Overview
Government and nongovernment programs to help wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families.
The number of resources for wounded, ill, or injured service members expands every day. They include service-branch programs, Department of Defense (DoD) programs, and nongovernment programs. This article will help you what resources are available and how to access them.
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Service-branch wounded warrior programs
Each service branch provides its own program for wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families. When you have questions about your service member's nonmedical needs, this is first program to contact:
U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2)
1-800-237-1336, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday
AW2@conus.army.mil (E-mail)
www.aw2.army.mil
The Army's support, advocacy, and information system for severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and their families. The Web site has links to resources and a tool that lets you locate the AW2 advocate in your area.
U.S. Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR)
1-877-4USMCWW or 1-877-487-6299, 24/7
www.woundedwarriorregiment.org
Support, advocacy, and information for wounded, ill, and injured Marines (and for Sailors attached to or in support of Marine units) and their family members.
Navy Safe Harbor - Severely Injured Support
1-877-746-8563
safeharbor@navy.mil (E-mail)
www.npc.navy.mil(go to "support & services," then "Safe Harbor")
The focal point for nonmedical care management of severely wounded, ill, or injured Sailors and their families. Nonmedical care issues include pay, invitational travel orders, lodging, and housing adaptation.
Air Force Warrior and Survivor Assistance Program
This program has two key elements. The first, the Air Force Survivor Assistance Program, provides immediate assistance to seriously wounded, ill, and injured Airmen and their families. The second, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2), phases in later, when Airmen begin their transition back to their Air Force job or to the civilian community.
Air Force Survivor Assistance Program
1-877-USAF-HELP (1-877-872-3435)
USAFHELP@Pentagon.af.mil(E-mail)
Air Force Family Liaison Officers provide logistical and family support, and Recovery Care Coordinators (RCCs) work closely with the recovering Airman throughout the recovery process.
Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2)
1-800-581-9437, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT, Monday - Friday
afwounded.warrior@randolph.af.mil (E-mail)
www.woundedwarrior.af.mil
AFW2 consultants provide a wide range of services, including financial counseling, job-placement assistance, and counseling about veterans benefits.
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Department of Defense (DoD) programs
These DoD programs supplement the service-branch programs described above.
Wounded Warrior Resource Center (WWRC)
1-800-342-9647, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
wwrc@MilitaryOneSource.com (E-mail)
www.woundedwarriorresourcecenter.com
If your service member's issue or problem isn't taken care of by your service branch, you can call the WWRC. It works closely with each service branch program, providing ongoing assistance to make sure that concerns are resolved, including concerns related to facilities, health care, benefits, and complaints.
Military OneSource
1-800-342-9647, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
www.MilitaryOneSource.com
This free 24-hour service is available to all active duty, Guard, and Reserve members (regardless of activation status) and their families. Master's-level consultants provide information and make referrals on a wide range of issues, including finances, emotional well-being, parenting, relationships, and concerns related to your wounded, ill, or injured service member. Free face-to-face counseling sessions (or their equivalent by phone or online) are also available..
National Resource Directory (NRD)
www.nationalresourcedirectory.org
An online tool for wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, their families, and those who support them. It links to federal, state, and government agencies; veterans service and benefit organizations; nonprofit and community-based organizations; academic institutions; and professional associations.
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Service-branch family support programs
Each service branch has its own program to improve quality of life for the military community. Staff can help you find the contact information or location of experts who can help you with concerns like benefits, housing, transportation, and financial counseling. Although the names of these programs often contain the word "family" in them, the programs are for single service members, too.
U.S. Army
Army Community Services
www.myarmyonesource.com
U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Community Services
www.usmc-mccs.org
U.S. Navy
Navy Fleet and Family Support Center
www.nffsp.org
U.S. Air Force
Airman and Family Community Services
www.afcommunity.af.mil
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Service-branch and DoD general information sites
Department of Defense (DoD)
www.defenselink.mil
News from the Department of Defense and links to related sites.
U.S. Army
www.army.mil
Web site of the U.S. Army, with news and links to programs.
Army National Guard Bureau
www.ngb.army.mil
Army Reserve
www.arfp.org
U.S. Marine Corps
www.usmc.mil
Web site of the U.S. Marine Corps, with news and links to programs.
U.S. Navy
www.navy.mil
Web site of the U.S. Navy, with news and links to programs.
U.S. Air Force
www.af.mil
Web site of the U.S. Air Force, with news and links to programs.
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Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Many wounded, ill, or injured service members will receive treatment at a VA facility, even though they plan to return to active duty. VA specialties include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, and rehabilitation involving amputation or prosthetic limbs.
The VA also provides extensive nonmedical programs and resources for veterans, including benefits, vocational rehabilitation, employment services, and disability support. If your service member will transition to the VA, care managers and others will connect you with a VA expert to help guide you through the process. For basic information about VA programs, go to:
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
1-800-827-1000
www.va.gov
Also see www.oefoif.va.gov for information specifically for OIF and OEF veterans transitioning to the VA for medical and other benefits.
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Military relief organizations
Military relief organizations help service members and their dependents with certain emergency financial needs. Assistance is in the form of interest-free loans, grants, or a combination of loans and grants.
Most loans and grants from military relief organizations are for one-time financial emergencies -- for example, for rent, utilities, vehicle repair, certain medical and dental expenses, and emergency travel.
Army Emergency Relief (AER)
1-866-878-6378
www.aerhq.org
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
875 North Randolph Street, Suite 225
Arlington, VA 22203-1977
1-703-696-4904
www.nmcrs.org
Air Force Aid Society
241 18th Street South, Suite 202
www.AFAS.org
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Other government and nongovernment programs
U.S. Department of Defense Community Relations
www.ourmilitary.mil
Click on "Support for Our Troops" for links to organizations that assist wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families.
American Legion
1-800-504-4098
familysupport@legion.org (E-mail)
www.legion.org
Provides a wide range of support to families of service members, including financial assistance through its Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) program. E-mail for more information or complete the Web site's electronic request form.
American Veterans
1-877-726-8387
amvets@amvets.org (E-mail)
www.amvets.org
Armed Forces Foundation
16 North Carolina Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20003
1-910-585-8003 or 1-702-856-6114 (family assistance)
www.armedforcesfoundation.org
Provides assistance to injured service members and their families, including financial assistance in the form of bill payment for families in need, and rooms for families of injured service members visiting a loved one recuperating at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center or Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Coalition to Salute America's Heroes
100 Broadway
Ossining, NY 10562
1-914-432-5400
www.saluteheroes.org
Helps ease the financial burdens of severely injured service members and their families. The organization determines need based on a telephone intake interview and the service member's injury rating.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
1-877-426-2838
www.dav.org
Advocacy and programs for disabled veterans.
Fallen Patriot Fund
www.fallenpatriotfund.org
Provides supplemental financial support to spouses and children of U.S. military personnel killed or seriously injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Apply online.
The Fisher House™ Program
1-888-294-8560
Info@FisherHouse.org (E-mail)
www.fisherhouse.org
Donates "comfort homes" on grounds of major military and VA medical centers for families to stay in (at little cost) during a service member's hospitalization. Also sponsors Operation Hero Miles ( www.heromiles.org) which provides free round-trip tickets on certain airlines for eligible hospitalized service members and their families.
Homes for Our Troops
37 Main Street
Taunton, MA 02780
1-866-TROOPS
www.homesforourtroops.org
A nonprofit organization that helps service members who have sacrificed for their country and returned home with serious disabilities and injuries. Raises donations of money, building materials, and professional labor and coordinates the process of building or adapting a home for accessibility.
Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
1-760-725-3680
www.semperfifund.org
Provides supplemental financial assistance to injured Marines and sailors and their families. If you would like someone from the fund to contact you, fill out the form at "contact us" on the site.
Military HOMEFRONT
www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil
A Department of Defense quality-of-life Web site for service members, their families, leaders, and service providers.
USA.gov
www.usa.gov
The U.S. government's official Web portal for government information and forms.
Unmet Needs Program
1-866-789-NEED (6333)
www.unmetneeds.com
This joint program of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vermont American Power Tool Accessories provides financial support, skills, and labor to families of service members.
Yellow Ribbon Fund
7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 310
Bethesda, MD 20814
1-240-223-1180
email@yellowribbonfund.org (E-mail)
www.yellowribbonfund.com
Provides services for injured service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center and to their families, including hotel rooms, rental cars, and job training where appropriate.
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Organizations by kind of injury
Amputation
National Amputation Foundation, Inc. (NAF)
1-516-877-3600
amps76@aol.com (E-mail)
www.nationalamputation.org
Resources for service members who have had or will have a major limb amputation, including peer counseling (in person or by phone), donated medical equipment, booklets and pamphlets, and referrals to other amputee organizations.
Blindness/visual impairment
Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)
1-800-669-7079
www.bva.org
Resources and support for blinded veterans and their families, including field representatives (who are themselves blinded veterans) who provide counseling and encouragement, volunteers who work in VA medical centers and outpatient clinics, and scholarships for spouses and dependents of blinded veterans.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(Department of Veterans Affairs)
www.ncptsd.org
Information for service members and their families about PTSD, including articles about coping and about helping children of a parent with PTSD.
Spinal cord injury (SCI)/paralysis/traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
1-800-555-9140
www.pva.org
An advocacy organization for veterans with spinal cord injuries. Offers information and free or low-cost publications on living with spinal cord injuries.
Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Research Center
1-800-539-7309
www.paralysis.org
Information and resources for people living with paralysis or affected by it, including family members and caregivers. Free resource guide in Spanish and English, newsletters, and online networking.
Brain Injury Association of America
1-800-444-6443
www.biusa.org
Information and resources for people living with traumatic brain injury or affected by it, including family members and caregivers.
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Disabilities generally
DisabilityInfo.gov
www.disabilityinfo.gov
An online portal to the federal government's information and initiatives for people with disabilities, including information about housing, education, accessibility, transportation, and assistive technology.
National Rehabilitation Information Center
1-800-346-2742
www.naric.com
Detailed online resource lists (books, magazines, organizations) related to many disabilities, including blindness/visual impairment, deafness/hearing impairment, mental health, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury. Also provides resource information for assistive technology, universal design, and employment.
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