Warrior Care Month - November 2009

What is it'

Warrior Care Month is a concerted effort by the Army's Warrior Transition Command (WTC) to educate wounded, ill,and injured Soldiers and their families about the transition assistance programs available to them during and after their assignment to a Warrior Transition Unit (WTU)-or as an Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Soldier. Throughout November, WTUs and AW2 will be conducting a variety of local events and activities to educate and motivate Warriors in Transition (WTs) to take advantage of education, employment and internship opportunities that promote a successful transition back to duty or into civilian life as a productive veteran.

What has the Army done'

Over the past two years, the Army has transformed its approach to Warrior Care by implementing a network of WTUs on Army posts, and community-based WTUs around the country that provide dedicated leadership and outpatient care management to wounded, ill and injured Soldiers. For severely injured/ill Soldiers and their families, AW2 provides a personal advocate that interacts with the community to establish support networks and helps each Soldier pursue education and employment opportunities in his or her community after separation.

What has the Army planned for the future'

The Army is focusing on the transition aspect of Warrior Care, which emphasizes capabilities-not disabilities-of transitioning Warriors:
- The Army is implementing a Comprehensive Transition Plan (CTP) for each WT, which provides a personal roadmap for recovery and transition and helps Soldiers and families position themselves for success in the next phase of their lives.
- The Army is working with universities, the private sector and other government agencies to provide special employment, education and internship opportunities to WTs.
- The Army is implementing enhancements to the Medical Evaluation Board/Physical Evaluation Board processes that will result in greater efficiency and more opportunities for continued service in uniform.
- The Army is participating in the Disability Evaluation System (DES) Pilot program that creates a single medical evaluation recognized by both the DoD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The pilot is resulting in more consistent disability ratings and reduction in the amount of time it takes for a Soldier to receive benefits.

Why is it important to the Army'

By setting personal goals and achieving success, WTs and their families emerge from their treatment and rehabilitation with additional skills and a positive attitude to continue to serve-either in uniform or as a productive veteran.

Resources:

Army's Warrior Transition Command

Warrior Care News

Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2)