‘Medical’

Program helps Marines with invisible wounds

FORT CARSON, Colo. — “There is nothing wrong with having post traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. You are not letting anyone down when you seek help for the symptoms that you are encountering and you are not alone in the fight.”

Two members of the Wounded Warrior Regiment’s Medical Cell are the voices behind this powerful statement. Sharon Cross and Karola Thurman have made it a top priority to continue educating Marines and their leadership about the causes and effects of invisible wounds.

According to the Department of Defense, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be provoked by the threat of injury or death; even those in the general population who have not served in combat can develop this stress disorder. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a traumatically-induced structural injury and/or physiological disruption of brain function as a result of an external force.

The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment medical cell staff have taken numerous steps to ensure that every Marine who is experiencing symptoms associated with PTSD and TBI such as confusion, memory loss or irritability understands the resources and support available to them. One resource that they continue to promote is the Regiment’s Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program.

There is no cookie cutter cure for PTSD or TBI because not everyone has the same symptoms or responds the same way to treatments. However, Marine athletes who actively participate in sporting events such as the Wounded Warrior Regiment’s Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program have shown tremendous progress throughout their recovery.

Marine veteran Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Arbogast who joined the Marine Corps in 1998 was one of the 300 wounded, ill and injured Marines who competed in the Marine Corps Trials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Calif. During this event he got into the pool for the first time since being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and a spinal cord injury.

Arbogast says that becoming active in sports and the Marine Corps community again has taught him that the darkness that he had once felt about his injuries was not permanent and that there are people out there who cared about him.

“These events allow Marines to stay connected and feel part of something even when they have lost so much,” said Cross, Wounded Warrior Regiment’s psychological health coordinator. “Marines with brain injuries can benefit from any kind of physical activities. Physical activity helps to ward off the symptoms of depression and self doubt.”

Arbogast can attest to the positive outcomes of participating in such events. “I know firsthand what PTSD does to someone emotionally and physically. Participating in the Marine Corps Trials has allowed me to become active again.” Arbogast continues to focus on the positive instead of the negative stating that, “my participation in sports has let me focus on my abilities and regain the confidence and camaraderie I once had while in the Marine Corps.”

Thurman and Cross continue to advocate for Marines to participate in the Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program because, “the Marines who have PTSD and TBI need to be included to reconnect with their fellow Marines and it serves as a way for them to rejoin life,” said Thurman a Wounded Warrior Regiment licensed clinical consultant.

For more information about the Wounded Warrior Regiment, PTSD/TBI support or the Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program, go to: www.woundedwarriorregiment.org or call the Sgt. Merlin German Wounded Warrior Call Center 24/7 at (877) 487-6299.

Wounded Warrior Regiment’s Medical Cell

While the WWR’s care is focused on non-medical support, every Marine assisted by the WWR is recovering from visible and/or invisible injuries or illnesses.  The Medical Cell is staffed by licensed clinical consultants; knowledgeable advocates who establish a relationship with  Marines and families, and bridge the gap between medical and non-medical team members to support the his or her recovery.

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Traumatic injury benefits now payable for genitourinary injuries

Service members who suffer severe injuries to the genitourinary organs are now eligible for Traumatic Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, or TSGLI.

“We recognize that these types of injuries are devastating and can have a long-lasting impact on the Servicemember’s quality of life,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “It is for this reason that it is appropriate to include genitourinary injuries in the list of payable losses specified in the TSGLI program.”

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Integration of medical care in the NCR

Staff members of the United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment made final preparations in August to move wounded, ill and injured (WII) Marines from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, D.C. to the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. formerly known as the National Naval Medical Center.  Capt. Aloysius Boyle, the company commander of the WRAMC Marine detachment, was instrumental in planning for a smooth transition for the Marines.

Boyle, an experienced combat leader, says his experiences on the battlefield prepared him for his new mission of ensuring the non-medical needs of WII Marines and their families are met during the move from Walter Reed to the new facility in Bethesda.

“For us, this process is just Marines taking care of their own,” said Boyle. That is what Semper Fidelis truly means; always faithful to the Corps, the mission, and the men and women who support it. We say, mission first, Marines always.  In this case, the mission is the Marines themselves. The Marines and their families are our priority for this move.”

Approximately 55 WII Marines and 15 staff members who were serving in the Wounded Warrior Battalion East, WRAMC Marine detachment, made the move to the new Walter Reed. Some of the Marines are in outpatient status, going to appointments during the day and living outside of the main hospital, either on base or in neighboring towns.  Other Marines are in inpatient status and live inside the main hospital to receive constant care.

This move is part of the Base Realignment and Closure-mandated consolidation of the Navy and Army flagship medical centers in the National Capital Region. It will bring each of the services’ recent combat medical experiences, innovative research and technology, and best practices in evidence-based patient care together “under one roof.”