1. Welcome to the Team

2. Who?LtCol Tim A. Maxwell 24 MEU S-3 (Opso) What?Wounded Mortar attack When?Oct 7, 2004 Where? Kalsu, Iraq Why? I was taking a nap We all make mistakes Let’s just do the best we can

3. History Get to know them

4. Kalsu, Iraq Last picture before injury Awake!

5. Kalsu, Iraq First picture after injury Corpsman Seriously wounded 1 month later Physical, PTSD

6. Shrapnel Brain Elbow

7. Bethesda My Wife’s Experience -Fight Medical Retirement -VA Form - House -VA Form – Car -TSGLI -TAD -Dinner? -Choose new hospital And this is just the beginning My Experience

8. Richmond VA Hospital (McGuire) My Wife’s Experience -TAD -Medical Issues -Failed to check my vision -Changed my medicine -Etc.. -Kids -School -Travel -Mon – Thurs: Home -Thurs – Sun: Richmond -Choose new hospital And this is just the beginning My Experience

9. Home Jacksonville, NC My Experience Bad Neurologist Fired Bad Visual Doctor Fired 5 Bad Elbow Doctors Fired one at a time Cannot Drive My Wife’s Experience Get a new Neurologist Fired Get a new Visual Doctor Fired Get a new Elbow Doctors (5 times) Fired one at a time Get a Drive

10. In the End: Limited Duty Brain Two Main Problems At Night: OVER-ACTIVE MIND Thoughts swirling Day Time: Receptive/Expressive APHASIA - Names and labels (Anomia) - Speeches/Meetings Physical Problems Vision (The worst “physical” issue. Reading is brutal) Right Ankle/Knee: Weakness (Foot drags, stumbling) Right Arm: Lack of solid control Left Arm: Slight pain

11. Bored! What Can I Do?

12. Initially: Hang out with my unit - Drink Coffee. Chat. Visit. - 3 Hours a day, 2-3 days a week. Later: Visit Other Wounded Marines/Corpsmen Spread the word “You are not alone” Common Issues Loneliness. Guiltiness. Sadness. Confusion. BORED! Take Away Live Together? Propose the Idea to the CG II MEF (LtGen Amos) Share the Barracks Approved

13. InterviewsHospital Visits

14. Open the Barracks

15. Unit was Growing Spring 2005 Barracks – 6 Others – 10% Spring 2006 Barracks - 64 Others – 50% Spring 2007 Barracks – 110 Others – 90%

16. What we were learning Being together is very good Paperwork is very confusing Few Marines/corpsmen know either

17. Medevac Wounded Return to Duty (RTD) Unit/Local BASField Hospital 31st Combat Support Hospital Baghdad Landshtul Germany Return to Duty (RTD) Approved Family Members Arrival Calling? Tracking? Explaining? Funding?

18. National Naval Medical Center 8901 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20889-5600 (301) 295-4611; toll-free 1- 800-526-7101 www.bethesda.med.navy. mil www.bethesda.med.navy. mil Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307 http://www.wramc.amedd.ar my.mil Naval Medical Center San Diego 34800 Bob Wilson Drive San Diego, CA 92134-5000 http://www- nmcsd.med.navy.mil Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital Brooke Army Medical Center Location: 3851 Roger Brook Dr. FSH TX 78234 Contact Info: (210)916-4141 Andrews AF Base webmaster@andrews.af.mil 744th Communication Squadron Network Administration (301) 981-9986 / 858-9986 webmaster@andrews.af.mil Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital Others Local Support in most Military Hospitals Marine Liaison Marine for Life VA Information Visitors Other Injured and their families Calling? Tracking? Explaining? Funding?

19. All wounded can be tracked as long as the proper input is made. National Naval Medical Center Walter Reed Army Medical Center Naval Medical Center San Diego Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital Brooke Army Medical Center Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital Others TBI: Palo Alta VA Hospital Camp Lejeune/Pendleton TBI: Tampa VA Hospital TBI: Richland VA Hospital Other VA Hospital Specialties Any Other Military Hospital Other VA Hospital in Home Town Home on ConLeave between each Medical appointment Home awaiting Order Limited Duty Marines/Sailors may be moved to many different places. Often, they are moved more than once.

20. Questions/Issues USMC Items Tracking Wounded 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)

21. Questions/Issues Medical Items - Multiple Injuries 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 News (Newspapers, Radios, TV) Donations (Everything!) Public Events (Golf, Xmas Event, Speeches, etc…) Visitors (Everyone is welcome at CL, but not all places)

22. National Naval Medical Center Walter Reed Army Medical Center Naval Medical Center San Diego Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital Brooke Army Medical Center Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital Others TBI: Palo Alta VA Hospital Camp Lejeune/Pendleton TBI: Tampa VA Hospital TBI: Richland VA Hospital Other VA Hospital Specialties Any Other Military Hospital Other VA Hospital in Home Town Home on ConLeave between each Medical appointment Home awaiting Order - Pro/Cons - Fitreps - Awards - Promotions - Approved ConLeave - Funded trip to follow on Med appt. - Funded family in medical trip - BAH issues (Brook vs. Pendleton) - PEB - VA - TSGLI - Re-enlistment - New MOS - Medical Decisions (e.g.-Have leg removed)

23. All wounded can be tracked as long as the proper input is made. National Naval Medical Center Walter Reed Army Medical Center Naval Medical Center San Diego Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital Brooke Army Medical Center Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital Others TBI: Palo Alta VA Hospital Camp Lejeune/Pendleton TBI: Tampa VA Hospital TBI: Richland VA Hospital Other VA Hospital Specialties Any Other Military Hospital Other VA Hospital in Home Town Home on ConLeave between each Medical appointment Home awaiting Order After being moved for more than 30 days, the Command is shifted to the local unit. Command commonly changes, as personnel are commonly moved more than once. Original Unit or W (Wounded) Co Henderson Hall Local I&I Henderson Hall Original Unit or W (Wounded) Co ?? Local I&I

24. Fitreps? Awards? Pro/Cons? Promotions? BAH issues (Brook vs. Pendleton)? Medical Decisions (e.g.-Have leg removed)? PEB? TSGLI? VA? Approved ConLeave? Funded family in medical trip? Funded trip to follow on Med appt? Re-enlistment? New MOS? When Can I re-join my unit? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Our KNOWN list of issues

25. Benefits of the Barracks Togetherness Events. Talking to each other. Purpose Part of a Marine Corps Unit Problem Solving Individuals are supported What about those who do NOT live in the barracks?

26. Phase IV: Wounded Warrior Regiment

27. USMC Wounded Warrior Regiment Commanders Every Wounded Marine/Sailor has support Overall Command Quantico, VA East Coast Camp Lejeune West Coast Camp Pendleton

28. What will I do? Spread information. www.SemperMax.com Visit. Talk. Help. Try to provide HOPE.

29. Cpl J K TBI Wounded Fall 2005 1 st Deployment to Iraq Takes Shrapnel in his back Dies Brain shuts down Lives Multiple problems Physical - Left side Mental – Fatigue, words, …

30. Cpl J C Hip Fractured Wounded Spring 2006 Shattered Hip Just denied PH. Medivaced to Navy Hospital 1 month (?) Sent home to Local Navy Hospital Returned to full duty During training it hurt a lotHip re- shattered Surgery Different Hospital conducts it Metal Pin placed in both hip (OK) and knee (What?) 6 Months Later Hip still hurts Still NO explanation for pin in knee Second Opinion…..An Option?

31. Cpl M S TBI Wounded Unknown Two deployments in Iraq Two Purple Hearts Preparing for 3 rd Deployment Brain shuts down Memory problems

32. Cpl C F Bullet Wounded Winter 2006 Shot down his face/through is nose Re-joined his unit within 2 months His plan…Be a squad Leader Re-joined WWB ~9 months later Nose infected Morale low (not a SL)

33. LCpl J R TBI Wounded Spring 2005 Shot in the foot No big deal Medevaced……Sent home to be with wife Brain shuts down Related to his injury? Current status…No No TSGLI Sent to civilian Hospital Wife quits job Cannot walk, cannot shower Sent to Home Town (Ohio) Joined the Barracks early 2006