CINCINNATI, Aug. 29, 2017 -- Baseball is more than just America's pastime – it's a long-standing tradition of coming together to enjoy a relaxing day of sports, fellowship, and fun. For the Cincinnati Reds™, it's also a chance to give back to the injured veterans served by Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). The team donated tickets to wounded warriors so they could see the Reds in action at the Great American Ball Park.
Zach Bruton, a Marine Corps veteran and wounded warrior, recently attended a Reds game. He had been to many WWP events before, where he connected with other veterans like him – but this was one of his favorites.
"I've participated in many of the other Wounded Warrior Project events such as the push-up challenge, building a better workout, and some of the other physical health and wellness events," Zach said.
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 29, 2017 -- Recently, the Rochester Rhinos and the Harrisburg City Islanders hosted their inaugural Capelli Sport Hero Cup, supporting Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). The cup was awarded to the Rhinos for their 1-0 victory over the Islanders.
Warriors served by WWP came together at the game for a night of camaraderie and a chance to connect with other local warriors who share their life experiences. These relationships can be instrumental in building support systems that help with recovery from the wounds of war.
"At this soccer game, I met another warrior who I was with for two months in the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center in their post-traumatic stress disorder program," said Stephen Moyer, an Army veteran and wounded warrior. "It was good to talk to him again. Although neither of us remembered each other's names at first, we remembered the faces.
PHOENIX, Aug. 22, 2017 -- Local warriors recently attended a Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) mental health workshop in Carlsbad, California. These gatherings are often the first time warriors leave their homes to connect with others in their communities.
"I thought the workshop was just an opportunity to hang out with other veterans," said George Almasan, U.S. Army veteran from Glendale, Arizona. "But I quickly learned that throughout the entire week, we were all receiving extremely helpful tools for coping with our invisible injuries – these injuries are impacting my life. It's hard to find a solution or a way to cope with mental wounds."
Through the generous support of donors, WWP offers veterans specialized mental health programs and services – tailored to each warrior's specific needs and free of charge.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 18, 2017 -- Marine Corps veteran and wounded warrior Greg Padilla was on the last stretch of road before the last stop of the day when he opened up about his experiences on a bicycle over the last two days.
"There's been a lot of bonding among everyone, but when you have that added element of being injured, you find yourself in one of two camps – you're either isolated, or you're not isolated," Greg said. "A lot of the warriors here actually identified themselves as isolated. And this was an opportunity for them to speak with other veterans, engage with other veterans, and do something other than hiding within our homes."x
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2017 -- Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) targets its programs and services to the nearly 130,000 veterans and family members it serves. But WWP efforts directly impact millions more veterans through government policy efforts and partnerships.
In a survey of the injured veterans WWP serves, more than three out of four (76 percent) warriors live with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
One of those partnerships is Warrior Care Network® – an innovative effort with four top academic medical centers and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Through this partnership, veterans living with PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are treated in intensive outpatient programs at one of the partner facilities such as the Road Home Program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Warrior Care Network provides more than 70 hours of therapy for patients during the two-to-three-week program.
