Studying the transition of disabled soldiers returning home and the implementation of a career program

Since the launch of the Global War on Terrorism, more than 4,000 service men and women, mostly soldiers in the U.S. Army, have been killed and over 30,000 have been injured. Among the latter group, more than 2,000 qualify for the Army's Wounded Warriors (AW2) program, established by Congress to help the most severely injured soldiers make the transition from military to civilian life. Amputation, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, blindness, burns, spinal cord injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries are most common; and if not for recent advances in medical treatment, many of these men and women would not have survived. Most soldiers are young, recent high school graduates with little labor market experience. The careers they envisioned for their future in the military have been dramatically altered by their service injuries and must be remade at the same time as they acquire a host of new life skills. Although the AW2 Program is just a few years old, its case management approach shows promise in addressing these fundamental needs. At the same time, soldiers and family members, AW2 Program staff and leadership and others widely agree that another fundamental element for a fulfilled, stable and engaged life  career development  remains a critical gap. With support from the Ford Foundation and others, the National Organization of Disability (NOD) and the United States Army are collaborating on a three-year demonstration, "Army's Wounded Warriors (AW2) Careers," to ensure that the most severely injured soldiers returning from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are productively engaged in pursuing their careers after they return home from the military.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $500,000.00

Awarded on: 9/24/2007

Time frame: 11/1/2007 - 12/31/2010

Grant Number: 62720