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By MAJ Marc Hoffmeister, AW2 Soldier I’ve always loved the outdoors. I used to spend all of my free time climbing in the back country or dreaming about climbing the big peaks. I stopped dreaming the day the enemy got lucky and I earned a purple heart. Until I realized that only the circumstances have changed and I can adapt. Next year, I intend to climb 20,320 foot Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, in the company of likeminded wounded warriors. It wouldn’t be an easy task if our bodies were fully intact, so I’m anticipating this climb to have a few challenges in wait for us. A year ago, while operating in Al Hillah, Iraq embedded with the Iraqi Army, a roadside bomb ripped through my HMMWV. The explosively formed penetrator tore through all of us in the truck. We survived because the rest of my men did everything right, but I lost effective use of my left arm and hand. Despite our survival, life has changed for us all, in both mind and body. We became casualties of war. I bear this title proudly. I have no regrets and I have no anger at the enemy or frustration with the war. I know we’ve made a difference and I accept my sacrifices. But I will not accept my wounds as a reason to forego my dreams. My arm may no longer perform as it once did, but my spirit will overcome that obstacle. I had promised my wife many years ago that we would find a way to climb Denali. This wasn’t quite the method I had intended, but perhaps someone up there had a plan all along. It’s been a tough year but now it’s time to turn misfortune into opportunity, and not just for me. I will be joined by three other Wounded Warriors who have faced and overcome the limitations of there injuries. This mission is not for anyone. You need to be physically adapted, trained and mentally prepared to meet the rigors of the mountain. This will also require a team effort. Together we will reach the summit. Please go to our website for more details on the expedition: http://www.theveteranscoalition.org/operation_denali
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Last week, AW2 Advocates from around the country came together for a week of intensive education and collaboration, at the AW2 Advocate Annual Training. Here is more about the training from two AW2 Advocates, Ayandria Barry and Regina Webb: By Ayandria Barry Northeast Region AW2 Advocate The AW2 Advocate training last week was awesome and made me realize how far our program has come in just four years! I was one of the first four AW2 staff members and being here from the beginning, I’ve seen how much this program has grown and continues to grow to work for the wounded Soldiers and their Families. From our humble beginnings to now, our staff has grown from four to over 100 and we are still growing!
The AW2 Advocate Training is just one way that leadership provides us with the knowledge and tools we need to navigate through the red tape and get the job done for our Soldiers and their Families. During my time at AW2 I have seen our resources evolve to include a complex database, a Strategic Communication division that sends out wonderful literature and newsletters to both the staff and the Soldiers, and a Human Resources cell that provides us with support, feedback and solutions. This is all a testament to AW2’s continued progress. To the new evolving AW2 Trainings… Keep up the good work!!!! Hooha! By Regina Webb
Northeast Team Advocate "I am AW2"
On behalf of the Northeast Team at Headquarters, I would like to say thanks to everyone for their valuable contributions at our recent annual training, held in Alexandria, VA. I very much appreciated all the information and knowledge shared during our breakout session with the Region Teams. The information gained during these sessions will serve as additional tools to continue the support we provide to our AW2 Soldier's and Family members. I trust that you enjoyed your time at the training and I certainly look forward to working with each of you as we continue to give our very best to our population.
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By Colonel Jim Rice, Director of the Army Wounded Warrior Program
I am proud to announce that April 30, 2008 marks AW2’s fourth anniversary of serving severely wounded, injured, and ill Soldiers and their Families. As you may know, the program was established on April 30, 2004 and was originally known as the Disabled Soldier Support System (DS3). In the four short years since then, we have made great strides in the services we provide Soldiers and Family members. So often, success is measured by statistics – numbers served, benefits obtained, jobs filled, or website hits. Yes, these things matter for AW2, but our success really comes from the personal things we do for our Soldiers and their loved ones to help them through overwhelming and difficult times. AW2 Advocates are a constant source of support and comfort to those who have given so much to our country. As one AW2 mother shared recently, “We need someone there we know we can trust. AW2 is there.” Our program is continually evolving to best meet the needs of our Soldiers and Families. For example, just this week we announced a new name for our “Soldier Family Management Specialists.” They will be called “AW2 Advocates.” When we asked for feedback we discovered that the old name is both difficult to say and to remember and the name AW2 Advocate better describes the work these people do, helping Soldiers and Families every single day. I want to thank the entire AW2 team for all of their incredible work over the past four years and their continued commitment to our mission. While we are honoring AW2’s four-year anniversary, we are not stopping or looking backward. AW2 remains focused on our pledge to serve our Soldiers and Families for as long as it takes.
Below are some photos from an AW2 anniversary recognition event earlier in the week:
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Do you have suggestions for ways the Army, the Department of Defense, or Congress can improve care for Wounded Warriors? If so, we want to hear from you! This year, for the fourth year in a row, you have the opportunity to affect change in the policies, procedures, regulations and legislation related to wounded warrior care. All you need to do is submit your issues to the 4th Annual AW2 Symposium. I am MAJ Deb Cisney of the Illinois Army National Guard. I have been honored to serve you as a member of the AW2 Operations Staff for the last two years. My focus is on ensuring the systemic issues AW2 Soldiers and Families have identified are brought to the attention of, and addressed by, senior leaders throughout our Army-including the Guard and Reserves, the Department of Defense, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congress. Being a simple, country girl from the cornfields of south-central Illinois, I, like many of you, always figured my personal opinion didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. What I have learned and seen first-hand, though, is that our opinions do matter. Our Government is listening…and our Nation is listening! AW2 Symposium issues and recommendations related to medical hold and medical holdover significantly contributed to the creation and design of the Army’s new Warrior Transition Units (WTU) and Soldier Family Assistance Centers (SFAC). AW2 Symposium recommendations have also made important contributions to new legislation that benefit our wounded Soldiers. An example is legislation that increased the maximum amount for the VA housing accommodation. It is not too late to tell us “where to go.” Go to http://aw2portal.com/IssuesForm.aspx to submit your issues and recommendations. Let your voice be heard! I SALUTE YOU!! - Deb Cisney, AW2 Operations
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My Name is Justin Callahan and I am a retired Army NCO and an
AW2 Soldier. On January 15, 2004, I was wounded while conducting a patrol in Afghanistan. I
lost my left leg as a result of a land mine, spent four short months at Walter Reed
Army Medical
Center then walked out of
the hospital and continued to move forward.
During my rehabilitation at Walter Reed, I was very
fortunate to meet a very successful business person and more importantly a true
American Patriot by the name of John Bardis.
At the time I crossed paths with John, I had no clue what my plans where
going to be after I left the Army. John
and I had become good friends and he assured me that I had a job waiting for me
with his company as soon as I was ready to go to work.
I was retired from the Army in early September, and on
September 15, 2004, I packed my bags and took a chance not knowing what was
ahead in the civilian workforce. I drove from my home in Upstate New York all
the way to Atlanta Georgia to pursue an opportunity
with Mr. Bardis’ Company. During the
next few years only good things happened
The transition from the military into the civilian sector was
a little awkward at first, but because I was surrounded by great people, I
learned a lot and with the values and experiences that the Army had given me, I
continued to excel and grow. John Bardis
had always spoken of his desire to continue to help other veterans that had
been wounded and in January, 2007 he brought the concept of Hire Heroes USA to
the table. The mission, to allow other wounded warriors and their spouses to
have the same career opportunities that I was so fortunate to be given. In late
June Hire Heroes USA www.hireheroesusa.org
became fully operational.
Hire Heroes USA is a national nonprofit organization that
provides career placement assistance to disabled veterans with a focus on
returning OEF / OIF veterans and their spouses.
We do this through a personal approach working for the veteran to find
and or create employment opportunities that are a good fit for not only the
veteran, but for the employer as well.
This is about the veteran, and we want to make sure that the veteran not
only just has a job, but a good one! There are so many extremely patriotic,
successful business people out there in all industries that want to help
provide these opportunities to the men and women that have served as well as
their families, and we have partnered with the ones that will go the extra mile
to make it happen!
If
you are interested in learning more about Hire Heroes USA, please feel free to
contact me at any time through email at jcallahan@hireheroesusa.org.
—Justin Callahan, Director of Veterans Relations, Hire Heroes USA
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Officially, I have recovered, according to the experts, that is. I know and have come to grips with the fact that I may never be 100 percent again, at least not physically. But I’m here, still in the Army and still serving Soldiers. The last thing I wanted to hear coming off of life support, from a drug-induced coma, is someone explaining the medical board process and retirement. Any attempt at professional tact through rational thought quickly developed into an immediate and abrasive animosity to those who were telling me I had to “get out.”
The Soldier Family Management Specialist from the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (formerly DS3 in 2004) was there to help me and my family. Being fairly independent as I worked on my recovery, I purposely kept myself at a comfortable distance, even from my SFMS. I felt that “staying under the radar” was the best course of action.
It became a bit more difficult remaining “under the radar” after be reassigned from Combat Arms to Career Advisor at Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va. I could no longer maintain a “low heat signature” after I met Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgersen of the Army’s Wounded Warrior Program. At the conclusion of one of his briefings he reopened a door to AW2 for me which I had long since closed.
I have worked extremely hard to recover from my injuries; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Over 30 surgeries later I have recovered to the point to where there’s no chance of being medically retired. I am still quite independent but have now reconnected with my SFMS. It’s reassuring knowing that I have a group of people to support me and no longer need to do it all by myself.
Most importantly, as an advocate for severely wounded Soldiers, AW2 has given me a voice. I’m honored to represent any Soldier who has gone through what I have, and I try to do whatever I can for any wounded Soldier I meet. It’s important that every Soldier understand that is exactly what AW2 does as well.
In closing, I urge all those who have been wounded to seek assistance from AW2 regardless of their situation and injuries. Do not “stay under the radar.” AW2 is there to help you and your families overcome obstacles and reach your goals by providing the necessary care, support and respect that you deserve. —Sgt. 1st Class Jarrett Jongema
Note from Ayandria Barry, SFMS, Northeast Team: A few months ago I received a note on my desk from SGM Jurgersen-AW2 SGM, stating that I needed to contact this Soldier and take care of him. I got in touch with SFC Jongema and the first thing he told me was “I want to stay in the military and serve my country.” I totally understood where he was coming from in “staying under the radar”. Before AW2 was established on 30 April 04, many severely wounded Soldiers chose to “stay under the radar” for fear or ending their military careers. Now we have reconnected with numerous Soldiers, such as SFC Jongema, who were under the radar, and assisted them in their future endeavors.
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To the AW2 staff, I just wanted to take a few minutes to wish you and your families a happy Easter and thank you for all you do on a daily basis. As I returned to my desk last evening and was catching up on the day’s activities I was reminded of just how great an organization we really have. Sometimes it’s simply amazing to see the amount of work that happens on a daily basis, not only at headquarters but also across our country. There’s no way that I can capture everything on one page. But this week, and especially yesterday, it reminded me of a reality we really don’t talk about much, our Soldiers who pass away. One e-mail I received last evening was an update on an AW2 Soldier who’s very ill and whose life expectancy is unknown. A Soldier Family Management Specialist and the Operations staff had been working on this case for quite some time. The Soldier was supposed to be placed on the Temporarily Disabled Retirement List today, but instead it was postponed for 30 days to allow the Soldier to submit a packet for the Standby Advisory Board for Promotion. Doing so will provide the Soldier a chance to be considered for promotion to Sgt. 1st. Class before retiring. People asked why this was so important. It was not about the money, but as we stated, it was about the emotional factor. It was the right thing to do for the pride of Soldier. When I checked my phone messages there was a message from a SFMS who had been working with Operations to facilitate the promotion. When I returned the call I could tell she was exhausted, but as she said, “seeing that Soldier, who knows he will probably not live another week, be promoted to Sergeant 1st Class, with tears in his eyes, made it all worthwhile.” Every once in awhile, I get an e-mail from a SFMS stating one of their Soldiers has died, and I can always read the emotion in the e-mail. But I find comfort in knowing that our people are with them and their Family the entire time. A lot of good things are happening in AW2, from our Contact Center, Strategic Communications and Operations to our SFMSs and Headquarters staff. Thank you to all of our contractors, civilians and military personnel. We are making a difference, even if it’s one Soldier and Family at a time. Respectfully, —SGM Brent Jurgersen
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This job is really rewarding, especially whenever I’m able to assist a Soldier in need. We’re not a typical call center, only waiting to hear from our Soldiers. I think of us as an “outreach” center. We’re constantly calling the AW2 Soldiers, just to keep their information up-to-date; to ensure our Soldier Family Management Specialists have the most accurate information. We perform surveys to learn how we can improve AW2, we reach out to find delegates for the AW2 symposiums and we call when we hear of an emergency. During the Californian wildfires or the tornadoes in Tennessee we called all the AW2 Families in those areas to make sure they were OK, and to send a helping hand if they needed it. One Soldier had his home destroyed and our staff was on the spot to help. We also hear from Soldiers who think they may be eligible for our program, caregivers who need information to care for their wounded Soldier and from the good-hearted American people who do all they can to support our troops. Some Soldiers, especially those with PTSD, really appreciate our calls, even if it’s just to update their contact information. They feel like you care, and sometimes they need someone to talk to, and we always take the time to listen. I called one Soldier on his birthday (I noticed the date on his record) and said “Happy Birthday!” He really appreciated it. I may have been the only person to call him and wish him a happy birthday. Sometimes we try to call a Soldier and they’re no longer there, then we really have to be detectives. One case I remember was when a Soldier Family Management Specialist couldn’t contact a Soldier and turned to us for help. I tried to contact the Soldier myself and learned his phone was disconnected. I found his grandparents’ phone number and called them. They called the Soldier’s parents who went to find their son. He’d lost his apartment and was homeless. His SFMS was put back in touch with him and helped him get on his feet again. We were able to take over this task from the SFMS so he’d be free to assist his other Soldiers and not spend all his time tracking down one person. It becomes real to you when you hear these sorts of personal stories. I’m proud to be working for a program like this. —Sylvia Farmer supervises the AW2 Call Center team in Alexandria, Va.
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We have listened and heard what you had to say! We appreciate all of your useful feedback through web surveys, phone interviews, and focus groups and we are putting the information to good use. AW2 wants you to be in the know, and therefore, the communications team plans to provide you with the tools and resources to help you. While several new tools will be developed over the next several months, some changes are already happening. In January 2008, we unveiled two new electronic newsletters, The Wounded Warrior that is sent to Soldiers their Families monthly and The Advocate for our Soldier Family Management Specialists on a bi-monthly basis. These newsletters are part of AW2’s goal to foster awareness about the program, inform you about our direction on new and existing initiatives, and create synergy among groups. The newsletters include updates on AW2’s strategic initiatives, global overview, insights, articles with a view from the field; spotlights on fellow wounded warriors; tips on navigating the VA and regional/local resources; and exciting employment opportunities and legislative updates. A note to our newsletter subscribers: This is YOUR newsletter, and it is only as good as we make it—we are a team! The newsletter staff will be represented by individuals across AW2. Please email our newsletter editor at AW2STRATCOM@us.army.mil with your comments and article suggestions.
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By Meredith Myers, U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program
There once was a man who ran a sandwich shop. Profits weren’t quite where the man would have liked them to be, so to cut costs he stopped giving out a pickle with each sandwich. This disappointed one of his loyal customers so much that he wrote the man a letter asking that a pickle again be included with his sandwich order. The letter moved the shop owner so much that he proclaimed to his staff, “We have to give all the customers the pickle!”
This story is the humorous inspiration behind Linda Gillespie-Gateley’s creation of the Pickle Award. Linda is the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom manager at the Puget Sound region and wanted a way to recognize those who had gone the extra mile. At a staff meeting one day she showed up with a big jar of pickles and a trophy with a boxer holding a pickle over his head. Linda declared that this new Pickle Award would be a fun, yet sincere, way to recognize the great work being done. Linda did not limit the potential recipients of the award to VA personnel, and recently chose to honor AW2 Soldier Family Management Specialist Leann Stephens with the illustrious Pickle Award.
Leann was recognized for the hard work and extra effort she puts into her job in the AW2 program. She was nominated by her peers within the VA at Puget Sound to receive the Pickle Award for outstanding customer service. Specifically, the VA chose to recognize her for the time and attention she devoted as an advocate for a severely injured Soldier in the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Lewis. Her efforts saved this Soldier from receiving a less than honorable discharge and will enable him to access much needed healthcare within the VA.
In a program where it’s our job to fill in the gaps, to advocate for what is right, and try to be the web that catches the folks who might fall through the cracks, it can be difficult to get recognition for the good work that gets done. And in all honesty, most of the caring professionals that end up in this job are not glory seekers, or ones to blow their own horns. They tend to be pretty humble about the services they provide and deflect the praise that might come. Leann Stephens is no exception to that rule. She is motivated by her deep and abiding care and concern for Soldiers and their families. She works for the best outcome possible, given the very difficult and unanticipated situations surrounding the lives of severely wounded Soldiers and Family members. Bottom line: Leann is trying to do whatever she can to make things better.
Thank you to Linda for honoring Leann, and thank you, Leann, for the great work that you do. Be part of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program conversation. _____________________________________________________
U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Blog Guidelines
Review and editing To keep the blog stimulating, relevant, appropriate and on topic the blog editor will review all postings and comments during regular business hours. Submissions outside of business hours will be reviewed and posted as quickly as possible. Inappropriate, abusive or off-topic posts will not be published. AW2 may also edit for clarity and length.
Play Fair
Respect each other. AW2 will not publish comments containing personal attacks of any kind. Posts that refer to Army personnel or Soldiers by name, contain offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups, vulgar language, spam, or posts that promote services or products will not be published.
Welcome Opposing Opinions How interesting would blogs be if they only published comments agreeing with previous postings? Critique, disagree and argue the ideas, but don’t criticize other bloggers personally.
Blogs are Public
Do not post comments that you don’t want others to read. The AW2 blog is open to anyone. Protect your privacy, and the privacy of others, by not including phone numbers or e-mail addresses in your comments.
If you have questions, or for more information, contact the blog editor at AW2blog@conus.army.mil
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Yeah, friends and Family,” that’s how my fellow AW2 Soldier Family Management Specialists (SFMS) think of all of you, “friends and Family.” This is Larry Rivera, AW2’s SFMS in New York City, and I have the privilege of serving you and your Family alongside some of the most distinguished and accomplished Soldier/Family advocates in the world. I bet you just asked yourself, “Who are these folks?” and “Where did they come from?” Well, I’m proud to tell you that my fellow SFMS team members were all selected from among the very best of Soldiers, veterans and government contractors. On our SFMS team we have Soldiers of various ranks from the active, reserve and National Guard components. We have educators, licensed practitioners, administrators and business managers too. We’re also fortunate to have on the team AW2 Family members who walk in your shoes every day, and teach the rest of us what it takes to be as courageous as you are. And behind each SFMS is a dynamic headquarters team reflective of all our military services, civilian trades and predisposed to engage problems and reinforce solutions. We ask for our Soldiers to be as bold in their recovery as they were in service to our country and for you to take comfort in knowing that wherever an AW2 Soldier or Family is, an SFMS with all kinds of resources is there too. With deliberate intent SFMS team members have been embedded in critical over-watch locations and facilities across the nation. A message to our Soldiers: We want you to rest in confidence knowing that your AW2 team is at the vanguard of your recovery, in service to you, your Family and your buddies. Hooah!
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Be part of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program conversation. U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Blog Guidelines
Review and editing To keep the blog stimulating, relevant, appropriate and on topic the blog editor will review all postings and comments during regular business hours. Submissions outside of business hours will be reviewed and posted as quickly as possible. Inappropriate, abusive or off-topic posts will not be published. AW2 may also edit for clarity and length.
Play Fair Respect each other. AW2 will not publish comments containing personal attacks of any kind. Posts that refer to Army personnel or Soldiers by name, contain offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups, vulgar language, spam, or posts that promote services or products will not be published. Welcome Opposing Opinions How interesting would blogs be if they only published comments agreeing with previous postings? Critique, disagree and argue the ideas, but don’t criticize other bloggers personally.
Blogs are Public Do not post comments that you don’t want others to read. The AW2 blog is open to anyone. Protect your privacy, and the privacy of others, by not including phone numbers or e-mail addresses in your comments. Be part of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program conversation. U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Blog Guidelines
Review and editing To keep the blog stimulating, relevant, appropriate and on topic the blog editor will review all postings and comments during regular business hours. Submissions outside of business hours will be reviewed and posted as quickly as possible. Inappropriate, abusive or off-topic posts will not be published. AW2 may also edit for clarity and length.
Play Fair Respect each other. AW2 will not publish comments containing personal attacks of any kind. Posts that refer to Army personnel or Soldiers by name, contain offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups, vulgar language, spam, or posts that promote services or products will not be published. Welcome Opposing Opinions How interesting would blogs be if they only published comments agreeing with previous postings? Critique, disagree and argue the ideas, but don’t criticize other bloggers personally.
Blogs are Public Do not post comments that you don’t want others to read. The AW2 blog is open to anyone. Protect your privacy, and the privacy of others, by not including phone numbers or e-mail addresses in your comments.
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Hello, my name is Teha Kennard and I’m the communications coordinator for the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program. One of the best parts of working with AW2 is interacting with wonderful people who want to help severely wounded Soldiers and their Families. In today’s society, where nobody seems to have enough time in the day, it’s heartening to hear from so many people who want to support Soldiers who have been severely injured while serving our country in the Global War on Terror. On Dec. 4 I was honored to be a part of a tremendous gesture of goodwill for the Soldiers and their Families at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. A group of New York City firefighters, Port Authority police officers and the Brooklyn Key Chapter of Ex-POWs of World War II got up at 4 a.m. to ride in a caravan of buses five hours to WRAMC. The group brought hundreds of handmade scarves, hats, blankets, NYFD T-shirts and hats, and four American flags that flew over Ground Zero after 9-11. The group was coordinated by Lynda Thompson, NYFD community coordinator, who collected donations from all over the country. The group spent most of the day greeting Soldiers, Family members and staff, and distributing gift items at WRAMC’s hospital ward and two rehabilitation homes—the Mologne House and Fisher House. There was an aura of mutual respect between the Soldiers, firefighters and ex-POWs as they exchanged stories of their past experiences and heroics. One of the NYC firefighters even gave a Soldier the jacket off his back after the Soldier admired it. It was a long day for the group from New York City who didn’t get home until 10 p.m. But they said it was well worth it, for the experience of bringing the Soldiers some holiday cheer and being able to personally thank them for their commitment and bravery to our country. Personally, it was an inspirational experience to work with such a giving group of people who served as a reminder of the true spirit of the holiday season.
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Be part of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program conversation. U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Blog Guidelines
Review and editing To keep the blog stimulating, relevant, appropriate and on topic the blog editor will review all postings and comments during regular business hours. Submissions outside of business hours will be reviewed and posted as quickly as possible. Inappropriate, abusive or off-topic posts will not be published. AW2 may also edit for clarity and length.
Play Fair Respect each other. AW2 will not publish comments containing personal attacks of any kind. Posts that refer to Army personnel or Soldiers by name, contain offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups, vulgar language, spam, or posts that promote services or products will not be published. Welcome Opposing Opinions How interesting would blogs be if they only published comments agreeing with previous postings? Critique, disagree and argue the ideas, but don’t criticize other bloggers personally.
Blogs are Public Do not post comments that you don’t want others to read. The AW2 blog is open to anyone. Protect your privacy, and the privacy of others, by not including phone numbers or e-mail addresses in your comments.
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My name is Colonel Jim Rice, Director of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) Program. The most important thing I want to tell you is that we are here for the most severely wounded Soldiers and their Families whenever they need us, for as long as it takes. I am happy to introduce this new source of information to you all. Our new blog will provide you with the most up-to-date happenings in the AW2 community. Plus, it will give you the opportunity to give us your feedback by posting comments to the blog. There is a lot going on with the AW2 program and I look forward to telling you about it in this blog. Did you know the AW2 program provides personalized recovery for over 2,300 severely wounded, injured or ill Soldiers and their Families? At AW2, we live by the warrior ethos and will never leave a fallen Comrade, we promise to be there for our Soldiers throughout their lifetime, wherever they are located. Good things are happening all over the country and more people are learning about our valuable program. Just last month several of our Soldiers participated in the New York City Veterans Day Parade, riding on a fire truck with members of the NYC Fire Department. And, several AW2 Soldiers participated in the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation "Stand up for Heroes Event," also in New York City. Do you follow the John Boy and Billy Show? SGM Jurgersen and I just finished a guest spot on their show where we talked about how AW2 helps severely injured Soldiers and their Families. The John Boy & Billy radio show is broadcast on more than 75 radio stations in 19 states, we were so excited for this opportunity. (click here to listen to the interview) There is so much more I want to tell you about the AW2 Program. Make sure you check the AW2 blog weekly so you don't miss a thing. And, make sure you watch for guest writers on the blog. Expect to hear updates from Soldier Family Management Specialists and other team members who work on the AW2 program. As always, we want to hear from you. Please share your comments and suggestions through our new blog. Very Respectfully, COL Jim Rice Director, U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program
Be part of the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program conversation.
U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program Blog Guidelines
Review and editing To keep the blog stimulating, relevant, appropriate and on topic the blog editor will review all postings and comments during regular business hours. Submissions outside of business hours will be reviewed and posted as quickly as possible. Inappropriate, abusive or off-topic posts will not be published. AW2 may also edit for clarity and length.
Play Fair
Respect each other. AW2 will not publish comments containing personal attacks of any kind. Posts that refer to Army personnel or Soldiers by name, contain offensive terms that target specific ethnic or racial groups, vulgar language, spam, or posts that promote services or products will not be published.
Welcome Opposing Opinions How interesting would blogs be if they only published comments agreeing with previous postings? Critique, disagree and argue the ideas, but don’t criticize other bloggers personally.
Blogs are Public
Do not post comments that you don’t want others to read. The AW2 blog is open to anyone. Protect your privacy, and the privacy of others, by not including phone numbers or e-mail addresses in your comments.
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