Wounded Warrior

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Wounded Warrior

• Item 1 - How it Began
• Item 2 - Building the Team
• Item 3 - Learning
• Item 4 - Wounded Warrior Regiment
• Item 5 - Maxwells Mission
• Item 6 - New Problem
• Item 7 - How Can You Help?

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• Item 1
• How it Began

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Kalsu, Iraq Last picture before injury
Video
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Kalsu, Iraq First picture after injury
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Shrapnel
Brain
Elbow
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Received my Purple Heart
National Naval Medical CenterBethesda, Maryland
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Medical Summary

• At Night OVER-ACTIVE MIND
• Day Time Expressive and Receptive APHASIA
• Vision Limited Reading/Writing
• Fatigue Mental Exhaustion
• Right Leg Lack of solid control
• Right Arm Lack of solid control

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Limited Duty
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ITEM 2 Building the Team
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• 1st Hang out with my unit - Drink Coffee. Chat.
  Visit.
• 2nd Visit Hospitals
• - Learned
• Loneliness. Guiltiness. Sadness.
  Confusion. BORED!
• Idea - Live Together?
• 3rd Propose the Idea to the (then) CG II MEF
• Gen Jim Amos..Approved

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Unit was Growing

• Spring 2005Barracks 6
• Others 10
• Spring 2006
• Barracks - 64Others 50
• Spring 2007
• Barracks 110
• Others 90
• Glenn Beck WEB
• Glenn Beck - Memory

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Benefits of the Barracks

• Togetherness Events. Talking to each other.
• Purpose Part of a Marine Corps Team
• Vehicle/Driver available
• Problem Solving Individuals are supported Case
  Manager More Responsive
• Food Delivered
• Education
• Papers, requests, follow ups, second opinions

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ITEM 3 Learning (Drowning)
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Learning
Education was not Automatic The original plan was
successfulTogetherness is good.
BUT We were not prepared for other issues
It grew and grew.
and grew More Marines
with More Issues
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Learning

• As we solved the problems for those in the
  Barracks, the question continued to raise
• What about those who do NOT live in the Barracks?

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Learning
USMC Items Tracking Wounded, Command structure,
CONOPS, PEB, VA. TSGLI, Extension, MFL
Capabilities, CACO capability, RBE training,
promotion, retention, re-enlistment, MOS options,
Fitreps, Pro/Cons, options, Wounded Marine
Medical decisions, etc Family Items - Funding
for trips to see sons/husbands (S/H) (ITO, Follow
on trips, follow on trips so see kids) -
Authorization to see S/H in Landstuhl (Orders,
or options?) - Parents/Spouse Disagreements
(Financial, passionate, etc)
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Learning
Medical Items - Multiple Injuries Issues
(Pills, attention to all injuries instead of the
most important- 2nd Opinion (My elbow as an
example)- Decisions (remove leg, connect nerve
vains, etc..)- Hospital Options Location -
(Home town, VA, current duty station,
etc) Specialty Walter Reed, Bethesda, Tampa,
Willmington, etc.. Public Items - Public Events
(Golf, Xmas Event, etc)- News (Newspapers,
Radios, TV)- Donations (Everything!)- Visitors
(Everyone is welcome at CL, but not all places)

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Learning

• Medevac to United States
• Multiple routes
• Initial hospitals
• Follow on hospitals (several)
• Home town
• Units location

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Wounded
31st Combat Support Hospital Baghdad
Unit/Local BAS
Field Hospital
Return to Duty (RTD)
Return to Duty (RTD)
Return to Duty (RTD)
Return to Duty (RTD)
LandshtulGermany
Calling? Tracking? Explaining? Funding?
ApprovedFamily Members Arrival
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Others
Andrews AF Basewebmaster_at_andrews.af.mil744th
Communication SquadronNetwork Administration(301
) 981-9986 / 858-9986
Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital
Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital
National Naval Medical Center8901 Rockville
PikeBethesda, MD 20889-5600(301) 295-4611
toll-free 1-800-526-7101www.bethesda.med.navy.mil

Walter Reed Army Medical Center6900 Georgia
Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20307http//www.wramc.a
medd.army.mil
Naval Medical Center San Diego 34800 Bob Wilson
Drive San Diego, CA 92134-5000 http//www-nmcsd.me
d.navy.mil
Brooke Army Medical CenterLocation3851 Roger
Brook Dr.FSH TX 78234 Contact
Info(210)916-4141
Calling? Tracking? Explaining? Funding?
Local Support in most Military Hospitals Marine
LiaisonMarine for LifeVA InformationVisitorsOt
her Injured and their families
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Limited Duty Marines/Sailors may be moved to many
different places. Often, they are moved more than
once.
All wounded can be tracked as long as the proper
input is made.
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Not in the Barracks??
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• We need a
• Chain of Command...
• I briefed Gen Conway

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Item 4 Wounded Warrior Regiment
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Wounded Warrior Regiment
Colonel Greg BoyleCommanding OfficerWounded
Warrior Regiment
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WWR Organization
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve
Affairs Headquarters Marine Corps Quantico, VA
(DC MRA)
Wounded Warrior Regimental Headquarters,
Quantico, VA (WWR)
Wounded Warrior Battalion-West Camp Pendleton, CA
(WWBN-W)
Wounded Warrior Battalion-East Camp Lejeune, NC
(WWBN-E)
Mississippi River
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Know that a Regimental Marine is in your
areaHelp is out there
Call Center [phone]
WWR services the Total Force Active Duty /
Reserve / Retired / Former Marines
Quantico
Landstuhl
Camp Lejeune
Camp Pendleton
Okinawa
Guam
Hawaii

120 Hometown Links (not shown)
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Item 5 Maxwells Mission Find Them All!
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The Tiger Team
The Team
Balboa Naval Hospital
Camp Pendleton
? Where are they?
Scripps
29 Palms
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The Tiger Team
Tampa, FLJames A. Haley VA
San Antonio, TexasBrooke Army medical Center
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Item 6 New Problem
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Serious Problem

• Dr Armando
• I talked to you this morning, just for a bit. As
  you may recall from that, I am running into a lot
  of problems with my current capabilities. I think
  that I am just working too much. I think that my
  brain gets real tired, and this is the result.
• - My right leg. No pain, it just begins to drag.
• - Headaches.  Not intense, but the left side of
  my head hurts. New.
• - Speaking/Words  It is worse
• - Memory  New. I dont remember having this
  problem.
• -Loss of Balance - It used to be very rare/ Now
  it is common.
• - Depression Often, I do not even want to get
  out of my bed. New problem.
• - Stress - I do not remember having this.

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Shrapnel leeching heavy metal toxins in cerebral
fluid
Not Good
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2007
2004
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Meeting my Anesthesiologists
Recovery in Bethesda
Home
ICU
National Rehabilitation Center
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Weakness/Nerve LossOct 2008
Neck/Shoulder
Vision
Hand/Wrists
Foot/Ankle
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Item 7 How Can You Help?
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Know about theWounded Warrior Call Center
To reach the Wounded Warrior Call Center, call
(877) 4USMCWW ([phone]).
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RememberHelp is out there
Call Center [phone]
Quantico
Landstuhl
Camp Lejeune
Camp Pendleton
Okinawa
Guam
Hawaii
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Support

• Call Center
• My Web Site
• www.SemperMax.com
• Money is not involved in any way
• Sharing stories is important.
• The concept of the Barracks
• Donations are amazing
• www.hopeforthewarrior.org
• They contact other organizations if at all
  possible
• Smart

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Talk to Wounded Warriors

• Were you injured?
• (Do you mind telling me) What Happened?
• How are you doing?
• Their response.Im Fine
• You should disagree I could never handle that
  etc
• Did you loose a friend?
• If so, it is the worst thing that happened.
• Say nothing negative
• Especiappy anti-war
• Thank you, etc
• What unit were you in?
• Best unit in the Army.
• If a Marine, it is important. But not as much.

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Remember, they are people
Visit. Talk. Help. Try to provide HOPE.
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Questions?