PowerPoint Show by Andrew

More than 624,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have filed disability claims (both physical and mental), the Military Times reported in January and a recent ABC news report says that according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 1, 286 service members who are now amputees as a result of those two wars. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have made the term IED (Improvised Explosive Device) a household term. IED injuries result in thousands of US military war wounded suffering from amputations, burns and functional limb loss. The vets spend months (and sometimes years) in outpatient care, many at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX.

U.S. Army Sgt. Ed Matayka, 34, a double amputee, walks during a session with physical therapist Melisa Howard.

Occupational therapist Jennifer Tucker puts a skin compression glove onto the burned hand of 26 year old Spc. Bobby Bernier.

Burn patient Spc. Bobby Bernier works out during rehabilitation at the U.S. Army burn center.

Burn patient Spc. Bobby Bernier looks over his wounded hands at the U.S. Army burn center.

Chief prosthetist John Fergason measures the residual limb of U.S. Army PFC. Heath Clemons, 21 from Cameron, MO.

Prosthetist Robert Kuenzi laser scans a mold of a wounded soldier's residual leg, or stump, in order to make a computer-guided prosthesis.

Intern prosthetist Amy Gibson works to mold the socket of a prosthetic leg.

Life-like covers for prosthetic limbs lie atop a locker at the Center for the Intrepid (CFI), at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Prosthetist Del Lipe checks to make sure a soldier's hips are level after receiving artificial legs.

U.S. Army Sgt. JD Williams, 25, a triple amputee, rests after working with physical therapist.

A soldier's prosthetic legs stand at the Center for the Intrepid rehabilitation gym at Brooke Army Medical Center.

A wounded soldier recovers in a fixed leg stabilizer.

Soldiers endure painful physical therapy at the Center for the Intrepid.

Army soldier and leg amputee scales a two-story climbing wall at the Center.

A prosthetic hand lies on display as injured U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Sebastian Gallegos, 22, practices hand movements with occupational therapist.

A prosthesis liner is fitted onto the amputated leg of a U.S. Army soldier.

Wounded warriors play a game of wheelchair basketball.

Cpl. Sebastian Gallegos, 22, swims with a specialized prosthetic arm.

Sgt. JD Williams, 25, a triple amputee, rests after flowboarding on a wave machine at the Center.

U.S. Army Spc. Matthew Spang, 26, wipes out while flowboarding on a wave machine at the Center.

Family members of wounded U.S. military personnel line up for a free Italian dinner at the Warrior and Family Support Center.

The worst casualty is being forgotten