This is part of a larger program HOW has launched to distribute puzzles and other interactive therapies to VA Hospitals and severely wounded soldiers.  Our goal is to make sure recovering soldiers who can benefit from these kind of therapeutic exercises receive them.

There is a brotherhood among Veterans that crosses generations, branches of service, race and religion. It’s a brotherhood born in the shared experience of boot camp, deployment and separation from family, friends and loved ones. In a sense, the brotherhood becomes your family while in uniform.

Here in Snowmass Village this week, new brotherhoods will be forged between Veterans who share similar experiences — both in uniform and in adjusting to life after injury, illness or disease. These bonds can extend beyond the one-week here on the mountain and can be a source of encouragement and accountability for Veterans as they re-discover their potential.

A Jan. 17, 2012, post to the VA blog Vantage Point written by military moms Cheryl Lynch and Rosie Babin addressed the ties that bind their sons Alan Babin and Chris Lynch – both served with the Army’s 82 Airborne Division and both are here this week at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.

But they also addressed the bonds that unite families of injured Veterans in the following excerpt:

“As family members, we are part of a very small population of Americans — parents caring for their brain injured service member, who may need assistance for the rest of their lives. However, each year at the Winter Sports Clinic, we have the privilege of cheering our sons on as they continue to beat the odds by skiing, rock-climbing, snowmobiling and scuba diving surrounded by the best instructors and volunteers a family could wish for.

The week is one which is filled not just with activities and challenges for the Veterans, but time for respite, reflection, healing and camaraderie for all bound by the ties of family and patriotism. The true “Miracles on the Mountainside” that happen each year at the Winter Sports Clinic reminds all of us that anything is possible with the right support,” they wrote.

That is why the Clinic organizers have gone to such lengths to create an atmosphere that promotes healing — both physically and emotionally — for Veterans as well as their caregivers and loved ones.

So as you take time this week to learn a new sport, or brush up on your skills, be sure to seize the moment and get to know the men and women here with you in Snowmass.  Some may be at the beginning of their journey, while others have had their share of spills on the mountainside.  Sharing and learning from one another can be a valuable part of the healing process.

http://www.concertsforcauses.org/

Wounded Warrior Escort program eases air travel for veterans

Published: Friday, November 11, 2011, 11:00 AM        Updated: Friday, November 11, 2011, 11:31 AM

By Steve Strunsky/The Star-Ledger

NEWARK — Iraq War veteran Alan Babin beamed as he was wheeled through Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport this week.

Air travel in not easy for the 31-year-old former Army medic since a bullet tore through his stomach in March 2003, as he rushed to treat a soldier who, it turned out, had only been grazed.

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger. TSA Honor Guard members Randal Habick, left, of Brick and Michael Rodriguez, right, of Staten Island carry suitcases as they escort Alan Babin, center rear in wheelchair, and his family of Round Rock, Texas through Terminal A of Newark Liberty International Airport as part of the TSA's Wounded Warrior Escort Program.r travel is not easy for the 31-year-old former Army medic since a bullet tore through his stomach in March 2003, as he rushed to treat a soldier who, it turned out, had only been grazed.

But on this trip from his home in Texas, Babin was welcomed by fellow veterans Randy Habick and Michael Rodriguez, members of the Transportation Security Administration’s Newark Honor Guard, and volunteer participants in the agency’s Wounded Warrior Escort program, which smooths the way through airports for disabled veterans.

“We provide escort service, from curb side to jet door,” said Habick, 51, of Brick, a lead transportation screener who founded the Newark honor guard in 2008 after returning from duty as an Army MP in Iraq. “We just make sure that any of their needs and wants get taken care of while they’re at the airport.”

The escort program began six years ago at the three airports near Washington, D.C., often used by veterans traveling to and from Walter Reed Army Hospital and other government locations. The program quickly spread due to the large number of military veterans within the TSA’s ranks and the need many injured veterans have for the service.

Babin, who underwent dozens of surgeries and suffered a stroke while battling complications after being shot, remains unable to walk eight years later, and speaking is difficult for him. But his appreciation for the airport escort was clear.

“We all take care of each other,” said Babin, who lives with his parents and sister in Round Rock, Texas, near Austin.

Today is Veterans Day, a federal holiday designated to honor the contributions of veterans.

Its’ origin dates back to 1918, when 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 marked the official end of World War I. First celebrated as Armistice Day beginning in 1919, the name was changed to Veterans Day in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, an Army veteran, who as an American five-star general served as supreme commander of the Allied Forces in World War II.

The Veterans Affairs web site, www.va.gov, defines Veterans Day as, “A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.”

There were 443,161 military veterans living in New Jersey as of September 2010, said Albert Bucci, Director of the Veterans Services for the state department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Bucci is one of them. The 64-year-old Delran resident served at an Army fuel depot in Vietnam in 1966-67.

The ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a disproportionately high number of disabled veterans, a phenomenon attributed to advances in emergency medical treatment credited with saving severely injured veterans who may have otherwise died in previous wars, and even to the kind of weapons used by opposing forces.

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger. TSA Honor Guard members Michael Rodriguez, center, of Staten Island and Randal Habick, right, of Brick talk with Alan Babin of Round Rock, Texas as they escort Babin through Newark Airport as part of the TSA's Wounded Warrior Program.

“There is a different type of warfare, I think it’s meant to maim,” said Ken Connors, a Vietnam-era veteran who assists vets in filing disability claims as an official with the state American Legion. “You get a young person coming home missing both limbs.”

Babin, who suffered his catastrophic wounds just 11 days into the Iraq War, helped inspire the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization from which the TSA’s escort program takes its name. His story is featured on the group’s web site, support.woundedwarriorproject.org, and his travels are often related to the work the group does.

This week’s trip was Babin’s second through Newark Liberty, after he flew in from Texas for a Wounded Warrior Project fundraiser in May 2010.

When Habick and Rodriguez met Babin at his arrival gate on Tuesday, they were dressed in their TSA Honor Guard uniforms, a more formal variation of the security agency’s standard blue shirts, with long sleeves and special black and red markings. They were joined by five uniformed Port Authority Police officers, some of them military veterans as well.

Rodriguez, 39, of Staten Island, a Navy veteran of Operation Desert Storm who later served in the Army National Guard, said he felt, “privileged, honored,” to escort Babin.  “It brought back memories that you sometimes don’t want to talk about,” Rodriguez said, “of friends that you lost, people you want to remember.”

Rodriguez said his escort duties take precedence over everything, he said, even coming before dates with his wife.                                                                                                                                                                                               Apart from the emotional boost the escorts give the veterans themselves, they also ease the strain and physical difficulties of traveling for injured veterans and their families. The escorts navigate through the airport, locate elevators, carry luggage, make sure that vans are on time and in the right place, and even physically lift the wounded warrior in and out of the wheelchair.

“The first time we came through and met Randy, we couldn’t believe how easy it made everything,” said Rosie Babin, Alan’s mother.And, Babin’s sister, Christie, added, “It’s good for him to have the camaraderie.”

Habick said the Newark guard has performed 42 escorts in its three years of service. The first was for Scott Smiley, who lost his eyesight in a car bombing in Iraq in 2005. Smiley went on to become the Army’s first blind active-duty officer, helping other disabled vets adjust to civilian life as commander of West Point’s Warrior Transition Unit.

“I’m in awe of Alan. I’m in awe of Capt. Scott Smiley,” said Habick, a father of five, who spent much of his time in Iraq ensuring enemy prisoners were treated humanely in the wake of the Abu Ghraib scandal. “I have no physical injuries. I’m not missing a limb. I don’t have any bullet wounds. But these guys have lost so much and have come back. These are the guys who I call our nation’s heroes.”

————————————————————————————————

If you are a wounded vet or a family member traveling with your wounded vet you can obtain the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) notification form by writing to us.  Please click here to make your request.  http://www.helpourwounded.org/about-us/contact-us/

 

 

 

 

“We at VA know that every day is a challenge for our most seriously injured Veterans and their Family Caregivers,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.   “I know many Veterans and their Family Caregivers have been waiting anxiously for this day and I urge them to get their applications in as soon as possible so they can receive the additional support they have earned.”

On May 9, staff in VA’s Office of Care Management and Social Work will open the application process for eligible post-9/11 Veterans and Servicemembers to designate their Family Caregivers.

Additional services for primary Family Caregivers of eligible post-9/11 Veterans and Servicemembers include a stipend, mental health services, and access to health care insurance, if they are not already entitled to care or services under a health care plan. Comprehensive Caregiver training and medical support are other key components of this program. The program builds on the foundation of Caregiver support now provided at VA and reflects what families and clinicians have long known; that Family Caregivers in a home environment can enhance the health and well-being of Veterans under VA care.

Starting May 9^th, Veterans may download a copy of the Family Caregiver program application (VA CG 10-10) at www.caregiver.va.gov.  The application enables the Veteran to designate a primary Family Caregiver and secondary Family Caregivers if needed.  Caregiver Support Coordinators are stationed at every VA medical center and via phone at 1-877-222 VETS (8387) to assist Veterans and their Family Caregivers with the application process.

“Providing support to Family Caregivers who sacrifice so much to allow Veterans to remain at home surrounded by their loved ones, is very important to us at VA.  We offer a range of Caregiver support services including training, counseling and respite care to ensure that our caregivers have the tools and support they need to continue in their care giving role,” said Deborah Amdur, VA’s Chief Consultant for Care Management and Social Work.  “We appreciate the patience, support and assistance we have received from Veterans, Veterans Service Organizations, and the greater Caregiver community in shaping this program and bringing this new VA program to our wounded warriors and their dedicated Family Caregivers.”

Caregivers for Veterans of all eras are eligible for respite care, education and training on what it means to be a caregiver, how to best meet the Veteran’s care needs, and the importance of self-care when in a care giving role. The full range of VA services already provided to Caregivers will continue, and local Caregiver Support Coordinators at each VA medical center are available to assist Family Caregivers in identifying benefits and services they may be eligible for.  The Caregiver Support Coordinators are well versed in VA programs and also have information about other local public, private and non-profit agency support services that are available to support Veterans and their Family Caregivers at home.

VA programs for Veterans and their Family Caregivers include:

o In-Home and Community Based Care:  This includes skilled home health care, homemaker home health aide services, community adult day health care and Home Based Primary Care.

o Respite Care: Designed to relieve the Family Caregiver from the constant challenge of caring for a chronically ill or disabled Veteran at home, respite services can include in-home care, a short stay in one of VA’s community living centers or an environment designed for adult day health care.

o Caregiver education and training programs: VA currently provides multiple training opportunities which include pre-discharge care instruction and specialized caregiver programs in multiple severe traumas such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders, and Blind Rehabilitation.  VA has a Family Caregiver assistance healthy living center on My HealtheVet, www.myhealth.va.gov, as well as caregiver information on the VA’s main Web page health site; both Websites include information on VA and community resources and Caregiver health and wellness.

o Caregiver support groups and other services: Family Caregiver support groups, offered in a face to face setting or on the telephone, provide emotional and peer support, and information.  Family Caregiver services include family counseling, spiritual and pastoral care, family leisure and recreational activities and temporary lodging in Fisher Houses.

o Other services: VA provides durable medical equipment and prosthetic and sensory aides to improve function, financial assistance with home modification to improve access and mobility, and transportation assistance for some Veterans to and from medical appointments.

Updated: Wednesday, 04 May 2011, 10:33 PM CDT

Yesterday, March 31, was my son’s eighth “alive day”, or the anniversary of the day he nearly died in Iraq. He spent the day skiing the Rocky Mountains at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. But he wasn’t just skiing, he was thriving.

It wasn’t always this way. Alan was 22 years old when he was wounded in a firefight while serving in Iraq. He was a medic with the 82nd Airborne Division and was rendering aid to a wounded soldier when he was shot. He spent the next 2½ years in hospitals. During this time, he contracted meningitis and suffered a stroke, which left him paralyzed, unable to speak, eat, or breathe. I was there with him, wondering what the rest of his life would be like.

We were at the Audie Murphy VA hospital in San Antonio, Texas, when Alan’s recreation therapist recommended we try adaptive sports. We tried a few sports, but none seemed to fit Alan because of his brain injury. Then we learned about the winter sports clinic. We showed up at the clinic for the first time in 2006 full of questions. We left after that week knowing there wasn’t anything Alan couldn’t do. For the first time we focused on his abilities, not his disabilities. And for the first time Alan said he ‘felt normal’ at the clinic. We returned to Texas with a renewed sense of purpose and a new set of goals.

I knew I needed to build on what happened at the clinic and help Alan develop his abilities. I immediately set up home health for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive therapy. We set up a home gym in our garage that is wheelchair accessible so Alan can focus on upper body strength. We also started hand cycling and began entering rides in cities across the country.

Today, Alan has come farther than his doctors ever imagined. And the winter sports clinic is the first event on our calendar each year. As the date approaches, Alan begins training specifically for the event with a few exercises I developed at home. For one exercise, he uses two canes to tap sticky pads posted on the kitchen floor to mimic use of the outriggers when skiing. It’s perfect therapy for hand eye coordination. He also uses a broomstick to mimic rowing and work on his truck control. As a result of what he learns here at the clinic, Alan has become a skier, taking up to three ski trips a year.

As the clinic winds down this year, I know Alan will soon start training again for next year. And I know we will continue to see progress in his recovery. And when his “alive day” comes around next year, I know he will once again be thriving at the top of the mountain, and continuing to inspire his family and all those he meets.

Rosie Babin, an Army Veteran and mother of a disabled Iraq Veteran, is the founder of
HelpOurWounded.org.