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Posts made in: 'Wounded Warrior' (4) Currently Viewing: 1 - 4 of 4

September 19, 2014 at 10:25am

New Community Care Unit at Madigan Army Medical Center

Soldiers recovering from injuries recently got another helping hand to aid in their recovery.

A new Community Care Unit (CCU) opened at Madigan's Warrior Transition Battalion Sept. 5, beginning a shift in how the Army manages care for its wounded soldiers.

The new unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of 13 new CCUs to be opened by the Army as part of its Warrior Care and Transition Program. The program addition occurred at 11 Army bases across the country.

Part of the assignment of the new care units is to provide medical management. It's a shift in how the Army manages care for soldiers living in their home towns.

"Our soldiers will not be relocated, but will remain in their communities with their families," said Lt. Col. Jeffery Mosso, Warrior Transition Battalion commander. "They will continue to receive the same quality medical care and advocacy that they've been accustomed to while assigned to the Community Based Warrior Transition Unit in California."

The new CCU at Madigan manages the care for Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers living in their hometown communities in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and California.

The Army's Warrior Care and Transition program has undergone some changes since it first started in 2007. The recent change to the program was made because reviews showed a declining number of soldiers in the Warrior Transition Unit. The change was made so the Army could continue to provide the best care and support for its injured and ill soldiers.

Allowing soldiers to remain in their hometowns while they receive care will allow them to continue to be surrounded by their families and thereby receive the support and encouragement often needed for recovery.

The new CCU manager at Madigan is Capt. Jennifer Goulet. As a medical service officer, Goulet has been deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. She's also been assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where wounded American soldiers often receive initial care after being injured downrange.

In fact, many of the wounded soldiers now under Goulet's care she first saw when they went to Landstuhl for their initial care.

"Seeing them from that point to now is incredible," she said.

The new CCU at Madigan takes care of up to 83 ill or injured soldiers. Goulet praised her staff for their diligent work to get the new unit operational.

"The oversight and support for our soldiers healing at home will transition to our CCU located at JBLM," Mosso said.

Madigan's Community Care Unit will assume the mission of the Community-Based Warrior Transition Unit in California, which was located in Sacramento and was formally deactivated on Aug. 13.

August 16, 2014 at 9:11am

Museum of Glass sets up Hot Shop at Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Warrior Transition Battalion

Spc. Jans Ruiz and Staff Sgt. Jose Munoz work on a piece of glass art as part of the Hot Shop Heroes: Healing with Fire program put on by the Museum of Glass. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

Working with 4,500 degrees of blue flame can be therapeutic.

"This is a great program," explained Lt. Col. Jeff Mosso, commander, Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB). "We are the only WTB in the country to have this type of therapy, and this program continues to grow along with our partnership with the Museum of Glass."

Welcome to the Hot Shop Heroes: Healing with Fire program presented by the Museum of Glass.

Last week, the Tacoma-based museum brought for the first time its Mobile Hot Shop to Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Warrior Transition Battalion and set up a portable shop in the unit's courtyard.

Soldiers and their families had the opportunity to watch demonstrations and work with flame and glass in the pursuit of art and healing.

>>> The Museum of Glass' glassblowing program offers JBLM's Wounded Warriors an opportunity for hands-on glassblowing and life skills for transitioning to civilian life. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

"Who would've thought glass is so malleable," said Sgt. 1st Class James Wolfe as he shaped a glass bead. "I'm looking forward to more classes!"

Unique to the event, several children will be selected to take part in the Museum's Kids Design Glass and watch their drawings be transformed into three dimensional glass sculptures.

The Museum's affiliation with JBLM began about a year ago when artist Dale Chihuly initiated contact through his sponsorship of Military Day at the Museum.

Since then, more than 1,500 soldiers and their families have enjoyed hands-on activities, glassblowing demonstrations and gallery experiences.

"These soldiers are the fastest learning students we've met," said Greg Owen, Hot Shop Heroes program coordinator. "Their focus and direction is very impressive."

The glassblowing program offers soldiers a number of benefits to include improved dexterity, fine motor coordination and core strength.

"The activity here is one of mindfulness and teamwork," explained Erin Carpenter, a recreational therapist with the WTB.

"The soldiers have to focus on one thing at a time, as they work together, much like they do in the military, to create something. They also leave with a sense of accomplishment."

As Carpenter talked, Spc. Jans Ruiz and Staff Sgt. Jose Munoz worked together to shape a piece of molten glass into a Popsicle.

As they turned and sniped away at the glass, they received encouragement from one of the museum's instructors.

"You guys are doing a great job," commented Rich Langley. "This is starting to look really good."

Nearby on a table, Ja'Dirah and Jo'Siah Howard drew pictures with the hope of seeing their drawings becoming pieces of art.

"This is a wonderful program for them and for me," commented their father, Master Sgt. Marvin Howard, a wounded warrior. "Just great."

>>> As Master Sgt. Marvin Howard watches, his children Ja'Dirah and Jo'Siah Howard draw pictures that may be created into glass art as part of the Museum of Glass' Hot Shop Heroes: Healing With Fire program. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

February 20, 2014 at 9:29am

Update (video): Operation Ward 57 wins Toyota's 100 Cars for Good program

Operation Ward 57 received its free van Friday, Feb. 21 at Toyota of Tacoma after winning the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program. Photo credit: Pappi Swarner

UPDATE: Operation Ward 57 received its free van from the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program at noon, Friday, Feb. 21 at Toyota of Tacoma. We captured the ceremony on video, which you can see below. ...

Read more...

January 9, 2014 at 11:16am

Open letter to the Brawny Man who supported the Wound Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project still front and Center this morning at Stadium Thriftway in Tacoma.

Dear Brawny Man,

We just want you to know that we have switched to your brand. We were Bounty fans for the longest time. Being in the media business, we are all about speed. The faster we can deliver the news, the better (thanks for the stress stupid Internet). Sometimes when we race to across the room to post a story, we accidently knock over the Walkie Talkie Weather Guy's sippy cup. Because Bounty is the quicker picker-upper, we rode its roll of towels. ...

That is, until we saw the Wounded Warrior Project emblem below your plaid-wearing, paper towel-hocking face on your packaging. You and your parent company, Georgia Pacific, have supported WWP since 2012. Your concept of donating a $1 for every Like on your Facebook page was both generous and brilliant. In 2012, you raise more than $500,000 for WWP. Last year, you exceeded your $6000,000 goal, raising $613,566 for WWP, which included $250,000 from GP above and beyond the Likes.

Brawny has given more than $1.4 million to WWP over the last two years to help our nation's heroes and their families through their difficult transitions.

You're awesome Brawny Man.

A quick call to Georgia Pacific revealed the program has been put on hold for 2014, according to Rich in GP's call center, although he did say it could come back in the future.

Georgia Pacific says the Wounded Warrior Project support will continue in 2014.

Thanks again Brawny Man. We will come calling when spilled juice is running off our computer desks an onto our linoleum floor.

Love,

Northwest Military News Team

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News and entertainment from Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s most awesome weekly newspapers - The Ranger, Northwest Airlifter and Weekly Volcano.

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