Burdette-Taylor, M. (2012). Wounded warrior project
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Burdette-Taylor, M. (2012). Wounded warrior project. Nevada RNformation, 21(3), 11. Thanks to many educated and experienced people, it is possible to provide projects and programs to the dedicated men and women who serve our country. A certain woman who was more experienced than most tells the story of an upbringing of a specific program designed to encourage participation in athletic and artistic camps and events for our wounded warriors and their families. Army Nurse and Navy Wife, Michele Burdette-Taylor, says that she has a broad knowledge of the concerns and issues of men and women who have been injured serving our country. Growing up as an “Army Brat”, Burdette-Taylor is very ingrained in various military procedures. She spent one year on active duty as a community based nurse case manager for wounded warriors. She also completed an investigation on the quality of life and post-stress trauma. (Burdette-Taylor, 2012, p.3). A national organization offered to all wounded warriors from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Wounded Warrior Project, is based in Washington, D.C. The program encourages participation in many types of camps and events for wounded warriors (Burdette-Taylor, 2012, p.3). In California, a three day event called the Southern California warrior bike ride was held. Bike mechanics, photographers, and security all took part in the event. Meals were also provided as part of the program. Three, one-day bike rides were provided in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and San Diego. Bringing awareness of soldier issues and raise funds, Warrior Bike Rides were provided throughout the United States. As medical support in the 2009 event, Michele Burdette-Taylor negotiated with WWP’s director and decided to ride with the wounded warriors. Many of the participants were wounded with traumatic brain injury, burns, post-stress trauma and amputations and were in need of assistance. This project was the first opportunity to interact with the wounded warriors from OEF and OIF. It was also the first time “meet and greet” was offered (Burdette-Taylor, 2012, p.3). In Alexandria, case managers care for wounded warriors throughout the United States at the Army Wounded Warrior Program. In a community based warrior transition unit, smooth transitioning from a Military Treatment Facility to a community based setting is completed. The warriors are able to be with their families but also receive appropriate treatment. Medical and psychological care comes from Military Medical Treatment Facility. U.S. Army Reservists and National Guard Nurse Corps are recruited to provide nurse case management to 40,000 injured warriors. The goal of the nurse case manager force is to oversee the medical care interventions for wounded warriors. Michele Burdette-Taylor received a 365 day order to join the nurse case manager force in 2011. She worked with military and civilian providers to address needs of every individual soldier. Obtaining all necessary services needed to facilitate that soldier to return as a productive member of society was the main focus (Burdette-Taylor, 2012, p.3). Michele Burdette-Taylor was a wonderful woman to speak of her experiences through Wounded Warrior. Fortunately, she is not the only person who is this dedicated to the program. The Southern California Warrior Bike Ride was a great idea to bring the outside world in to interact with the wounded warriors in an activity the participants could enjoy. This program, along with Michele Burdette-Taylor, did an outstanding job of including wounded warriors and providing rehabilitation offers to improve their previous lifestyles. Through the bike riding program, a leisure possibility was presented. Also, the community based warrior transition unit offers possibilities and activities of recreation (Burdette-Taylor, 2012, p.3). From this article, any reader can understand that there are people in the world who have experienced situations as these warriors. Fletcher, B. (2012). Empowering wounded warriors to established a 'new normal.' Soldiers. 67(1), 38. In 2012, Dan Schnock established a program called “Soldier Ride”. This Wounded Warrior Project was designed to help the newest generation of wounded warriors in the restoration of their physical and emotional well-being. Forty-eight wounded warriors participated in the first Wounded Warrior European Soldier Ride. Rehabilitative cycling opportunities were provided through this event to warriors from the United States, Germany, and Romania. The goal of the event was to help participants continuously rebuild their strength and confidence within a supportive environment (Fletcher, 2012, p. 1). Schnock said the principle of this program is to serve as a catalyst for the empowerment of wounded service members. He says the program gives soldiers a chance to see it is possible for them to accomplish things even with a disability because their peers are doing just that. He says Soldier Ride helps wounded warriors find their “new normal” in life (Fletcher, 2012, p. 1). Of the forty-eight wounded warriors participating in the Soldier Ride, Barry Homberg was included. With a mission in Ramadi, Iraq, Homberg’s journey began five years ago when two 7.62 millimeter rounds struck him in the right calf and hip. He spent twenty two months recovering in Washington at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After his recovery, Homberg went to Germany to participate in a rehabilitative cycling event. He says that the Soldier Ride Program will stick with him for the rest of his life. Thanks to Soldier Ride, Homberg will not have to overcome obstacles alone although he will encounter many challenges along his journey of recovery (Fletcher, 2012, p. 1). As a way of giving back, Homberg became part of the Continuation of the Active Duty Program and now serves as Warrior Transition Battalion cadre, and helping other wounded soldiers on their way to recovery and normalization. Homberg reenlisted to stay in the Army of September 2010 (Fletcher, 2012, p.1,2). Staff Sgt. Dan Nevins is the director of Warriors Speak, a program that trains warriors to share their stories. Soldier Ride provided him a chance to give back in society. Nevins lost both his legs in an IED blast in 2004 in a convoy in Afghanistan. He said he started the journey as a warrior being carried and now he can be the one to carry other soldiers in need and says he wants to be there for them just as they were there for him during his recovery (Fletcher, 2012, p.3). The information presented in this article provides a great understanding of how appreciative wounded warriors are for the Soldier Ride event. The event was thoroughly explained to a point where readers could feel the emotions coming from the creators of Soldier Ride and the participants in the event. Because it was so easy to comprehend, I enjoyed this article. Providing this event to warriors shows them another chance at life. Just because they are wounded or injured, doesn’t mean they cannot take on activities that a person who is not disabled can. Looking around, they can see they are never alone. Reading this article made me that much more excited about this field. There is no better career than making the lives of others more enjoyable. Reading about impacts one event made on a warrior’s life, shows there are still people in the world willing to give and not receive. Warrior Games. (2010). PN, 64(8), 40-42. More than one hundred eighty veterans who were injured or wounded gathered at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to compete in the first annual Warrior Games during the week of May 10th, 2012. Warrior Games are designed to present challenges and obstacles through Paralympic sports to meet the personal needs of warrior transition commands and to stretch the beliefs about the abilities these people are capable of. Improving participants’ self-esteem and enhancing their self-images are benefits that will accumulate from this (Warrior Games, 2010, p.1). Always placing the mission first was a commitment made to this process. Competing to their utmost ability, representing the military in the highest value possible, and attaining their highest personal level of physical and mental recovery is their mission (Warrior Games, 2010, p. 40). Warrior athletes were excited to be competing in the same venues as professional and successful athletes once competed in. Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps are just two of the great Olympians to have competed in these venues. They showed the same heart and determination as the warrior athletes (Warrior Games, 2010, p.40). One team for each of the four branches of the United States Military was drafted: Army, Marines, Air Force and the Navy/Coast Guard. Due to the lower numbers of the wounded, the Navy and Coast Guard were combined. Director Charlie Huebner made opening remarks in the Olympic Hall of Fame as warrior athletes sat proud with excitement (Warrior Games, 2010, p.40). Traditionally, the Warrior Games flame atop the Olympic Hall of Fame was lit by a team member as the torch was passed off. Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Roger Staubach, was the final torch bearer. Staubach is a United States Naval Academy Graduate and Vietnam Veteran who served with sailors and marines. After the final torch was lit, Staubach mingled with the athletes and encouraged the Navy and Marine Teams to do their best. Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh Steelers player and wounded Army Vietnam Veteran, and General George Casey, chief of staff of the Army conducted closing ceremonies (Warrior Games, 2010, p.41). National Veterans Wheelchair Games champions were Scott Winkler and Rory Cooper. Paralympic and National Coaches provided training sessions so the warriors were able to return to their units with new skills. Competitors were determined to continue training and competing in their swimming, wheelchair basketball and cycling. In the end, each team received a certain type of medal (Warrior Games, 2010, p.41). I think it was a great idea to give warriors the chance to compete in a location that was so sacred to athletes all over the world. It shows that they are just as important as any other person that stepped to the flame and lit the torch. This article gave an amazing explanation about what Warrior Games was all about. Individuals are different when it comes to their recreation and leisure. By offering various sports activities for rehabilitation, each individual is given an opportunity to find an activity that is best suited for he or she and will benefit their disability specifically. The participants play games while having fun and recovering. From this article, readers can see that it is possible for people with disabilities to feel just as spectacular as those who do not. Wounded Warrior Project, Army and VA all focus on mental health initiatives. (2007). Military Medicine, p. 3-4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and brain injuries are common symptoms of warriors coming out of the war. Brain injuries result from a person’s excessive exposure mortars or road side bombs. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has the effect of making people feel helpless during a traumatic event (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 3). The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit initiative created to assist severely injured men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Programs and services are provided designed to decrease the burdens on the returning Veterans. It also helps transition them back into the mainstream of life (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 3). Mental healthcare is available through The Department of Veterans Affairs in Virginia. Medical Care is available at one hundred fifty three medical centers and eight hundred eighty two outpatient clinics. The purpose of offering healthcare through primary facilities rather than actual mental clinics is to give the wounded warriors a feeling of familiarity (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 4). The most recent plan of Virginia’s Department of Veteran’s Affairs is to hire suicide prevention professionals at each medical center. At each of the two hundred and seven community based veteran center, one hundred new employees will be providing readjustment counseling to the veterans. There are almost one million Virginia patients with a mental health diagnosis and the department spends almost three billion dollars a year on the care for their mental health services (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 4). Recently, the Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs has made some positive changes in their organization. Twenty thousand patients were treated through the great availability of telemental health programs last year. Also, social workers and psychologists were hired as a new addition to the department. Lastly, the number of veteran centers increased by twenty-three centers (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 4). As of right now, the Army is working on training soldiers to be able to identify when either another person or themselves have symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. They are hoping to recruit two hundred seventy healthcare professionals in this training process. This should help the waiting time of veterans receiving proper health care (Wounded Warrior, 2007, p. 4). The information in this article tells a little about the importance of services given to the Wounded Warrior Program. Also, it tells that organizations are still working towards being more helpful to wounded warriors coming out of the war. By expanding their centers, and making positive additions to the ones they are have, it shows they still care tremendously for the wounded warriors of our country. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers their services to veterans so they are able to continue living a normal life of their own personal recreation and leisure. Sometimes, it takes many medical processes to strengthen a person who has suffered a brain injury or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have a positive outlook from this article. It gives me satisfaction knowing there are still people out there who are willing to help our brave men and women of this country. If these centers continue to expand, our soldiers will greatly benefit from them. Curry, R. (2006, November 13). Writing Warriors. America. p. 13-15). Did you know roughly 28,000 men and women have died in Iraq and Afghanistan serving our country, and 26,000 of them have been injured or disabled? Although it is important to remember those who have died in our wars, it is also important to honor those who have served and are now permanently disabled. These people know what they saw and are traumatized by it (Curry, 2006, p. 13). One club that does recognize those who have become disabled from a war, is the Achilles Club. This organization was established for disabled runners. It welcomes Veteran who have recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan who lost one or both legs in a battle and need the use of prosthetics to go on. To show their support to these runners, the club sponsored a five kilometer run in Central Park. A reception followed shortly after. From this event, people realized that after talking to some of these great people with disabilities that they all have a certain story to tell (Curry, 2006, p. 15). The N.T.W.H. started a program called the Writers’ Program for Wounded Warriors. After visiting many medical centers, it was found that many people were willing and very much excited to share their story. Twenty students who were also disabled were combined with veterans who had been disabled. The Veterans wanted to jump right into their most horrific war stories (Curry, 2006, p. 15). Media all over the country seemed to show great interest in this program. New York Times found out about the program and was all for supporting it emotionally and financially. This small, nonprofit organization had become a growing talk on the media (Curry, 2006, p. 15). The information in this article was well presented. The sequential order showed the actual steps in a process like this one. I was very impressed with the way they explained the event and how the “meet and greet” led to a friendly relationship. By providing this run for disabled runners with new prosthetics, the establishers were putting recreation and leisure back into the runners’ lives, showing them a way to run and still make it enjoyable. Learning to use a prosthetic can sometimes be tedious and tiring. When a runner is running, that is all they will think about. These wounded warriors learned to use their new legs but having fun. I received a positive experience from reading this article. Today, people are all about making money and becoming a celebrity. It is all about being seen and being the “hero”. It was nice to read about these people who made this small event to help our wounded warriors and did not even dream about it becoming a huge deal on the media or in the New York Times. Because the author actually thought about the choice of letting the media and reporters come in and talk to the students and Veterans, shows his respect for them. Unlike most people today, he thought about his participants first, and then himself. Although this could have made him a very rich man, he decided that the lives and stories of the Veteran were more important than fame. McFarland, L. V., Choppa, A. J., Betz, K., Pruden, J. D., & Reiber, G. E. (2012). Resources for wounded warriors with major traumatic limb loss. Journal Of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 49(5), 1-13. doi:10.1682/JRRD.2009.02.0017 There are many resources offered to wounded warriors of our country and their families who are in need of assistance. The Army Career and Alumni Program, Hope for the Warriors, Military OneSource and the United States Army Wounded Warrior Program are all helpful resources created to be of great assistance to the people who sacrificed their lives to protect our family, friends and entire country. There are also numerous support systems available for military personnel. Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center and Naval Medical Center are successful and supportive locations of organizations for offered resources to our soldiers (McFarland, Choppa, Betz, Pruden, 2012, p.2). The Army Career and Alumni Program was created by the U.S. Army. Its goal was to create and provide assistance to soldiers that have separated or retired from Active Duty with. Fortunately, Army Career and Alumni Program civilizations are located on most major U.S. Army installations. Mandated by Congress, Army Career and Alumni Program provides workshops for employment, counseling for soldiers who are planning on separating or retiring from their duties, Virginia briefings, employment assistance, and tools for writing resumes, advice and support. The Army Career and Alumni Program also provides a program for service members who are leaving the military because of disability. This program is called the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (McFarland, 2012, p.2). Hope for the Warriors, created in 2006, is a nonprofit organization with a mission of enhancing quality of life for United States service members who have been wounded. It also ensure that the fallen warriors or soldiers will not be forgotten or families be left in need. The award-winning program “Warrior’s Wish, athletic events for warriors, recreational outings, financial support for immediate needs, transitional housing, support groups, professional development and a rehabilitation center are all programs offered through Hope for the Warriors (McFarland, 2012, p.2). Military OneSource offers services for military personnel who are in need of help with child care, emotional support, personal finances, relocation information, elder care, education and legal advice. Confidential counseling is also offered to warriors through Military OneSource. Wounded warriors and their families are assisted and advocated throughout their lives by the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program. Today, AW2 serves 2,300 soldiers not including the members of their families. Through education and application assistance, career planning, education choices and nonmedical benefits, AW2 serve people throughout the country at military treatment facilities and Virginia Medical Centers (McFarland, p.2). I think this article shows that there are many resources offered in the world to help wounded warriors after the war. However, I am not fully convinced there is enough advertisement of these resources. I don’t hear enough of them outside of my research to make me believe the wounded warriors are informed of them. My insight gained from this article is that these organizations should push for more advertisement so warriors are aware of their rights. These programs and resources provide soldiers with the capability of participating in activities that represent their recreation and leisure. Hannan, M. (2011). New aquatic therapy options for wounded warriors. Parks & Recreation, 46(2), 62-65. For years, doctors have prescribed aquatic therapy for patients in order to rehabilitate their bodies while managing the amount of pain the patient feels. The Aquatic Warrior Exercise Program was made in an effort to standardize therapies for wounded soldiers. It is an aquatic rehabilitation program commissioned by the United States Army Surgeon General’s Office. The program was developed by aquatics and fitness expert Dr. Mary Wykle. It is up and running at Fort Belvior and Fort Eustis, located in Virginia, and Fort Lewis in Washington (Hannan, 2011, p.2). One goal of the Aquatic Warrior Exercise Program is being able to accommodate a large group of people in the pool at one time and because there is no actual swimming involved, it is very possible. When performing exercises in the deeper end of a pool, flotation belts are used so no heads are ever submerged. Because water is ten times more resistant than air, it is possible to extend the intensity of a patients exercise while in the water (Hannan, 2011, p.2). Rehabilitation and recovery in water is simple, yet affective. There are so many activities that can be done in water that there is something for every disability. Wykle says that as of December 2010, there are over 30,000 warrior injuries. Recently, the Marine Corps has been interested in this program because of the increasing number of wounded Marines (Hannan, 2011, p.2). There are two parts to a person’s recovery by aquatic therapy. The first part is the Aquatic Rehabilitation Program. A set of therapy protocols are designed for a person under the medical care of a physical therapist. Relieving joint stiffness and increasing range of motion, aquatic therapy opens a patient’s eyes to believe rehabilitation and recovery does not always have to mean pain. Because immersion in water reduces pain, this program is able to strengthen core muscles that help support the spine (Hannan, 2011, p.2). The second part of the program is for warriors who have completed their recovery program but still need help managing pain and overcoming limitations. The primary goal of this step is to rehabilitate the soldier successfully and make them able to return to their normal skills of life. This is done through an alternative cross-training program offering the same fitness benefits as land-based training (Hannan, 2011, p.3). An interesting fact of the Aquatic Warrior Exercise Program is that the individuals serving as trainers or coaches were once in the same position as their patients. Wykle trained the physical therapists herself (Hannan, 2011, p.3). The information in this article made me think highly about Aquatic Therapy. I think it is a great way to provide rehabilitation. I look forward to participating in Aquatic Therapy as I become a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Swimming is an activity that many people engage in for enjoyment and as exercise. When a person acquires a disability, they begin to believe they are no longer capable of swimming. Aquatic Therapy offers recreation for these persons with disabilities and also an activity of leisure for them. Reading this article, I idolize the people who willingly give their time to assist people in need. It also takes a lot of patience and dedication to be an Aquatic Therapist. I learned you need to be knowledgeable about every activity in the pool along with every disability. From all of the articles on Wounded Warriors, I have gained great insight on the topic. Reading all about the different ways of rehabilitation through therapy for these brave men and women led me to believe I am in the right field of study. Although there are several different ways a person who has been injured can recover, the Aquatic Therapy strikes me the most in a positive way. I am a person who hates to see someone in pain. Because water is ten times more resistant than air, the pain is reduced in Aquatic Therapy. This gives the patient and the trainer a chance to make more progress in the rehabilitation process. The intensity of therapy can be increased because of the immersion in the water. A disability that would take eight weeks to repair on land, could take four weeks to repair in the water. The article on the Aquatic Warrior Exercise Program opened my eyes to a more broad range of therapy. This could actually be something I seriously consider further along in my care as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. So many programs, organizations, and fundraisers have enlightened warriors on recreation and leisure. When a person acquires a disability, their self-esteem drops instantly. A person begins to believe that the activities he or she was capable of doing before the happening of the disability, are no longer options as activities. Programs like Soldier Ride and Warrior Games prove the participant wrong. The first step to accomplishing something you want is believing you can do it. Barry Homberg, a participant of Soldier Ride, says he will never have the same outlook on recreation after this event. Although Homberg still faces many challenges and obstacles, he will never face them alone. Today, Homberg’s idea of recreation and leisure is giving back to the program that gave so much for him. He now assits wounded warriors on their way to recovery and normalization. Through the program Writing Warriors, so many people’s views on quality of life were changed. When the media made them feel wanted and important, their eyes were opened to a new world. Sharing their stories with the world was something that every person with a disability dreamed of. They realized that their journey actually mattered to other people besides themselves and their close family. As a student in the major of Therapeutic Recreation, reading these articles interested me very much. I am always willing and anxious to learn more about this field of study and how many different ways a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist can positively affect a person’s life. Making a difference means the world to me. Learning about this career, I understand the depth of knowledge you have to have. Not only does a therapist have to be knowledgeable about the disability, but also the strengths and limitations a person with a disability has. Also, the therapist needs to know everything there is to know about every type of activity and therapy used to rehabilitate a person. I have the utmost respect for Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and that does not even begin to cover why I am planning on basing my career around it. Going into this, I will know the importance of being educated in every aspect. As I go about the many volunteer hours that are to be completed, I will reflect on these articles. Putting as much effort as possible into volunteering is very important when it comes to this major. Reading about all of the programs that support the Wounded Warriors Foundation emotionally and financially shows a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist has to be educated about a patient’s rights through these programs also. If a patient comes in from Afghanistan or Iraq with a disability such as a brain injury or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the therapist has to know what to do in the case also. Working well under pressure is very important. This showed me that it is not always the physical disabilities that are in need of the most assistance. Download 32.01 Kb. Share with your friends:
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