These posters will be displayed in the heavy traffic and display areas of the first and third floors of the Walter Reed Hospital indefinitely or until they have to be removed because of the BRAC.  They will also be displayed in the Soldiers Family Assistance Center, the Mologne House and the WW Transition Brigade Headquarters at Walter Reed.   Two posters also will be displayed at Bethesda Naval and Ft Belvoir.  

Click here for a larger image that is clearly readable.

New Weapons Available to Fight Military Stress

May 28, 2009 - 8:04am

By Tom Temin
FederalNewsRadio

Wounded soldiers back from the battlegrounds rehabilitate at places like Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed. Now the military is taking steps to improve their care once they leave our area.

VA Aptitude Testing

As soon as a WW is an outpatient and capable mentally and physically of being tested,  they should contact Jeannie Lehowicz at 703-424-3563 or Room 2-24 of the MATC or new amputee center for an appointment to complete an application to be tested. Be aware  the application must be approved by the VA and the approval process may take from one to four weeks.

Traumatic Serviceman's Group Life Insurance (TSGLI)

Many WW's do not know about applying for TSGLI payments. This should be done through the SFAC. If there are any questions concerning eligibility for TSGLI or any related TSGLI questions, call the TSGLI Office at 1-800-237-1336 (Army); 1-800-368-3202 (Navy); 877-216-0825 (Marine Corps) or email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Social Security Disability Claims and Payments

WW's should apply for Social Security Disability for all OEF/OIF Wounds including TBI and PTSD. A representative from the Social Disability Office will be in the SFAC at Walter Reed every Tues 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM to assist WW's in filling out the application.

Either Ms. Guadalupe Angulo, PH 202-673-5170 or 202-623-5159 Ext 3014, Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or Ms. White , her assistant, will be there to assist WW's apply.

New Web Page Guides TRICARE Beneficiaries to Behavioral Health Resources

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – A new Web page for TRICARE beneficiaries takes the brainwork out of seeking help.

May is Mental Health Month, and at http://www.tricare.mil/mentalhealth/ TRICARE is committed to providing beneficiaries with the most up-to-date information about available its behavioral health resources.

Post-9/11 GI Bill Application Form Available Online

Starting May 1, 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs will begin accepting applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.  The application form is available online. 

Pacific Stars and Stripes
April 11, 2009
Military Update

D.C. Area Becoming Test Bed Of Military Medical Reforms

Extraordinary steps in the evolution of military medicine are occurring in the Washington, D.C., area where new medical facilities are being built to consolidate services, and a joint command is being readied to adopt cutting-edge concepts to improve quality and efficiency of service health care.

Two famed medical facilities – Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center -- are being combined into one “world class” medical center, the biggest in the military, said the project’s top officer.

Suicide Primer for Lay

People "Must Read" Document

Not all people with depression will show all symptoms or have them to the same degree. If a person has four or more symptoms, for more than two weeks, consult a doctor or mental health professional right away. While the symptoms specified for all groups below generally characterize major depression, there are other disorders with similar characteristics including: bipolar illness, anxiety disorder, or attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.

Click here to download document Suicide Primer for Lay People with important information for all Mentors and Follow-On Mentors.

Answering The Call Again

Proposal in Congress pulls veterans into broad program

By William R. Richardson and William G.T. Tuttle Jr. et al.

The story of America is the story of selfless service. From the heroes who stormed the beaches of Normandy to the men and women who serve in the Peace Corps, our country has long been defined by our citizens' willingness to enlist into missions greater than themselves.

The Senate this week has the chance to encourage this spirit and dramatically increase Americans' opportunities for service by passing the bipartisan Serve America Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, and Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat.

CAP Shares "Operation Mend"

"Buddy Families" Information

The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program's Wounded Service Member Team would like to share the following information with you:

"Operation Mend," a unique new partnership between UCLA Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and the V.A.Greater Los Angeles, has been established to help treat U.S. military personnel wounded during service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Operation Mend has helped Service Members from all Military branches with cranial facial surgery, and is looking to expand into prosthetics and eye socket repair.  During their time away from home, Operation Mend provides "Buddy Families" who share their homes with the Service Members during their time in Los Angeles.

CAP Technology Evaluation Center (CAPTEC) Announces New Location 

The CAP Technology Evaluation Center (CAPTEC) is happy to announce its new location within the Pentagon at 2D1049 near the metro entrance.

The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), a formal Department of Defense Federal program, provides assistive technology and services to people with disabilities--providing reasonable accommodations quickly and easily.  CAP has the authority to provide assistive technology, devices, and services free of charge CAP increases access to information and works to remove barriers for disabled service members.

CAP mission is to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the information environment and opportunities in the Department of Defense (DoD) and throughout the Federal government. By fulfilling this mission of providing real solutions for real needs, CAP is helping to make the Federal government the model employer for people with disabilities.   SEE also http://www.tricare.mil/cap/.

Free IT Training for Vets

NAUS (the National Association for Uniformed Services) supports the CompTIA Educational Foundation’s Creating Futures program. The Creating Futures program was developed to provide veterans, spouses and survivors with the opportunity to obtain employable skills to achieve rewarding careers in the Information Technology industry. Participants in the Creating Futures program have the opportunity to train towards four IT certifications, which, if you had to pay for, would cost up to $10,000. In addition, the training is online and accessible via the internet 24/7 and can be accessed throughout the world.

Click here to read the Creating Futures flyer, or click here for more information or to apply.

Military Physical Disabilty

Board of Review

Service members who have been medically separated since September 11, 2001 will have the opportunity to have their disability ratings reviewed to ensure fairness and accuracy.

The new Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) will examine each applicant’s medical separation, compare DoD and VA ratings, and make a recommendation to the respective Service Secretary. A disability rating cannot be lowered and anychange to the rating is effective on the date of final decision by the Service Secretary.

Long Range Education Counselor Available

Priscilla Hardiman, a WWMP volunteer and long range education counselor, will be available to counsel WW's by appointment 9:00 to 3:30 hours on Mondays in the Ed Center, Room 3-08, Delano Hall (Bldg 11) beginning Jan 26 and each Monday thereafter.  Her PH at the office is 202-356-1012,  Ext 20425. 

The education process for WW's is for them to be assessed by the WW Transition Brigade and referred to the Education Center Counselors in Rm 3-11 of Delano Hall for near term education assistance while at WR using the Tuition Assistance (TA) Program (On line Courses, Courses offered at WR by Montgomery College and University of MD University College and courses at local colleges).  The WW's have $4,500 per fiscal year available for this purpose that does not count against their GI Bill and Veterans benefits.  This process should include outpatient aptitude testing and counseling by the VA representative- Jeannie Lehowicz (703-733-0553) in Rm 2-24 of the MATC (New Amputee Center in the Hospital) to assist the WW on what curricula and new profession to pursue. 

SFACs: New Centers Helping Families of Wounded

November 20, 2008Army News Service| by Lindy Kyzer

WASHINGTON - A key component of caring for wounded warriors is taking care of their families. That's why Soldier Family Assistance Centers now thrive at 34 Army installations across the globe, officials said.

SFACs are a one-stop shop where wounded warriors and their families can find assistance and information to get them through a difficult time.

Maj. Gen. John Macdonald, commanding general of the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command and Delores F. Johnson, director, family programs, headquarters, U.S. Army FMWRC, joined bloggers and on-line journalists for a special Warrior Care month blogger's roundtable to discuss SFACs and other programs available to wounded warriors.

Travel Reimbursement Increases for Veterans

Mileage reimbursement rates for travel to Veterans Affairs medical facilities went up last week, from 28.5 cents per mile to 41.5 cents. VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake said he used his authority to make such an increase.

“We owe it to our veterans to give them the best care possible,” Peake said in a department press release. “The increase will once again provide assistance to our veterans, especially in these difficult economic times, to help offset gasoline costs and to assist veterans with access to the VA’s world-class health system.”

"Give an Hour" Valuable Web Site 

Give an Hour is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop a national network of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. Our first target population is the U.S. troops and families who are being affected by the current military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.  We are now creating a national network of mental health professionals who are literally giving an hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families. Individuals who receive services will be given the opportunity to give back in their own community. By providing critical psychological support to military personnel and their families, we will support the sacrifices they are making and ameliorate the difficulties they face.

Click on the "Give an Hour" Program Menu (to the left) to access further material about this Program.

Their web site at www.giveanhour.org has additional useful material.

Welcome to the Wounded Warrior Mentor Program 

The Wounded Warrior Mentor Program (WWMP) was started by members of the West Point class of 1958 in 2004, to provide mentoring services to wounded military members recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, D.C.  It has since expanded to include a number of West Point classes and several mentors from the other Service Academies to provide mentoring services to wounded military members wherever they are located. 

Lee Miller '58, Bruce Holmberg '61, Greg Gadston '89, Alton McCallum '02, and John Herren '58