Senior leaders visit Wisconsin National Guard's wounded warriors

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Following a line from the Warrior Ethos - "I will never leave a fallen comrade" - senior Wisconsin National Guard leaders visited a handful of their Soldiers in the Warriors in Transition program at Fort Knox, Ky., May 25.

The Wisconsin Army National Guard currently has 35 Soldiers in the Warriors in Transition program. Eight are assigned to the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Knox, intended for injured or wounded Soldiers who require at least six months of complex medical management. The remaining 27 Soldiers are participating in the Community Based Warrior Transition Unit, which allows wounded or injured Soldiers to receive medical treatment from health care providers near their home. Soldiers remain on active duty status while in the program.

The Warrior Transition program is designed to provide a vast array of services, but no system is foolproof - any number of variables can impact a Soldier's progress, impeding his or her return to productive service as a Soldier, or as a veteran in the community. A member of the Wisconsin Guard command visits the Guardsmen quarterly to check on their recovery and ensure their needs are being met. The visits are, in part, one way to ensure their Soldiers are satisfactorily engaged in the transition from injured to recovered.

"We're here to support you," state Command Sgt. Maj. George Stopper told the six Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers present at the May 25 meeting. "We want you to know that we still really care about you."

"We're busy in the state, and we're busy overseas," said Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. "But in the midst of all that, we want you to know that you are not forgotten - you are not lost to the Wisconsin Army National Guard."

Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, agreed.

"Sometimes we can miss the obvious," he said. "It's important to me that you know your mission has not diminished - it's just changed. Your mission is to get well."

Dunbar invited the Soldiers to speak their minds about their time in the Warrior Transition program. Given the opportunity, many chose to air their frustrations. Some remarked about their extended stay - one Soldier had been at Fort Knox since June of 2009, and another since December of that year. Others raised concerns about the post transportation system and its impact on their ability to keep medical appointments. Inconsistent flow of information and perceptions about case managers and Warrior Transition staff were also raised. One Soldier said the only change he would like to see is a greater opportunity for family members to visit for extended periods of time, and others acknowledged the strain their stay at Fort Knox has put on relationships.

"These are some serious issues," Dunbar acknowledged. "I believe the Army and Fort Knox have our best interests at heart, but that doesn't mean these aren't real issues and we all have to continue to work together to resolve issues."

According to Maj. Gregory Majewski, executive officer for the Warrior Transition battalion at Fort Knox, the Warrior Transition program is not intended to be a hospice where the chief goal is relieving discomfort. The environment is modeled after a traditional Army "line" unit, with Army procedures and professional cadre providing a structured setting that allows a Soldier to focus on healing. Each Soldier is assigned a primary care manager, nurse case manager and squad leader to coordinate their care with other medical professionals.

"Our main focus and mission is to support the warfighter and the war effort," he said. "The rules are simple - go to formations for accountability. Make your appointments - that's a big deal because missed appointments cost us money. Do [physical training] within the limits of your profile. You're going to do some kind of job."

For example, Spc. Ryan Mantz, a member of Detachment 1, 32nd Military Police Company in Oconomowoc - who has spent nearly two years at Fort Knox - performs mail clerk duties for the Warrior Transition program.

"Engagement is crucial," Majewski continued. "Those that are engaged do the best, are the least stressed out, are the happiest."

Some of the additional opportunities available to Warrior Transition Soldiers at Fort Knox include job fairs, college courses, internships, and volunteer positions at the Veterans Administration hospital in Louisville.

Stopper said that the Warrior Transition system may never be perfect, but that Soldiers should not give up hope. Majewski agreed.

"This is a good program," he said, "and it's not going away. The Army is doing the best it can to take care of these guys."