Participants at the 2010/11 Wounded Warrior Weekend held at Bromley Mountain

by Margo Callaghan

It was in 2003 when record numbers of veterans were returning from their tours of duty with wounds of body, mind, and spirit that the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began. Initiated by several veterans and friends who were moved by stories of their wounded compatriots returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, the small group took action to help those in need who incurred service-connected injures on or after Sept. 11, 2001. What started as a program to provide comfort items to wounded service members, has now grown into a complete rehabilitative effort to assist warriors as they recover and transition back to civilian life.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of wounded warriors and caregivers receive support each year through WWP programs.

 WWP in Vermont

Joe Hurley understands WWP's mission to honor and empower wounded warriors. As director of The Bart J. Ruggiere Adaptive Sports Center ("the Bart") at Bromley Mountain, Hurley and his volunteers have hosted an annual "Wounded Warriors Weekend" the last half dozen years. The first year it started with one soldier from Tennessee; last year there were 12.

"It is totally free for these warriors and their families," Hurley explains. That is made possible due to a confluence of circumstance: WWP promoted the weekend and reached out to injured vets and Bromley Mountain took care of all the details once the vets and their families arrived. This included arranging for families that lived close to the mountain to host WWP participants for the weekend. The final confluence was the Bart, which had its trained volunteers work under Hurley's management and brought the soldiers the experience of the run down the slopes.

"It's a strong fit for us - we have a good relationship with WWP," Hurley shared. That fit is so strong that a new WWP event is planned at Bromley for Jan. 20, 2012, "Project Odyssey." In addition to bringing soldiers who have physical injuries out to the slopes, Project Odyssey is a program designed for warriors whose wounds are not so evident: returning veterans with brain injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder. "We've planned a three-day weekend for these soldiers. Right now, it looks like we'll have some snowshoeing and/or cross country [skiing] during the day, and maybe some yoga at night. Saturday we'll try some skiing and snowboarding," Hurley explained.

Other Wounded Warrior projects

Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with programs uniquely structured to nurture the mind and body, and to encourage economic empowerment and engagement. A current listing of all WWP programs and services can be found at the website: woundedwarriorproject.org. Below are listed a few of the programs they offer:

Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP) eases readjustment for returning warriors through mental health resources and access to care, while addressing interpersonal relationship issues.

Family Support offers respite programs for family, spouses, and/or caregivers through weekend retreats and by proactively addressing policy/legislation changes.

Physical Health and Wellness provides recreation, adaptive sports programs, and physical health strategies to help wounded warriors adjust to life after injury.

Soldier Ride™ is an adaptive cycling event that allows warriors to ride alongside fellow injured service members and reclaim their confidence and strength in a supportive environment.

WWP Packs Injured warriors at military trauma units receive WWP Packs filled with clothing, toiletries, playing cards, and other essential care and comfort items.

TRACK™ is the first education center in the nation designed specifically for wounded warriors.

Warriors to Work™ assists warriors with the transition back into the civilian workforce, providing career counseling services and job placement assistance.

Transition Training Academy™ In conjunction with several government agencies and Cisco, Transition Training Academy (TTA) allows warriors to explore information technology as a potential career field.

Campus Services gives warriors the tools, policies, and services needed to help them achieve educational success at their respective academic or vocational institutions.

Benefits Service helps warriors transition to life after injury by providing details on government benefits, Wounded Warrior Project programs, and community resources.

International Support In conjunction with the USO, WWP's International program improves hospital staff morale and provides wounded warriors with comfort items before they transfer back to the United States.

Peer Mentoring motivates wounded warriors by helping them develop one-on-one friendships with fellow warriors who are further along in the recovery process.

Warriors Speak™ trains warriors to become effective spokespersons by sharing their unique and inspirational stories with public audiences while gaining self-confidence and career development skills.

WWP Resource Center proactively provides warriors and their families/caregivers with information on the best available programs and services to meet their needs.

Policy and Government Affairs works with Congress and the Federal government to create, advocate, and lobby for legislation that supports warriors and their families.