Contributor: IDGA Editorial Staff
Posted: 11/09/2009 12:00:00 AM EST | 3 
Just over two months ago, Air Force Technical Sergeant Michael Williams was confronted by an exploding landmine during an operation in Afghanistan.
Despite sustaining critical injuries, the explosive ordnance disposal technician managed to stand by himself for the first time just three weeks after coming face to face with the device.
His remarkable recovery is down to the treatment and rehabilitation program put in place for US military casualties, from the battlefield to the home.
"The doctors are saying I'm doing really well," Tech Sgt Williams said. "I just want to take each day slowly but surely."
Centers of Excellence
Tech Sgt Williams was initially treated at a medical facility in Afghanistan and then the day after sustaining his injuries was flown to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the biggest American hospital outside the United States.
This is close to Ramstein Air Base, where many military personnel go for rest and recuperation during operations.
Less than a week after the explosion, he was then making the long journey over Europe and the Atlantic Ocean to receive treatment at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.
Tech Sgt Williams was met by Air Force chief of staff Gen Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy.
"I didn't ask to meet them or anything—they were already there when I got there," Tech Sgt Williams said. "They were real nice. They asked how I was doing and everything, and made sure I was doing well."
The Walter Reed facility is one of five centers of excellence for care of military casualties, including the National Naval Medical Center's Traumatic Stress, as well as the Brain Injury Program and the Center for the Intrepid state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility and Brooke Army Medical Center Burn Center at Fort Sam Houston.
In addition, there is the Naval Medical Center San Diego Comprehensive Combat Casualty Care Center and the multi-site Veterans Brain Injury Center for patient care, education and clinical research.
Support for Military Casualties
After spending the next few weeks undergoing care in the surgery ward, still unable to walk or stand on his own, Tech Sgt Williams moved into the first stages of rehabilitation. This process can last up to a year for military casualties such as Tech Sgt Williams.
As well as this care, the Wounded Warrior program has also stepped in to support the bomb disposal expert. This scheme operates as part of an office of the secretary of defense initiative to ensure that all military casualties receive comprehensive information and guidance on benefits and entitlements.
The program begins at the point of injury for military casualties and then continues for life. An Air Force Wounded Warrior consultant at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas said that Tech Sgt Williams' progress was being closely monitored by the scheme.
Strategic Plan
Behind the facilities and initiatives supporting military casualties is the Military Health System (MHS). It received criticism for its failures in 2007, but since then it has worked hard to restore faith in standards of care for troops and their families.
The MHS has introduced a strategic plan for healthcare that includes 10 high-level strategic priorities to be delivered by 2010. This includes improving warrior care from the point of access, through active service—including deployment and treatment of military casualties—to rehabilitation and transition.
Another objective is to strengthen medical education and research. Last month, defense and Veterans Affairs healthcare professionals took part in a three-day workshop with the aim of improving psychological care for current and ex-servicemen and women.
As for Tech Sgt Williams, he believes his treatment has been first class: "Any time I need something, there's usually more than one person willing to help me with whatever it is I need or any problems, or anything," he said.
"And if it's not something they can do specifically right then, they're always willing to get someone else who can do it."
0 comments:
Post a Comment