Anyone with a connection to the military has seen the pictures of wounded warriors in action — playing wheelchair basketball, kayaking over whitewater rapids, roping steers from horseback, rounding the softball diamond on prosthetic legs. But to the planners and specialists of the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, these photogenic activities are only a small, albeit important, part of the work they do to help wounded, ill and injured Marines return to a normal life.

Although injured veterans who have already separated from active duty can also participate in many of these activities, for those who are still attached to the Wounded Warrior Regiment, athletic events constitute one integral part of the second of three stages of their recovery.

“Rehabilitation is where we can kind of have fun,” said April Peterson, recovery care coordinator program manager, noting that the initial stabilization period and the final phase of reintegration run on more compressed timelines.

Rehabilitation, on the other hand, lasts from around the time the Marine’s paperwork is submitted to the Medical Evaluation Board until they get their disability rating and establish a hard end-of-active-service date. It’s a period that generally runs one to two years.

Most Marines who find themselves in the Wounded Warrior Regiment will not be able to stay in the Corps, so, in addition to recuperating, they have to figure out the path they’re going to take afterward, Peterson said. “It’s during this rehabilitation phase that we get them on that path.”

The regiment’s Warrior Athlete Reconditioning Program is part of that process, rebuilding Marines’ confidence, getting them used to being seen with their injuries, and getting them active again.

“A lot of the rehabilitation phase is talking to them about focusing on their ability,” Peterson said. “The entire disability process is geared to assessing your disability, but let’s not make that your mental state.”

However, there is much other work to be done as well.

“We want to get that Marine to start thinking about his future, whether it’s returning to active duty, education, vocational training, employment or entrepreneurship,” said Maj. Brian Bilski, the officer in charge of Transition Support.

The approach to transitioning is similar to the transition assistance all Marines get, but it’s more involved and lasts much longer.

“Having a week of transition class after we’ve had them for one or two years would simply not be setting them up for success,” Bilski said.

The process starts with interest inventories and career assessments conducted by the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program.

“Once we assess this guy and see what makes him tick and what he wants to do, we create a careers and education plan,” Bilski said.

If the Marine decides on college or vocational training, the regiment helps with exploring educational and scholarship options. The regiment also works with entrepreneurship groups and has a wide network of veteran-friendly companies that provide mentors and resume reviewers.

Federal internships can start while the Marine is still on active duty, and they lead to employment about 70 percent of the time, Bilski said. Programs like the Semper Fi Fund, the Marine Corps Association and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation are also of assistance. Vocational rehabilitation money can be used to get a Marine in school before end of active service.

“We leverage a lot of resources out there, whether it’s charity or private companies that help wounded warriors,” Bilski said.

Of the 77 Marines who transitioned out of the regiment at the end of October, 63 had a school, job or vocational training lined up. The rate is usually around 75 percent, Bilski said, adding that most who don’t have a definite path are the severely wounded, medically retired Marines who don’t necessarily need to work.

Many of the employment services the regiment provides for its Marines are also available for their spouses.

Family members often need other support as well, and the regiment has a handful of family support coordinators, who worry about the needs of the Marines’ families, Peterson said, noting that these coordinators might help get children re-enrolled in school, get the house adapted for a wheelchair or help a spouse find a flexible job.

“Now that the Marine is stable, the Marine is rehabbing, we’re stabilizing that family and helping them get back to normal,” she said. “They’ve been so focused on the Marine, there’s so much they left behind.”

Peterson said they also provide a lot of marital counseling and other family resiliency services to help families cope with the stress serious injuries can cause.

All the while, the recovery care coordinators continue to update the Marine’s comprehensive recovery plan and bring in the experts to execute it, and the section leaders ensure the Marine is going to all his appointments and keeping up with his many tasks.

“There’s just this whole timeline of stuff the Marines need to make sure they’re remembering to attend,” Peterson said.

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com