New Class of Recovery Care Coordinators prepare to serve wounded, ill and injured Service members, families

Mr. John Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy (WWCTP), provided opening remarks this morning at the quarterly training for Recovery Care Coordinators, provided by WWCTP’s Recovery Coordination Program. This training provides newly-hired non-medical care managers with the tools, resources and information they need to assist wounded, ill and injured Service members and their family members through the phases of recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration.   At the conclusion of the five-day training, which includes workshops, panel discussions and practical exercises, 14 new RCCs will join the 157 RCCs already providing non-medical care management to Service members and families in 84 locations around the world. Class topics throughout the week include recognizing the signs of suicide and post-traumatic stress, how to build positive and productive relationships with Service members and families, and how to help Service members and families establish and meet realistic goals. In addition, RCCs will receive information about a myriad of resources available to wounded, ill and injured Service members and their families, including the Operation Warfighter Program, the National Guard Transition Assistance Advisor Program, the VA Caregiver Program and the DoD’s newly-released policy for Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living. In order to maximize time, a resource exhibition will also be held with booths from organizations such as the Yellow Ribbon Program the National Resource Directory and Military OneSource. This quarter’s training also includes some new workshops and presenters. CAPT Dave Bitoni and CAPT Constance Evans will spend some time telling RCCs about the transition to and integration of the newly-opened Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda. In addition, Dr. Thomas DeGraba will make a presentation about the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), located on the new Walter Reed campus. The mission of NICoE is to be a leader in advancing traumatic brain injury and psychological health treatment, research and education, and the center includes clinical, research and training and education components. Also new this year is a first-time class visit to Andrews Air Force Base, where RCCs will tour the 779^th Aeromedical Staging Facility. This facility serves as the main East Coast hub for aeromedical evacuation aircraft bringing wounded, ill or injured Service members back to the United States for medical care. It is the busiest gateway in the United States for patients waiting to be transported back to their home stations, and it is the first state-side landing place for most of the Service members RCCs will work with. The training will conclude with a wounded warrior experience from 1LT (R) Ed Salau, who was injured in Tuz, Iraq on November 15, 2004 and suffered an above-the-knee amputation on his left leg. Closing remarks will be provided by Mr. Robert Carrington, Director of Recovery Care Coordination at WWCTP. Learn more about the Recovery Care Coorination Program HERE!