From John R. Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy:
Each November, the U.S. commemorates
Military Family Month and
National Family Caregivers Month to demonstrate the nation’s support and commitment to the families and caregivers of military personnel. Recognizing the daily sacrifices made by military families has never been more important than during a time of war. They make it possible for Service members to do their jobs in keeping us safe.
We also recognize the strength of the wounded warrior military families and caregivers. If a Service member returns home wounded, ill or injured, the military family and caregiver is the glue that holds everything together during a Service member’s recovery and transition—which can often be confusing, scary and overwhelming.
Efforts are underway to support Service members, Veterans, wounded warriors and their families and caregivers such as the administration’s
Joining Forces initiative and the overall mission of the
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP). Joining Forces mobilizes all sectors of society to support military families and provides ways for Americans to get involved. MC&FP is responsible for programs and policies establishing and supporting community quality of life programs for Service members and their families worldwide.
MC&FP’s Wounded Warrior Resource Center runs through
Military OneSource. It was established to provide Service members who have become wounded, ill or injured, as well as their immediate families and their primary caregivers, with a single point of contact for assistance with reporting deficiencies in covered military facilities, obtaining health care services, receiving benefits information, and any other difficulties encountered while supporting wounded warriors.
President Barrack Obama also signed the
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act last year as a way to extend additional assistance to family members who care for severely wounded Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Through the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2010, the
Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy issued the
DoD Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living (SCAADL) policy to assist catastrophically wounded, ill and injured Service members.
I echo both President Obama’s
Military Family Month and
National Family Caregivers Month proclamations that we, as individuals, as Americans, all share in the responsibility of supporting military families and caregivers.
Let us, as a nation, stand together in honoring and supporting military families and caregivers; visit the
Joining Forces website and find out how you can do more for those who have given us so much.