November marks Warrior Care Month, a joint-service event that recognizes Wounded Warriors.
According to the Army, 78 percent of the more than 20,000 wounded, ill and injured Soldiers currently assigned to the Army Wounded Warrior Command's 25 Warrior Transition Units were deployed to combat zones.
However, only about 5 percent of their wounds are associated with bullets and explosions.
Huntsville, Alabama native Staff Sgt. Patrick Henry, a Wounded Warrior assigned to the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville's Internal Review Office, can certainly attest to that.
As an Army Reservist with the 663rd Engineering Company, Sheffield, Alabama, Henry deployed to Afghanistan in February 2014 as a heavy equipment operator and was assigned to a unit training Afghan National Army soldiers on engineering equipment operation and projects. Henry said his injury occurred during routine daily operations.
"About five months in (the deployment), while we were doing our own convoy operations training, I went to lift a tow bar and had a shooting pain go down my leg and up my back," Henry recalls. "I went to see the medics and received some medicine for the pain and after a few days I was back to normal. Then, roughly a month later, I started having sharp pains in my leg and eventually part of my lower leg went numb."
At that point, it was determined Henry required care that wasn't available in theater. Henry was then flown to Germany for an MRI and further assessment at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
After receiving the results from the MRI, Henry said he was diagnosed with a herniated disc at the L5-S1 area of his spine. Henry was soon in surgery to remove a piece of the disk lodged between the vertebra and nerve.
Henry's deployment was over. Henry was a Wounded Warrior. He was soon on his way to Fort Gordon, Georgia, and placed in the Warrior Transition Unit there.
The Army's WTUs provide a standardized framework of care and support that includes medical appointments, physical rehabilitation, behavioral health care, adaptive reconditioning, internships and training. While "stationed" at Fort Gordon, Henry's time there was based on attending daily WTU formations and showing up for medical and physical therapy appointments.
For more than eight months Henry followed this routine. His family visited when they could. Henry missed home and was ready to get back to Huntsville.
Even though he was also having an issue with his shoulder, the Army was ready to accommodate Henry and provided him with orders to a Community Care Unit (CCU) at Fort Benning, Georgia, which services Reserve and Guard Soldiers living in Alabama.
Henry's care providers there focused on a path toward continued care and recovery. Although he was technically "stationed" at Fort Benning, Soldiers assigned to CCUs are allowed to return to their home communities and with the support of their Families, use the TRICARE network while continuing to receive the benefits of a WTU staff and access to Army installation resources to ensure that all Soldiers have the same experience across the Wounded Warrior program.
"Once my back was deemed capable, they started looking into my shoulder pain. I had another MRI that showed a bone spur rubbing a tendon and causing my pain. But my medical team knew I could receive good care for the problem under TRICARE in Huntsville and it was approved. I out-processed Fort Gordon and reported to the CCU in early April, and soon after that I was headed home to surprise my family," Henry said.
However, shortly after Henry was settled into his Huntsville home with his wife and family, he was back in the hospital for orthoscopic surgery to repair the shoulder. Only this time, he was under the care of a local civilian orthopedic surgeon and his post-surgery recovery was through a local physical therapy provider.
After several weeks of physical therapy and with his back and shoulder mended, Henry said he was feeling well enough to begin the reintegration process. Since Henry wouldn't be capable of taking on the physical nature of operating heavy construction machinery anytime soon, and since Wounded Warriors are still on the Army payroll, he knew he'd be taking on a new position for the Army.
After returning home to Huntsville, Henry went through the CCU to inquire about filling a position under Operation Warfighter (OWF), a Department of Defense program designed to allow recovering service members from all branches to intern at local federal agencies.
Since Henry had been in an Engineering Battalion, he figured the best opportunity for him would be to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville (Huntsville Center).
"It looked like a good fit," Henry recalls. "Huntsville Center was Corps of Engineers organization, and I was coming from an engineering unit."
For Lori Cordell-Meikle, Huntsville Center Internal Review (IR) director, the timing of Henry's request was perfect.
Around the same period of time as Henry's in processing to the CCU at Fort Benning (and subsequently returning to Huntsville), the IR office had restructured and she found herself short an auditor. That's when she began inquiring internally as to how she could receive personnel support while trying to back fill that position. In her research to fill the position, she became aware of the Wounded Warrior Program.
After she contacted the WWP and expressed interest in putting a Wounded Warrior to work, Cordell-Meikle said she began receiving resumes and setting up interviews with Soldiers, which included an interview with Henry in June.
Henry said during the interview Cordell-Meikle was straight forward about the requirements explaining what the usual processes are in auditing. She said it would be a good challenge for me, Henry said.
After informing him of the type of work an auditing office does, Cordell-Meikle said he expressed that he was very open to learning new skills and mentioned that he would be willing to enroll in some accounting classes on his own to prepare him for audit work.
"I was immediately impressed by Henry's drive and desire to get back to work," Cordell-Meikle said. "Even though he was convalescing, he still wanted to work to support the Army. Knowing that he was accustomed to following Army Standards and Regulations, I thought it would be a good fit."
Cordell-Meikle hired Henry and Henry hit the ground running, demonstrating a natural ability not only in understanding mission objectives for internal review but also the ability to execute audit related duties.
"I can honestly say that I made the absolute right choice," Cordell-Meikle said. "He has gone above and beyond the call of duty familiarizing himself with statutory and regulatory requirements of our office. "His thirst and drive have become invaluable to the success of internal review."
Although Henry is receiving accolades for his work in IR, he said going from operating heavy equipment to auditing has been an adjustment.
"I do miss being outdoors and being able to see my accomplishments at the end of the day," Henry said. "But I know that what I am doing here has bigger purpose, and I'll take that as a win any time."
Henry has been such a good fit that Cordell-Meikle plans to keep him full-time. A few months after Henry began working for her, she put in a Position Order Request through the Personnel Force Innovation program that matches Guard and Reserve service members with defense agencies, providing the agencies a means to fill critical work force needs.
The request was approved and Cordell-Meikle is taking the required steps to bring Henry on board as an active duty Soldier working for Huntsville Center IR once he is medically released by his physicians from the WWP.
Henry said the entire process to continue his Army career through the WWP has been seamless, and his WTU was instrumental in allowing him to continue to serve his country.
"The WTU is there to help you meet whatever goals that you have set," Henry said. "If your goal is to medically retire, they will work to get the best outcome and to make sure you get all of your benefits. If you are capable and willing to put in the work to rehabilitate and return to duty, that is what they will push for. Either way, you are informed regarding what benefits you qualify for and they assist you in returning to your Army career or getting a job as a civilian. There are so many tools they provide to you to ensure your success: whether as a Soldier or civilian."
Henry said the bottom line is that his Army career has opened doors for him even after sustaining his injuries.
"The Army has gotten their fair share from me," Henry said. "I've deployed to harsh locations and spent time away my family, and I injured myself serving my country in a war zone. But the Army provided for me too. The life experience I got from being in the military can't be found anywhere else. After I joined the Army Reserve, I got a civilian job based on my military training. The leadership skills I gained from Army education and training placed me in supervisory positions on the military side. Even when I was not on (active duty) orders, my family healthcare was affordable, and I can attend college for free (through the Post 9-11 G.I. Bill)."
With eight years left until he's retirement eligible, Henry said he plans on re-enlisting soon and hopes to stay with Huntsville Center for quite some time. He is enrolled at Calhoun Community College taking accounting courses he needs for his position in IR. He said he plans to parlay those courses into a four-year degree in business while continuing to push through his military career.
"If I had it to do all over again, knowing what all I would go through, I would certainly do it," Henry said. "I do not plan on leaving the Army any time soon."
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