Military Severely Injured Center Department of Defense Military Severely Injured Center Heroes to Hometowns CDR Dave Julian Director   Unclassified

Secretary of Defense’s Charge 20 Dec 04: “I think we ought to put together a team to see that the Services take care of their troops after they’re wounded, and when they return home and are discharged.” Final Direction: OSD Personnel & Readiness should augment the Service support programs to ensure seamless care as long as it takes Unclassified

Military Severely Injured Center A Service of Military OneSource Grand Opening 01 Feb 05 A Service of Military OneSource Financial Support Education and Employment Assistance Information on VA Benefits Specific Service issues Family Counseling Resources in Local Communities Child Care Support Focus is on OIF/OEF severely injured Unclassified

Severely Injured and families Goal: Seamless support as long as it may take to ensure that injured Service members and families achieve the highest level of functioning and quality of life. Severely Injured and families HART M4L AW2 Navy SH Counselor-Advocates VA Military Severely Injured Center (24/7 Family Support) DFAS Nonprofits State and local government Local communities Critical Supporting Cast: Service QoL teams Private sector MSIC Resource Team: Service Liaisons Care Managers (CM) Veterans Affairs TSA Dept of Labor Researchers Unclassified

Center Role Services will continue to reach out to severely injured service members with their respective programs US Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Marine for Life Injured Support (M4L IS) Air Force Palace HART Navy SAFE HARBOR MSI Center will augment military Service programs with a special emphasis on supporting families “Safety net” Catch families/members who may slip through the cracks Fill seams and gaps Additional resources, avenues for case management Unclassified

Heroes to Hometowns Goal: Successful community reintegration Rally Community Support “Local Champion” American Legion Memorandum of Understanding Mr. David Marsh, American Legion Liaison Long-term support, community education Prototypes: Sentinels of Freedom Escambia County, FL Elverson, PA Unclassified

Medical Support Process Medical Evacuation through Landstuhl, GE Medical Treatment at WRAMC, NNMC, or other military medical facility Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) Medical Rehabilitation at military medical facility, VA regional hospital or community-based health care Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) The Medical Support is superb with an effective process in place. Most of the severely injured are evacuated through Army MTF in Landstuhl, Germany. They are then quickly transferred to a MTF facility in the United States – most initially arrive at Walter Reed or Bethesda in Washington DC. But about 8 other MTFs also serve as entry points depending on the type of injury. For example Brooke MTF in San Antonio, TX is the major burn center. For medical rehabilitation, the goal is to get them closer to home if possible at other MTFs, VW regional hospitals or community-based health care organizations. At the same time they are in medical treatment or medical rehab, the Medical and Physical Evaluation Boards are meeting to determine whether they can/should return to Active Duty or whether they will reintegrate into the community. This process can take over a year. If returning to the community, this is where we need your help. Return to Duty Reintegrate into the community Unclassified

Community Role Welcome Home severely injured Service Members and families Work with State and National organizations to match potential needs with resources: Organize a welcome home celebration Help secure temporary and/or permanent housing Assist in adapting a home or vehicle Find jobs and educational opportunities Create a carpool for hospital visits Help work through government bureaucracy Create community pride by providing community, spiritual, and family support The community’s role will be to match potential needs with potential donors or resources. The intent is not to absolve the government of its responsibilities. The goal is to make sure they are first afforded all the DoD, VA, DOL, HUD entitlements. Then help meet the needs that are over and above the entitlements. Some examples of these needs are the ones listed. Some families may only need a little help, some may need it all. Unclassified

Before Returning to Community One Model… Timeline for Service Members re-connecting with community When injured While in medical care Before Returning to Community DoD Counselor: Assess the needs of the individual and family . DoD Counselor: Updates the assessment of needs shares with state officials. DoD Counselor: Shares assessment with community champion. State Military Organizations: Tracks of status of injured Service members. Designate a state official to keep communities informed . State Military Organizations Monitors progress to ensure needs can be met. State Military Organizations: Informs community of potential requirements. Requests an individual act as the community champion. Heroes to Hometown Committee Gains local support to meet needs. Coordinates with the severely injured Service Member and family. Forwards requirements that cannot be filled by local communities to national organizations. Keeps state officials and national organizations informed of requirements, progress, etc. Assess local community assets and recruit a community champion. When the the severely injured member is to return to the community one can expect three primary phases. This chart outlines the three basic phases. First phase: when individual is identified as injured: DoD rep assesses the needs State military organizations (e.g., the National Guard Joint Forces Commands) keep track of the Service member and keeps the community informed This same state organization would assess the local community assets and identify a potential champion – someone to begin organizing the community in preparation for the severely injured returning to the community The national NGOs and VSOs inform local chapters of the need to be prepared – the purpose of this brief. Second phase: While in Medical treatment: DoD rep updates assessment State military orgs inform community of potential requirements State military orgs engage the community champion The community champion organizes a “Community Action Committee” (CAC) which we’ll discuss shortly. Third phase: Before an individual returns to the community: DoD presents the needs assessment to the CAC CAC solicits support locally from local public and private resources For needs beyond local capability, CAC seeks assistance for national agencies and 24/7 Ops Center (through state military organizations – keeping them informed of requirements and progress) States/national orgs keep military Services and OSD informed THIS PROCESS TO ADOPT A SEVICE MEMBER INVOLVES LOCAL–STATE-NATIONAL NETWORKS AND CHAINS OF COMMANDS – SO CRUCIAL TO ENSURING SEALESS CARE IS PROVIDED EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY Local Communities: Community champion requests local agencies, corporations, and community leaders to form Heroes to Hometown committees. Formalize Roles and Relationships and develop action plan. National-level Organizations: Inform local chapters or affiliates of the need for communities to be prepared to assist returning severely injured service members & families. Family wishes and privacy act concerns are accommodated throughout the process Unclassified

Network for Communities to Provide Long Term Support Severely Injured and families Community Champion Heroes to Hometown Committee: American Legion Post Rep Local VSOs, NGOs Corporations Chamber of Commerce Media State/local governments Congressional liaison Financial and legal institutions Educational institutions Local military units Religious institutions Unions VA Rep and Counselor Advocate Army Wounded Warrior Marine 4 Life Injured Support Navy SAFE HARBOR Air Force Palace HART For the long term – the individual and family continues direct contact once they leave the hospital with the VA rep, Counselor/advocate, and the Ops Center care managers. But before returning home they would also be talking with the “community champion” to ensure the long term needs can be met once they get home. The champion can be whoever can make it work – someone from VSO, chamber of commerce, media – anyone with the finesse and connections. The champion will be the go-between between the family and the activated community action committee which includes all of the organizations listed. The Community Action Committee is the piece we want to invigorate in advance. A group of community leaders that are prepared to organize the necessary support “if” and when it’s needed. Again, the local level is where the rubber will meet the road for long term seamless care. The committee will interface with the state military liaison. and the VA, the Operations Center and the National agencies, nonprofits, and corporations can also assist and serve as resources to local communities. State Officials American Legion Departments State Family Program Directors & State Benefits Advisors (Joint Force HDQTS) Supporting Cast: Federal Agencies National Nonprofits, National Corporations Military Service support programs Unclassified

Web-page to serve as Clearinghouse Downloadable program materials Link to State Guard Family Program Offices Programs in Action with points of contact (e.g., Escambia County, FL, San Ramon, CA) Opportunity to post local info on national site Links to national organizations and their local/state points of contact www.Militaryhomefront.dod.mil/troops/injuredsupport Unclassified

Military Severely Injured Center 1-888-774-1361 Call Anytime! Bottom line: Center’s role is to expedite processes, help families, and alleviate complicated road blocks for severely injured. Center cannot fix all processes and problems but can be advocates for the severely injured. Unclassified

SENTINELS OF FREEDOM SGT Joey Bozik and wife Jayme SGT Manny Mendoza and mother Martha