WEBVTT 00:03.650 --> 00:05.761 The Air Force Wounded Warrior program 00:05.761 --> 00:07.983 is a congressionally mandated federally 00:07.983 --> 00:09.983 funded program that is functionally 00:09.983 --> 00:12.094 aligned under the Air Force Personnel 00:12.094 --> 00:14.150 center . Every branch of service has 00:14.150 --> 00:16.261 its own specific program , but we are 00:16.261 --> 00:18.483 your official Air Force Wounded Warrior 00:18.483 --> 00:19.872 program . Our mission is 00:19.872 --> 00:21.483 straightforward . We provide 00:21.483 --> 00:23.428 personalized care and services for 00:23.428 --> 00:25.428 wounded , ill or injured airmen and 00:25.428 --> 00:27.483 their families and caregivers across 00:27.483 --> 00:29.650 the entire air force . We advocate for 00:29.650 --> 00:31.650 our airmen to return to active duty 00:31.650 --> 00:33.650 first and if that is absolutely not 00:33.650 --> 00:35.761 possible , then we ensure an educated 00:35.761 --> 00:37.950 coordinate and personalized transition 00:37.959 --> 00:40.470 into veteran status . Our program 00:40.479 --> 00:43.040 focuses on specific personal and family 00:43.049 --> 00:45.216 needs and includes programs that cover 00:45.216 --> 00:46.993 unique situations throughout an 00:46.993 --> 00:49.160 airman's recovery process and beyond . 00:50.659 --> 00:52.979 But what exactly does that mean an air 00:52.990 --> 00:55.157 force wounded warrior is any seriously 00:55.157 --> 00:56.990 or very seriously wounded ill or 00:56.990 --> 00:59.101 injured airman identified on a casual 00:59.101 --> 01:01.139 report . A purple heart recipient 01:01.159 --> 01:03.381 recommended by the medical community as 01:03.381 --> 01:05.159 having a highly complex medical 01:05.159 --> 01:07.360 condition or have been referred to the 01:07.370 --> 01:09.779 disability evaluation system for post 01:09.790 --> 01:11.901 traumatic stress disorder , traumatic 01:11.901 --> 01:13.901 brain injury or other mental health 01:13.901 --> 01:16.819 conditions . Essentially the moment an 01:16.830 --> 01:18.886 airman is wounded , ill or injured , 01:18.886 --> 01:20.774 their connection with our program 01:20.774 --> 01:22.719 begins at the end of the day . Our 01:22.719 --> 01:24.497 program is focused on providing 01:24.497 --> 01:26.719 restorative care to the men and women . 01:26.719 --> 01:29.529 In our program , every wound illness or 01:29.540 --> 01:31.707 injury is different and the goal is to 01:31.707 --> 01:33.429 provide a refined , simplified 01:33.429 --> 01:35.207 transition back to duty or into 01:35.207 --> 01:37.318 civilian life . Ensuring our warriors 01:37.318 --> 01:39.207 are well equipped to successfully 01:39.207 --> 01:41.349 manage any challenge they face . Once 01:41.360 --> 01:43.582 enrolled in our program , we identify a 01:43.582 --> 01:45.527 care management team that plays an 01:45.527 --> 01:47.582 essential role during each warrior's 01:47.582 --> 01:49.693 personal recovery process . This team 01:49.693 --> 01:51.416 consists of the airmen , their 01:51.416 --> 01:53.930 caregiver and family along with members 01:53.940 --> 01:56.162 of their unit to include leadership and 01:56.162 --> 01:58.051 coworkers . All of these critical 01:58.051 --> 02:00.218 elements of the team work hand in hand 02:00.218 --> 02:02.218 with their medical team and the air 02:02.218 --> 02:04.162 force wounded warrior care team to 02:04.162 --> 02:06.329 ensure the greatest possible outcome . 02:06.329 --> 02:08.496 The first person from our program they 02:08.496 --> 02:10.496 will encounter is the recovery care 02:10.496 --> 02:12.662 coordinator at 42 locations across the 02:12.662 --> 02:14.329 Air Force . Our recovery care 02:14.329 --> 02:16.384 coordinators identified the needs of 02:16.384 --> 02:18.440 the airmen and the families they are 02:18.440 --> 02:20.607 assigned and help them establish goals 02:20.607 --> 02:22.773 centered on recovery . They do this by 02:22.773 --> 02:24.662 coordinating both medical and non 02:24.662 --> 02:26.718 medical services with subject matter 02:26.718 --> 02:28.662 experts at the Air Force personnel 02:28.662 --> 02:30.329 center and military treatment 02:30.329 --> 02:32.384 facilities in the region . They also 02:32.384 --> 02:34.384 have a direct reach back to our non 02:34.384 --> 02:36.440 medical case managers who provide an 02:36.440 --> 02:36.419 additional element of the care 02:36.429 --> 02:38.651 management team to include post service 02:38.651 --> 02:40.873 benefits and entitlements counseling as 02:40.873 --> 02:43.096 well as ensuring continued medical care 02:43.096 --> 02:45.529 for our warriors . The Tyler , support 02:45.539 --> 02:47.679 of the RCC and the non medical case 02:47.690 --> 02:49.869 managers creates a continuity of care 02:49.880 --> 02:52.029 and truly promotes the mentality of 02:52.039 --> 02:54.039 taking care of our airmen and their 02:54.039 --> 02:56.270 families for those wars unable to 02:56.279 --> 02:58.335 return to duty . Our empowerment and 02:58.335 --> 03:00.112 transition team is here to help 03:00.112 --> 03:02.112 navigate and amplify the transition 03:02.112 --> 03:04.119 back into civilian life . Our team 03:04.130 --> 03:06.186 provides support with resume writing 03:06.186 --> 03:08.399 and preparation , interview skills and 03:08.410 --> 03:10.688 overall job search assistance building . 03:10.688 --> 03:12.799 On the foundation of programs offered 03:12.799 --> 03:14.854 by local airmen and family readiness 03:14.854 --> 03:17.419 centers across the Air Force . The 03:17.429 --> 03:19.596 success of our Warriors relies heavily 03:19.600 --> 03:21.822 on the strength of their support system 03:21.822 --> 03:23.933 at home . This is where our caregiver 03:23.933 --> 03:26.156 support program comes in . They connect 03:26.156 --> 03:27.822 caregivers with one another , 03:27.822 --> 03:29.711 establishing caring and attentive 03:29.711 --> 03:31.711 networks , providing the tools they 03:31.711 --> 03:33.767 need to help caregivers learn , grow 03:33.767 --> 03:35.933 and develop in the most fulfilling way 03:35.933 --> 03:37.822 possible . The caregivers support 03:37.822 --> 03:39.989 program is an instrumental part of the 03:39.989 --> 03:42.211 wounded warriors comprehensive recovery 03:42.211 --> 03:43.989 plan . With the aim of building 03:43.989 --> 03:46.156 resilient families , caregivers taking 03:46.156 --> 03:48.267 care of one another , sharing ideas , 03:48.267 --> 03:50.464 beliefs and truly understanding what 03:50.475 --> 03:52.455 each other experiences makes this 03:52.464 --> 03:54.186 powerful network of giving and 03:54.195 --> 03:57.009 compassionate hearts successful because 03:57.020 --> 03:59.309 a caregiver's intangible bond with 03:59.320 --> 04:01.153 their warrior is what makes this 04:01.153 --> 04:03.209 program an invaluable resource . One 04:03.209 --> 04:05.389 that revitalizes each member and gives 04:05.399 --> 04:07.566 them the strength and encouragement to 04:07.566 --> 04:09.789 persevere against all odds and thrive 04:09.800 --> 04:12.240 in their new normal . The warrior care 04:12.250 --> 04:14.250 Division at the Air Force Personnel 04:14.250 --> 04:16.083 Center provides non medical case 04:16.083 --> 04:18.250 management and personalized support to 04:18.250 --> 04:20.361 all air force wounded warriors . They 04:20.361 --> 04:22.250 provide this through six regional 04:22.250 --> 04:24.417 warrior care events held annually that 04:24.417 --> 04:26.194 integrate all programs into one 04:26.194 --> 04:28.417 resiliency focus event with the goal of 04:28.417 --> 04:30.528 strengthening the mental , physical , 04:30.528 --> 04:32.694 spiritual and social well being of our 04:32.694 --> 04:34.917 warriors and their caregivers . Here is 04:34.917 --> 04:37.139 an acronym representing the elements of 04:37.139 --> 04:38.945 the A F W-2 support programs . 04:38.954 --> 04:41.695 Caregiver support , adapt to sports and 04:41.704 --> 04:44.065 ambassador workshop , recovering airman 04:44.075 --> 04:46.186 mentorship program and the resiliency 04:46.186 --> 04:48.524 programs and empowerment in transition . 04:49.005 --> 04:50.727 During these care events , the 04:50.727 --> 04:52.672 caregiver support program provides 04:52.672 --> 04:54.838 personalized support to caregivers who 04:54.838 --> 04:56.838 are caring for our wounded , ill or 04:56.838 --> 04:59.079 injured warrior here , caregivers can 04:59.089 --> 05:01.311 expect to connect with other caregivers 05:01.311 --> 05:03.367 to form a support network where they 05:03.367 --> 05:05.422 can share their experiences , wisdom 05:05.422 --> 05:07.533 and skills . Attendees are armed with 05:07.533 --> 05:09.700 successful coping tools to assist them 05:09.700 --> 05:11.922 with managing stress , communicate more 05:11.922 --> 05:13.978 effectively taking care of their own 05:13.978 --> 05:16.033 mental health and managing demanding 05:16.033 --> 05:17.978 situations . A variety of adaptive 05:17.978 --> 05:19.811 sports are offered by the highly 05:19.811 --> 05:22.033 trained and certified coaches we employ 05:22.033 --> 05:23.978 and are adapted to meet individual 05:23.978 --> 05:25.867 warriors abilities . During these 05:25.867 --> 05:28.033 events , we identify warriors , demons 05:28.033 --> 05:30.089 creating the competitive potential , 05:30.089 --> 05:32.200 placing them in a developmental track 05:32.200 --> 05:33.978 where they receive coaching and 05:33.978 --> 05:36.033 nutrition counseling and may compete 05:36.033 --> 05:38.256 for positions on the warrior Games team 05:38.256 --> 05:40.311 during the annual Air Force trials . 05:40.311 --> 05:41.922 The ambassador workshop is a 05:41.922 --> 05:44.089 comprehensive program to help warriors 05:44.089 --> 05:44.029 and caregivers tell their deeply 05:44.040 --> 05:45.910 personal stories of recovery and 05:45.920 --> 05:48.087 resiliency . They have the opportunity 05:48.087 --> 05:49.920 to use their platform to bring a 05:49.920 --> 05:51.920 reality to resiliency and use their 05:51.920 --> 05:53.976 experiences to educate airmen across 05:53.980 --> 05:56.091 the Air force about the life changing 05:56.091 --> 05:58.019 benefits of our program . The 05:58.029 --> 06:00.085 recovering airmen mentorship program 06:00.085 --> 06:02.579 develops mentors and connects warriors 06:02.589 --> 06:04.390 with their peers to promote and 06:04.399 --> 06:06.450 encourage healing . We integrate 06:06.459 --> 06:09.269 trained mentors into teams of 15 to 20 06:09.279 --> 06:11.279 warriors , shadowing members of our 06:11.279 --> 06:12.890 staff to provide a firsthand 06:12.890 --> 06:14.557 opportunity to experience the 06:14.557 --> 06:16.612 mentorship role , preparing them for 06:16.612 --> 06:18.612 their assignment as a peer mentor , 06:18.612 --> 06:20.835 social resiliency programming is always 06:20.835 --> 06:22.835 a part of each caravan and includes 06:22.835 --> 06:25.112 spiritual opportunities along with art , 06:25.112 --> 06:27.709 music , yoga , journaling , photography , 06:27.720 --> 06:30.579 and comedy sessions , the empowerment 06:30.589 --> 06:32.367 and transition workshop , hones 06:32.367 --> 06:34.311 employment skills in a small class 06:34.311 --> 06:36.478 setting with a personalized approach . 06:36.478 --> 06:38.422 Building on the foundation of what 06:38.422 --> 06:40.533 lawyers have learned throughout their 06:40.533 --> 06:42.422 careers , we work hard to provide 06:42.422 --> 06:44.645 compassion and support on an individual 06:44.645 --> 06:46.589 basis and meet each airman , their 06:46.589 --> 06:48.700 caregiver and families where they are 06:48.700 --> 06:50.867 along their recovery journey . We must 06:50.867 --> 06:52.769 all work together to create 06:52.779 --> 06:54.890 environments that empower one another 06:54.890 --> 06:56.920 to seek support early and often 06:56.929 --> 06:59.005 regardless of rank or career field . 06:59.015 --> 07:01.994 This is exactly why our program exists 07:02.304 --> 07:04.304 through non medical care , speaking 07:04.304 --> 07:06.193 opportunities , care , events and 07:06.193 --> 07:08.137 adaptive sports competitions . Our 07:08.137 --> 07:10.304 program has the privilege of educating 07:10.304 --> 07:12.475 airmen on the ongoing efforts within 07:12.484 --> 07:14.595 the Air Force Wound Warrior program . 07:14.595 --> 07:17.105 This gives us the unique opportunity to 07:17.114 --> 07:19.274 increase the connectedness of our air 07:19.285 --> 07:21.595 force and directly engage with airmen 07:21.605 --> 07:23.716 who may be struggling and looking for 07:23.716 --> 07:26.850 help . It's easy for us to talk about 07:26.859 --> 07:29.250 resiliency and caring and hope that it 07:29.260 --> 07:31.640 somehow evokes change . We all know too 07:31.649 --> 07:33.816 well that there's a difference between 07:33.816 --> 07:35.705 what we say we value and what our 07:35.705 --> 07:37.871 airmen actually experience . However , 07:37.871 --> 07:39.871 our program is striving to create a 07:39.871 --> 07:42.149 culture of caring within the air force . 07:42.149 --> 07:43.170 And that starts with each of you .