 2000, including $8 million dollars of pre-paid phone cards, and $6 million in grants that support military members in related non-profit organizations such as the United Service Organizations. He also mentioned the 70 call centers built for the military in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.
"Today we're here to celebrate the opening of the learning center for returning service members who have been injured in war," Stankey said. "We owe them the opportunity to integrate and contribute back to society in a graceful fashion."
After his remarks, Stankey presented the check to Huffman, Les Huffman and fellow RHH board members Curtis Beauchamp and Shawn Huffman.
"It's the most special place that I've seen in a long, long time," said Ivan Tandal, who traveled from Hawaii to visit his son, Isaac, wounded in Iraq. "I've been here a couple of weeks and have seen what they do for the wounded warriors."
"It gives us hope. There are a lot of good things this place does," said Army Sgt. Isaac Tandal, a reservist with the Hawaii National Guard, A Troop 299 Cavalry, 29th Brigade Combat Team.
"The computers are awesome! Everything here is awesome; I didn't know something like this existed for recovering Soldiers."
Tandal said he has already used the computers for communicating with Family, doing online courses and for recreational purposes. He also said it was good to have his dad with him while he heals.
"It's so much better than being by myself."
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