Warrior Transition Units: What is going on?

April 27th, 2010 by MOTHAX
 
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BNCOC Anatomy of a smear (?), or "warehouses of despair, where damaged men and women are kept out of sight, fed a diet of powerful prescription pills and treated harshly by noncommissioned officers." Probably not a huge shock where I fall on this, and I will explain why in a minute. First, let us begin with the initial story by the New York Times:
...interviews with more than a dozen soldiers and health care professionals from Fort Carson’s transition unit, along with reports from other posts, suggest that the units are far from being restful sanctuaries. For many soldiers, they have become warehouses of despair, where damaged men and women are kept out of sight, fed a diet of powerful prescription pills and treated harshly by noncommissioned officers. Because of their wounds, soldiers in Warrior Transition Units are particularly vulnerable to depression and addiction, but many soldiers from Fort Carson’s unit say their treatment there has made their suffering worse. Some soldiers in the unit, and their families, described long hours alone in their rooms, or in homes off the base, aimlessly drinking or playing video games.
I'm going to come back to that last sentence in a while, so remember it. Anyway, the Army, rather than denying everything in the article decided to provide some context, and so last night held a press conference live-streamed on the Pentagon Channel. NYT gave the initial story 3 pages, and gave a one page follow up with about 50 percent of the follow up citing to things in their first story.
But General Schoomaker and the other officers did not dispute any of the facts in the article. “I don’t see them as necessarily crafting fiction,” General Schoomaker said, referring to The Times. “But I do believe that it’s wholly unrepresentative of the totality and the context of what we’ve done for warrior care.” [...] General Schoomaker said on Monday that surveys showed an 81 percent satisfaction rate for Warrior Transition Units, with even higher levels of satisfaction at Fort Carson in Colorado, the unit featured in The Times article. “With 9,300 soldiers currently in the program, we don’t always get it right,” General Schoomaker said. “To that end, we take every criticism and concern seriously and continuously strive to improve our program.”
I have been lucky in my capacity here with The American Legion because not only have I been to many of the Warrior Transition Units, but I also had the ability to talk to both General Cheek and Schoomaker for about 45 minutes after this briefing. Now, my intent here is not to bash the NYT, although I do tend to do that a lot, but to provide some context. First off, as General Schoomaker noted, there are 9,300 soldiers in WTU's, and this piece only noted a few of them. Every unit, from the top down, has guys that complain. Heck, I was that guy for a long time. But let's look at some of the complaints and look at it in context. Two major complaints in the story bear noting, because they seem to refute each other. The first is this:
Some soldiers in the unit, and their families, described long hours alone in their rooms, or in homes off the base, aimlessly drinking or playing video games.
Now, compare that with:
noncommissioned officers — soldiers supervising the unit — harangued or disciplined him when he arrived late to formation or violated rules. [and] Yet noncommissioned officers discipline soldiers who fail to complete those tasks, sometimes over the objections of nurse case managers and doctors.
Look, I have no idea of what the proper ration is of discipline to allowing Joe to be Joe, but I do know that you can't complain about being left alone, and complain about having to go to formation at the same time. That makes no sense. It would seem to me that if you are well enough to drink all night and play video games, you ought to be able to attend formation. Now, for those wounded troops who are not ambulatory, I can understand that, but the vast majority of the guys cited in the NYT article are perfectly capable of locomotion. Watch the video of the press conference if you have an hour, or continue to read on. (Sorry for the Video Auto-play, not sure how to turn that off.) And so, not knowing what the proper ration is, I asked General Schoomaker and Cheek. In answering my question and those of the two other participants to the phone call, I got a better answer than I had before. The effectiveness of WTUs (according to both Generals) is predicated on three things: 1) A system in place to care for these wounded heroes; 2) Inspired soldiers who want to get better; and 3) successful alumni who can share with those recovering some of the experiences they had going through the system. And the system is largely successful. As mentioned above, the approval ratings in these units are higher than in line units, and the "return to duty rate" is a rather healthy 64 percent. When Soldiers go into a WTU, they can partially dictate what their goal is: 1) stay in their MOS, and recuperate, 2) recuperate, but transition to a new skill, or 3) Get out of the army, transition to civilian life. The short answer then that I got on the discipline question is that each treatment regimin, including disciplinary control, must be tailored to the individuals, mindful of burdens and potentials of each soldier. They noted that amputees tended to do better regardless of other injuries, because those service-members are (all the way from frontline back to here) subjected to caregivets etc who will get you back on your feet. They have good rolemodels in General Franks and others who have gone through this. This is not as much in place for the other guys who might be suffering from TBI or PTSD, or a less easily recognized (visually) wound. In prefacing my question, I advised the generals that I would be attending the Warrior Games next month in Colorado Springs. For those unfamiliar with those events, here it is described by the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment:
The Warrior Games will take place 10-14 May 2010 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sports include swimming, cycling, track & field, shooting, archery, wheelchair basketball*, and seated volleyball. This program is designed to elevate abilities through athletic competition for wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers, providing a focal event to empower the incorporation of athletics into Military Service wounded warrior programs. The Warrior Games will be an annual event to celebrate the achievement and abilities of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers. This process provides the opportunity for servicemembers to qualify for U.S. Paralympics, while building camaraderie and raising awareness for adaptive sports. The Wounded Warrior Regiment will begin taking applications for athletes in mid-December. The Marine Corps will field a team of 50 athletes plus 10 alternates.
One of my favorite posts I have ever done I did back when I was writing for the Sniper. I went with my battle buddy (VT Woody) and a few others over to Walter Reed to attend the graduation of a bunch of NCO's who happened to also have been wounded. As I said in that piece:
SFC Nelson challenged the students on their first day of training to “prove your abilities, versus any disabilities you might have.” It was quite clear that these weren’t wounded soldiers in this course, but warriors, who just also happened to have been wounded. One soldier had to be rushed to the Emergency Room twice during training because of heart problems. Another tore out stitches during the training. And yet they carried on, there is no quit in these people. “Cut and Run” is not only a mantra to Congress, it’s these soldiers mantra too, but in the sense that even if they are cut, bleeding or wounded in any manner, they’ll still be running to the front. Warriors, every one of them...All these troops are heroes, and I applaud all of them. SSG Deville completed the entire course in a wheelchair. As SMA Preston noted, just picture the difficulties in doing a left flank movement and trying to move around on your chair. SSG Hooper is the soldier who had stitches ripping while she went through the training.
General Cheek broke it down this way... Each soldier in the WTU falls into one of three categories. Those who are going to excell and get past their physical limitations no matter what hurdle you put in their way. This is the kind of man or woman who ends up at the Warrior Games. On the other side of the spectrum is soldiers who no matter what you do are going to concentrate on what they have lost, not what they are capable of. These are a "leadership challenge." But the most prevalent and important group is that in the middle, soldiers who need mentorship and positive reinforcement to overcome the obstacles, but are focused on getting patched up as soon as possible. Times got the wrong picture on discipline. Wounded or not, these soldiers are in the Army until they transition to civilian life, and that means adherence to discipline and the Army Values. And General Cheek made the point that employers will hold soldiers to the same standard. Wounded or not, if you want to hold a job, you have to show up to work on time, and do what is asked of that job. By keeping troops to this standard now, despite hardship in doing so and recognizant of the fact that some just won't make it on account of medical issues, this prepares them for life after the WTU. As General Schoomaker said, while I am certain the NYT article is true, it also seems wholely unrepresentative of the whole of the WTUs. When I get to the Warrior Games in Colorado I hope to walk up to the NYT writers and introduce myself. If they will cover this side of the spectrum, I think it is incumbant on them to cover the other side too, those warriors who have overcome every obstacle thrown in their way.
Posted in the burner | 9 comments
 
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Comments

ontheground (not verified)

May 1, 2010 - 6:14am

To best serve this population of wounded, ill, and injured the organization should be objective to view the challenges. To be effective we should do a command climate survey to address the challenges are service members experience and our staff. I challenge our leaders not to just defend but to be objective and listen to the concerns in the article and the concerns from our service members. Also provider resiliency is an issue and some regions are utilizing Cadre and CM from one area to staff other areas resulting in further stressors and challenges to provide quality care to our most complex cases.

Mitsuko Dunnington (not verified)

April 30, 2010 - 7:38pm

umm sounds good..

Diana (not verified)

April 30, 2010 - 12:27am

I would like to respond to this as a former nurse case manager at a CBWTU (Community Based Warrior Transition Unit). I know from experience that the overall satisfaction in this unit was a majority percentage. There was a portion that were disatisfied or unhappy with how things were completed or the treatment that they received, or the discipline they were required to comply with..........The fact that the Army is getting it right and has created these units to assist with the immense number of wounded that need care is great. The fact that they still "fail" with a percentage is not acceptable but is expected as far as I am concerned. I know that we consistently and persistently reviewed, revamped, and restructured the CBWTU as needed to make changes that would eliminate as many problems as possible. It is a human endeavor with human mistakes and human victories. I don't know the minute details of what is going on with the WTUs (by the way we received a lot of our Soldiers for the CBWTU from the units mentioned and various others), but I do know the Army is trying and so are the cadre who staff these units. I hope that this won't turn into a witch hunt but rather an opportunity to praise ALL that is done right and support the things that are not.
I am discharged from the Army as of 01 March of this year - I myself am a disabled veteran now but continue to work with Veterans and associate with the VA system in healthcare / case management. There is always room for improvement no matter where or what is being done for Soldiers and Vets.

I'm just saying........

Demophilius (not verified)

April 28, 2010 - 3:59pm

I honestly can't speak to what's going on now, as when I went through the equivalent it was back in 2005 and I understand reforms are in place which have probably improved things. I can say back then we were repeated called to formation so that the company commander of our med-hold unit could berate us for a half hour about how all of us were malingerers and worse (which involved profanity). Yes, there was general malaise and grey feelings. Still, you do what you can. I leaned back on what was expected of me as an NCO and ensured all the members of the squad I was charged with had accountability and didn't miss appointments or formations. You don't step away from accountability and expectations just because you are disabled. Everyone had a profile of some sort, and duties were assigned according to profile. Just because you're injured doesn't mean you quit being a soldier.

Were there malingerers? Sure. The vast majority were just wounded or disabled soldiers awaiting Med Boards and determinations. The vast majority still did their jobs, showed up on time...were soldiers. Could some of the problems people experienced be based on underlying and undetected pysch issues? Certainly.

Pysch issues are not a pass though. Just like getting a leg amputated, I think you have a responsibility to accept your disability and move forward with your life. It's not always easy, but you're supposed to take on tasks. I'm not blaming anyone, and everyone has different reactions to the adversity they face in life. Not everyone is one of those guys who's running marathons a year after losing their leg to an IED. Those folks are heroes and inspiration to me, and others, but it was no less difficult for them to face what they faced and make their decisions not to quit.

I think it was a mixed bag then, probably still is. There will always be people in the military who think anyone at sick call is a worthless puke who's slacking. Sometimes they get command. There will always be people in the military who use sick call or any other excuse they can find to get out of their responsibilities. It's not limited to the military. The civilian world is rife with individuals who refuse to accept personal responsibility for the adversity they must overcome and instead devote their energy to the blame game.

I love video games. They make me happy and help blow off steam. I enjoy a good drink or ten from time to time as well. I try to follow the GK Chesterton advice to "Drink because you are happy, never because you are miserable" I've seen too often the consequences when you don't follow that. As much as I love both, I still have a resolve to never let them interfere with work.

Both problems exist, but in minor numbers at either end of the spectrum. As wrong as it would be to imply that all of the people complaining about treatment in WTUs are slackers and malingerers, it's wrong to pretend there aren't people out there in command making a difficult time (and dealing with being wounded is not an easy time) that much more difficult.

Sadly, I think I've said nothing with a lot of words other than-there's probably truth on both sides to go around.

Mary Galione-Nahas (not verified)

June 16, 2010 - 1:25pm

You have to do more than be "concerned" and "monitor" poly pharmacy. You have to stop it! It is insane and completely irresponsible to prescribe nine and ten different psychiatric drugs to a soldier who is suffering from war. The photos of my son's attempted suicide, which look like a murder scene, are living proof of that insanity. The treatment he received was completely irresponsible and almost led to his death. Our warriors deserve better than to be drugged and case aside to keep them quiet or to save a buck.

SGT Perkins (not verified)

May 25, 2010 - 5:44am

At the wtu in Fort Richardson Alaska it is a place where wounded soldiers are harassed and treated sub human, you can ask any of the wt's here and honestly it is shameful how people are treated here in my ten years in the military I have never seen an Organization that insults and degrades personnel as well as finds ways on a daily basis to demote it's personnel while they await the MEB process (it seems as if they would rather and do try to chapter people and kick them out with nothing no benefits and throw there belongings in trash bags and kick them out literally drop them off outside the gate than take responsibility for the solider and get him the care he or she needs) yet they find ways to punish soldiers for missed or rescheduled appointments when the unit has several duty vans that sit in the parking lot and yet they will not provide you with transportation and punish you in so far as demoting personnel for not making appointments when they reach out to their squad leaders for help they are shut off and set up for disciplinary action over ridiculous events. I am very disappointed and disgusted with the way my fellow soldiers have been treated after sacrificing so much for their country and branch of service. I am appalled beyond words this is outrageous and they wonder why they have so many suicide and illicit illegal drug use and overdose we are treated sub human and degraded daily from the top down. I pray every day that some one would do something.

Warrior in Tran... (not verified)

September 10, 2010 - 7:28am

I would like to reply to this article as a soldier in the WTU in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Definition of an Alaska WTU - “warehouses of despair, where damaged men and women are kept out of sight, fed a diet of powerful prescription pills and treated harshly by noncommissioned officers.” This is a perfect description of what is going on here. As far as the sitting in your room "playing video games or drinking aimlessly", its not an option for anyone here and sounds like a couple soldiers somewhere were doing the wrong thing. Instead we are pressured to go to On-the-Job training or college, on top of making our medical appointments, and constant, remidial, manditory "Army" training (such as how to preserve fish and game in jars). This preassure is applied with harsh discipline by the NCO's and non-compliance means an immediate dishonorable discharge or Arcticle 15. Personally, I feel so pressured to go to OJT (on the job training) in order to get my NCO off my back, that I intentionally avoid the therapy and counceling I need for the phychological disorders I have been diagnosed with that resulted from my deployment. The preasure continues deep into my personal life. I have almost daily room inspections, and am forced to report to my NCO if I leave the barracks or post. I am also forced to check in with my NCO two times at specific times every weekend/holiday/leave day. If I am late to call for check in, I am given negative coucelings and threatened with punishment. I have done nothing wrong and feel like I am being treated like a child and a prisoner here. And I really mean that when I say I have done nothing wrong, I am an upstanding soldier that was about to be promoted to E-5 before I was transfered to the WTU. My NCO makes no effort to train me to become an NCO (no ones does here) or arrange for me to report to the promotion board because he is too busy playing video games in his office all day. My NCO has only 3 soldiers to look after, but cant make time to do these simple tasks. The list goes on and on, but the fact remains that this place is truely aweful. I dont know a single soldier that wants to stay in the WTU for any extended ammount of time; Everyone just wants to get out of this hell-hole be RTD or retirement. Everyone understands that the we have to meet the Army standards while we are still soliders, but forcing us to live to "special" higher/double standards as punishment (at least it feels that way to everyone) for being injured.

Graco Strollers (not verified)

May 9, 2012 - 1:51am

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News from the World of Military and Veterans Issues. Iraq and A-Stan in parenthesis reflects that the author is currently deployed to that theater.