Page 67 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2016

GIVING BACK serving our veterans
WOUNDED
WARRIOR
PROJECT
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos courtesy of Wounded Warrior Project
For 10 years Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has worked to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation
of wounded service members in our nation’s history. This organization serves veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound since September 11, 2001, and their families.
Taking a holistic approach, this organization seeks:
• To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members.
• To help injured service members aid and assist each other.
• To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
With advancements in battlefield medicine and body armor, an unprecedented percentage of service members are surviving severe wounds or injuries. For every U.S. soldier killed in World Wars I and II, there were 1.7 soldiers wounded. In Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, for every U.S. soldier killed,
seven are wounded. Combined, more than 48,000 servicemen and women have been physically injured in the recent military conflicts.
In addition to the physical wounds,
it’s estimated as many as 400,000
service members live with the invisible wounds of war including combat- related stress, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Another 320,000 are believed to have experienced a traumatic brain injury while on deployment. WWP addresses these inner struggles through a variety of mental health support programs, including their Combat Stress Recovery Program, Project Odyssey, Restore Warriors, Long-Term Support and Peer Support.
Through their outreach and engagement programs, the Wounded Warrior Project aims to address the physical and mental wounds that these veterans live with on a daily basis.
In their high-touch and interactive approach, they hope to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation
of wounded service members in the nation’s history.
www.woundedwarriorproject.org | 877.832.6997
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