Page 23 - May2011-Finall

At Walter Reed Army Medical Center , which treats a wide variety of needs but specializes in amputations for warriors from all branches of our military service, we spent time with four veterans (one at a time). Each was at a different point in the process of healing from his surgeries, each with a unique set of challenges…but all four shared a common courage and optimism! One young man’s immediate goal was to be sufficiently healed by July (the one-year anniversary of his triple amputations) to move from inpatient to outpatient status and begin the next long step—the fitting of the first of what eventually will be three major prostheses. Inspirational.

Another very upbeat and personable soldier looked forward to continuing duty after his eventual release. In his eleventh year of disarming IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devises), one blew up literally in his face—and into the rest of his body. This young man looks forward to providing further invaluable service as he moves into the role of instructor…teaching from his own unique experience…teaching the next generation of young warriors who will place themselves in harm’s way in order to preserve our freedom—freedom we enjoy only thanks to all the servicemen and women who preceeded them.

…FOR THOSE WHO CURRENTLY SERVE IN

ORDER TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM…

The Walter Reed Health Care System provides comprehensive health care for more than 150,000 soldiers, other service members, family members and retirees in the National Capital Area. Its hub is Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the clinical center of gravity of American military medicine.

There are 5,500 rooms covering some 28 acres of floor space. The distance around the top three floors stretches the length of six football fields. The building is designed for the highest-quality patient care & comfort. It offers accommodations for 250 patients, admitting more than 14,000 a year. The outpatient treatment facilities serve thousands of patients a day.