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i 

94–091 2015

[H.A.S.C. No. 114–4] 

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM UPDATE 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

HEARING HELD 

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 
(II) 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL 

JOSEPH J. HECK, Nevada, Chairman 

WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina 

JOHN KLINE, Minnesota 

MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado 

THOMAS MACARTHUR, New Jersey, Vice 

Chair 

ELISE M. STEFANIK, New York 

PAUL COOK, California 

STEPHEN KNIGHT, California 

SUSAN A. DAVIS, California 

ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania 

NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts 

JACKIE SPEIER, California 

TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota 

BETO O’ROURKE, Texas 

JEANETTE JAMES, Professional Staff Member 

CRAIG GREENE, Professional Staff Member 

COLIN BOSSE, Clerk 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 

Davis, Hon. Susan A., a Representative from California, Ranking Member, 

Subcommittee on Military Personnel ................................................................. 2 

Heck, Hon. Joseph J., a Representative from Nevada, Chairman, Subcommittee on Military Personnel ........................................................................ 1 

WITNESSES 

Breining, CAPT Brent M., USN, Director, Navy Wounded Warrior–Safe Harbor, United States Navy ...................................................................................... 4 

Doherty, Brig Gen Patrick J., USAF, Director, Air Force Services, United 

States Air Force ................................................................................................... 6 

Rodriguez, James D., Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Warrior Care, 

Department of Defense ........................................................................................ 3 

Toner, COL Chris R., USA, Commander, Warrior Transition Command, 

United States Army ............................................................................................. 3 

Williamson, Paul D., Command Advisor, Wounded Warrior Regiment, United 

States Marine Corps ............................................................................................ 6 

APPENDIX 

PREPARED STATEMENTS: 

Breining, CAPT Brent M. ................................................................................ 56 

Doherty, Brig Gen Patrick J. ........................................................................... 69 

Heck, Hon. Joseph J. ........................................................................................ 31 

Rodriguez, James D. ......................................................................................... 32 

Toner, COL Chris R. ........................................................................................ 39 

Williamson, Paul D. ......................................................................................... 79 

DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD: 

[There were no Documents submitted.] 

WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING THE HEARING: 

Mr. Coffman ...................................................................................................... 90 

Mrs. Davis ......................................................................................................... 89 

Mr. Jones ........................................................................................................... 91 

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING: 

Mr. Jones ........................................................................................................... 95 

(1) 

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM UPDATE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL, Washington, DC, Tuesday, February 3, 2015. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 3:30 p.m., in Room 

2212, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Joseph J. Heck (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOSEPH J. HECK, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEVADA, CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON 

MILITARY PERSONNEL 

Dr. HECK. Go ahead and call the Military Personnel Subcommittee meeting to order. 

I would like to welcome everyone to the first hearing of the Military Personnel Subcommittee for the 114th Congress. I especially 

want to welcome the new members of the subcommittee and look 

forward to working with each of you during the coming year. 

I am very pleased that Congresswoman Susan Davis from California will continue to be the subcommittee ranking member. Over 

the past 4 years, I have valued her years of experience on this subcommittee as chairwoman and as ranking member. I look forward 

to working with you as well as we shape the work of the subcommittee over the next year. 

The past several days have been very busy with the release of 

the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission’s report and the President’s budget for fiscal year 2016. I know 

that the information in both of these documents are at the forefront 

of everyone’s mind, and I want to assure everyone that the Military 

Personnel Subcommittee will have several opportunities to thoroughly review and discuss them in the coming months. 

But today we meet to continue the subcommittee’s effort to improve the care of injured and wounded troops as they recover and 

transition either back to duty or to civilian life. The Department 

of Defense [DOD] and the military services have had many years 

to develop the policies and programs to assist wounded, ill, and injured warriors and their families through the recovery process. I 

recognize that this was and continues to be a tremendous effort by 

very dedicated and professional individuals, both military and civilian, that crosses all military communities. 

However, it has not been without its fits and starts and has not 

been without problems. Our purpose today is to learn the current 

state of the Wounded Warrior programs. I am interested to know 

whether the programs still serve the needs of the wounded, ill, and 

injured service members and their families. Are they viewed by 
2 

DOD and the services as enduring programs, or are there plans to 

reevaluate the need for such programs in their current state as the 

mission in Afghanistan winds down and those deployments taper 

off. 

I am interested in hearing the witnesses’ views on these questions. Before I introduce our panel, let me offer Congresswoman 

Davis an opportunity to make opening remarks. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Heck can be found in the Appendix on page 31.] 

STATEMENT OF HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS, A REPRESENTATIVE 

FROM CALIFORNIA, RANKING MEMBER, SUBCOMMITTEE ON 

MILITARY PERSONNEL 

Mrs. DAVIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I certainly look forward to your very dedicated leadership. Glad you are here. 

I also wanted to welcome Mr. Rodriguez, Brigadier General 

Doherty, Colonel Toner, Captain Breining, if I have it right, and 

Mr. Williamson. 

After more than 13 years of combat, the military has significantly reduced the number of service members in direct combat, 

but we still have many military members in harm’s way with a 

real risk to being wounded. 

The military services and Congress have provided ample needed 

resources to help organize and care for our wounded military and 

their families as they either transition out of the military or become healthy enough to continue to serve. And as the population 

of the services of Wounded Warrior programs has been reduced, I 

am concerned that we will lose focus on providing care for those 

who truly need it, especially as fiscal pressures continue. 

So I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today on whether the policies that were instituted in 2009 are still applicable 

today, and what do you all think we should do to ensure the 

Wounded Warrior programs assist the intended personnel. 

Thank you very much and thank you for your leadership as well. 

Dr. HECK. Thank you, Mrs. Davis. 

We are joined today by an outstanding panel. We would like to 

give each witness the opportunity to present his or her testimony 

and each member an opportunity to question the witnesses. I 

would respectfully remind the witnesses that you should summarize to the greatest extent possible the high points of your written 

testimony in 5 minutes. 

I assure you that your written comments and statements will be 

made part of the hearing record. So let me welcome our panel. We 

have Mr. James Rodriguez, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense 

for Warrior Care Policy; Brigadier General Patrick Doherty, Director of Air Force Services, United States Air Force; Colonel Chris 

Toner, Commander, Warrior Transition Command of the United 

States Army; Captain Brent Breining, Director, Navy Wounded 

Warrior–Safe Harbor, the United States Navy; and Paul Williamson, Command Advisor, Wounded Warrior Regiment of the United 

States Marine Corps. 

Secretary Rodriguez, the time is yours. 
3 

STATEMENT OF JAMES D. RODRIGUEZ, DEPUTY ASSISTANT 

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, WARRIOR CARE, DEPARTMENT OF 

DEFENSE 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Chairman Heck, Ranking Member Davis, distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the Department of Defense’s Wounded Warrior programs. 

One of the Department’s highest priorities is ensuring the Nation’s wounded, ill, and injured service members, their families, 

and caregivers receive the support they need for recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration. 

Today, our major combat operations are declining, but our national security challenges and responsibilities endure. Therefore, 

we are resolute in assuring all the needs of our wounded warriors 

are met and they have the best available care and administrative 

management while being treated with dignity and respect from 

point of injury or illness to return to duty or transition from service. The Office of Warrior Care Policy provides concise policy oversight that allows the services to deliver consistent high quality care 

and support for recovering service members. 

We are conducting site assistance visits to assist the Wounded 

Warrior programs with Department of Defense policy compliance 

for recovery care at the installation level, and we have established 

a quality assurance program to standardize all services’ disability 

evaluation requirements. Additionally, we provide nonmedical programs that support service member engagement in adaptive sports 

and activities, professional skill building, internships, and employment preparation to assist in their recovery and transition process. 

DOD has also developed information technology systems to 

streamline case management, established the caregiver support initiative to provide peer-to-peer forms for caregivers, and formed the 

interagency care coordination committee to update existing DOD– 

VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] processes to deliver benefits 

and services in a more accurate and timely manner. 

Even as our Nation reduces combat operations, our wounded, ill, 

and injured service members will continue to exist, and we must 

ensure our commitment to these individuals is not compromised. 

The American public and our leaders require it, and our service 

members and their families deserve the best services and support 

we can provide. 

Thank you for your support of the brave men and women who 

serve our Nation and your dedication to ensuring the services have 

the most efficient systems in place to care for wounded, ill, or injured and recovering service members. I look forward to your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Rodriguez can be found in the 

Appendix on page 32.] 

Dr. HECK. Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez. 

Colonel Toner. 

STATEMENT OF COL CHRIS R. TONER, USA, COMMANDER, 

WARRIOR TRANSITION COMMAND, UNITED STATES ARMY 

Colonel TONER. Chairman Heck, Ranking Member Davis, and 

distinguished members of this committee, thank you for the oppor-
4 

tunity to appear before you today to discuss the Army’s Warrior 

Care and Transition program and to inform you of Army initiatives 

to address our wounded, ill, and injured soldiers and their families. 

Since their inception in June 2007, Warrior Transition Units 

[WTUs] have helped over 65,000 soldiers to heal and transition. 

Today, the Warrior Care and Transition program consists of 25 

Warrior Transition Units supported by military and civilian cadre 

on installations throughout the United States and in Germany. 

Within the WTUs, soldiers receive personalized support from a 

triad of care. This includes a nurse case manager, a squad leader, 

and a primary care manager. This triad of care coordinates clinical 

and nonclinical issues to successfully transition the soldier and 

their families either back to the force or onward towards successful 

civilian lives. 

With the support of our committed and dedicated cadre, clinicians, and staff, our soldiers and families are assisted to take an 

in-depth and realistic look at where they are today and where they 

want to go along the road to recovery. This process is referred to 

as the comprehensive transition plan or CTP. The CTP is the overarching methodology to support a soldier’s rehabilitation and ultimately reintegration back to the force or to the community as a 

productive veteran. 

The CTP is developed by the soldier for the soldier and is a future-oriented action plan to establish goals and map a soldier’s 

transition plan towards self-reliance and independence. The soldier 

owns their CTP, and it empowers them to take charge of their own 

transition with the support of their family, cadre, clinicians, and 

specialized staff members. 

The Warrior Care and Transition program remains a highly effective program, and there are many success stories. Though the 

Warrior Care and Transition program has seen fewer wounded and 

more ill and injured soldiers, the WTU population remains complex, and the need for the Army to continue to resource and provide centralized oversight, guidance, and advocacy for this population will remain an enduring requirement. 

We have come a long way since the days of the medical holding 

company and long wait times for our injured soldiers. We will not 

return to that setting. Warrior care remains an Army priority and 

our sacred obligation. 

Again, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today 

to discuss the Army’s enduring commitment to the care of our 

wounded, ill, and injured soldiers and their families, and I look forward to your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Colonel Toner can be found in the 

Appendix on page 39.] 

Dr. HECK. Captain. 

STATEMENT OF CAPT BRENT M. BREINING, USN, DIRECTOR, 

NAVY WOUNDED WARRIOR–SAFE HARBOR, UNITED STATES 

NAVY 

Captain BREINING. Chairman Heck, Ranking Member Davis, distinguished members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. 
5 

I am Captain Brent Breining, Director of Navy Wounded Warrior–Safe Harbor, the nonmedical recovery care program for the 

Navy and Coast Guard. Since its establishment in 2005, Navy Safe 

Harbor has strived to provide the very best in nonmedical care for 

our seriously wounded, ill, and injured sailors and Coast Guardsmen, their families, and caregivers. 

Nine years later, Navy Safe Harbor enrollments have grown 

more than tenfold. A staff of nonmedical care managers and recovery care coordinators are located at military treatment facilities 

and Department of Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation 

Centers across the Nation. 

As of January 1, 2015, Navy Safe Harbor supported 3,283 service 

members. As you may know, enrollment is extended to Active Duty 

and Reserve sailors and Coast Guardsmen with service-connected 

serious injury sustained while in the line of duty, including combat 

wounds, shipboard and shoreside training accidents, liberty accidents, and motorcycle vehicular accidents. 

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen diagnosed with a serious illness 

such as cancer, brain disease, stroke, or post-traumatic stress are 

also eligible for enrollment. Only 19 percent of Navy Safe Harbor 

enrollees are combat wounded. The vast majority are enrolled as a 

result of noncombat conditions. 

Because of the size of its population and relatively lower incidents of combat exposure, the Navy has employed a decentralized 

program for providing Wounded Warrior support. With the most 

service and Coast Guardsmen remaining attached to their current 

commands, Navy Safe Harbor support includes, but is not limited 

to, comprehensive recovery plan development, addressing pay and 

personnel issues, connecting family members and caregivers with 

available support resources, providing adaptive sports and recreational opportunities, and linking enrollees to education and job 

training benefits. 

Navy Safe Harbor has experienced continuous program growth 

since its inception, increasing by 19 percent in fiscal year 2013 and 

34 percent in fiscal year 2014. This growth is a result of increased 

awareness across the fleet due to an effective outreach and marketing campaign as well as an observed change in attitude of Navy 

and Coast Guard service members willing to overcome the stigma 

of seeking help. 

The program will likely continue to grow commensurate with the 

average rate of incidents of serious illness and injury across the 

fleet. The Navy Safe Harbor program addresses an enduring need, 

and must remain capable of responding when or if the Nation engages in a future conflict. 

I thank you again for holding this hearing and continuing to 

shed light on these important issues. 

I look forward to answering your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Captain Breining can be found in the 

Appendix on page 56.] 

Dr. HECK. General Doherty. 
6 

STATEMENT OF BRIG GEN PATRICK J. DOHERTY, USAF, 

DIRECTOR, AIR FORCE SERVICES, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 

General DOHERTY. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of 

the committee. 

It is an honor and a privilege to be speaking with you this afternoon about the incredible men and women of the United States Air 

Force who are recovering from combat wounds, serious injuries, 

and debilitating and life-threatening illnesses, and the focused efforts of the Air Force Wounded Warrior program. 

At the start of 2015, we have 4,165 airmen enrolled in our 

Wounded Warrior program. The goal of our program is to assist our 

airmen and their caregivers through recovery and rehabilitation, 

helping them reach the best level of self-sufficiency they can attain, 

and always being available in the event they are in need of assistance anytime in the future. 

Our program is designed to help our airmen face devastating situations and overcome adversity they may encounter. We hope to 

prepare them to return to duty if their situation allows or prepare 

them for a successful life of purpose out of uniform. Our success is 

counted not by numbers, but by the ability of our airmen to realize 

that an abundant life is ahead of them, and to see them set their 

focus on each day ahead, and succeed in taking that first step to 

recovery. But through it all we realize, because each person is different, we will face situations with them and their families we may 

not have seen before. 

So we are always seeking and implementing improvements to the 

continuum of care. We have developed our program to be flexible 

and adaptable to adjust our program to meet the needs of our 

wounded, ill, and injured airmen. We are proud of the airmen and 

the efforts of our professionals that care for them. The Air Force 

is totally committed to ensuring our Nation’s sons and daughters 

who voluntarily raise their right hands to defend this great Nation, 

and specifically our wounded ill and injured, are cared for with the 

utmost compassion, skill, and dedication. That is our sacred trust, 

and that is what we will always keep as one of our top priorities. 

Thank you for your keen insights and endless support for our airmen, and in particular, our wounded warriors, ill and injured. 

I look forward to your questions. 

[The statement of General Doherty can be found in the Appendix 

on page 69.] 

Dr. HECK. Okay. Mr. Williamson. 

STATEMENT OF PAUL D. WILLIAMSON, COMMAND ADVISOR, 

WOUNDED WARRIOR REGIMENT, UNITED STATES MARINE 

CORPS 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Thank you, Chairman Heck, Ranking Member 

Davis, and distinguished members of the subcommittee. 

It is my privilege to appear before you today to discuss the service and support provided to our Marine Corps’ wounded, ill, and injured Marines and their families through the Wounded Warrior 

Regiment. I have served in the Department of the Navy for more 

than 45 years. In that time, many positive changes have been 

made in how we care for our service men and women and their 

families, especially our wounded warriors. 
7 

I can report to you today that the quality of care provided to your 

Marines has never been better. The best recovery care for complex 

cases requires a coordinated team approach. In the Marine Corps, 

we find success by placing warrior care under the leadership of a 

commander who has the responsibility, authority, and accountability for the health and welfare of those in his command. 

Our common objectives in warrior care have enhanced the partnership of the Marine Corps, Navy Medicine, the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and other services in 

ways that had not existed in the past. We are united by a common 

goal to ensure comprehensive recovery care for our Marines from 

the onset of their illness or injury through all phases of recovery 

and transition. 

Warrior care is not a process, but rather an individual relationship that exists between the recovering Marine and the family and 

the recovery care team. To ensure that we remain responsive to 

their needs, the Marine Corps seeks to be informed by the voice of 

our wounded warrior and their family. Annual care coordination 

surveys, townhall meetings, focus group, and social media feedback 

provide valuable input, which has resulted in additional capabilities and refinements of existing ones. 

As we focus on our current drawdown, fiscal pressures, and other 

important issues, one wonders about the future of warrior care. 

Our Commandant’s 2015 planning guidance addresses the matter 

very clearly and succinctly. Our commitment to our wounded Marines and their families is unwavering. 

I look forward to answering your questions today, and I thank 

you for bringing us forward to address you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Williamson can be found in the 

Appendix on page 79.] 

Dr. HECK. Thank you. 

I would like to thank you all for your testimony. We will now 

begin with a 5-minute round of questioning by the members, and 

I will start off. 

Secretary Rodriguez, given that each military service has a 

unique program to provide support to recovering service members 

and their families, how does DOD ensure that the service programs 

are meeting the needs of the wounded warrior? So what is DOD’s 

role when problems or deficiencies are identified in a service 

Wounded Warrior program? 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Chairman, thank you for that question, and 

I assure you that DOD takes our role very seriously, and we have 

policy oversight of the programs that are being executed by all of 

the services. 

One way we do that is by conducting site assist visits within 

each of the services. In 2014, we conducted 27 site assistance visits, 

that again with each one of the services. And during the site assist 

visits, we reviewed the service’s policies on care, transition—the 

transition programs as well as their care management as well. We 

wanted to ensure that they have a process in place that meets all 

the standards required as set forth in the policy. 

Dr. HECK. So DOD has an overarching policy that each one of the 

service programs needs to meet. When you go out and do those site 
8 

visits, what is the metrics that you are using to evaluate the service programs? 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Sir, DOD has an overarching policy, yes, sir. 

And so when we do the site assist visits, we assure that, again, 

that they are meeting the standards set forth in that particular 

policy. 

Dr. HECK. And if you find a site visit where the policy prescriptive guidance is not being met, what actions are taken? What is the 

procedure for corrective action? 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Understanding that there is always areas for 

improvement, we work directly with the leadership at the sites. 

While we are conducting site assistance visits, we have leadership 

representation there with us. 

Upon completion of the site assist visits, we provide a report to 

the leadership. Upon completion of that report, we have 30 days for 

the leadership to respond on how they plan to implement those 

program revisions. And then we go back. In 2015, we are going 

back and we are going to look at each additional site that we visited in 2014 and ensure that those policies and/or revisions are put 

in place. 

Dr. HECK. All right. Thank you. 

Colonel Toner, there has been some recent reporting of some 

issues at some of the WTUs, specifically down in Texas. How has 

the Warrior Transition Command responded to those concerns, and 

what role has the ombudsman position played in answering those 

concerns? 

Colonel TONER. Yes, sir. So just a summary. You know, the concern is largely associated with disrespect, harassment, belittlement 

of soldiers within the three WTUs in Texas. And so it is important 

to know that the information that generated the reporting coming 

out of this was our own oversight program. So our ombudsman report that you alluded to was provided to the investigative team. 

And so at the end of the day, you know, it concerns me, and I 

take very seriously, when I have a soldier or a family member that 

does not believe that they have received the world-class care that 

they deserve or they believe that they were belittled or harassed 

in any way, that is a serious concern to me, first and foremost. My 

expectation is all soldiers and family members are treated with dignity and respect. 

Coming out of the report and the things that we address. So 

prior to the publishing of the article and the series of reports out 

of Texas, the Sergeant Major and I went down to Texas and visited 

each of the WTUs down there because I personally wanted to get 

an assessment of whether or not we had issues. They were off track 

in terms of policy and procedures. 

And so we went down to Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, and Brooke Army 

Medical Center, and visited WTUs down there. It was not a white 

glove visit by any means or account. This was the Sergeant Major 

and I holding sensing sessions with family members, cadre, service 

members, clinicians down there to understand if we had a resident 

problem. 

It is important to note that the material that was provided to the 

reporter was from the 2009 to 2013 timeframe, and certainly those 

conditions existed as was in the ombudsman report. It is important 
9 

to also note that those ombudsman’s reports were resolved to the 

satisfaction of the soldier and satisfaction of the chain of command 

in each one of those instances. 

At the end of the day, what is important to me is that again we 

have a world-class program and the soldiers feel like they are getting the support they need. And what is also important to me is 

that we maintain our oversight. And so we have a robust oversight 

program that allows us to maintain visibility. And from the feedback of those soldiers and family members to the ombudsman program, Sergeant Major and I get those reports every day, as does 

the chain of command, and it is important that we can rapidly 

react to soldier and family issues. 

But more importantly, if we have some sort of policy or procedural issue that is indicating some sort of trend or systematic problem in the program, we can address that immediately. 

Dr. HECK. So based on the cluster that you found in Texas, do 

you feel or did you get any reports from other WTUs either 

CONUS [continental United States] or OCONUS [outside the continental United States]? 

Colonel TONER. So within the context of the reporting, 2009 to 

2013, I think if you look at all the WTUs, you will see kind of the 

similar types of issues and challenges, and that is everything from 

a soldier issued in their disability rating to administrative stuff. So 

I think if you look at the program in total, you will see a lot of 

same challenges out there. 

I have been to seven WTUs. I have been in command about 6 

months. I have been to seven of the WTUs. We are getting ready 

to head out on another round out there. We do organizational inspection programs which is a 5- to 7-day, 17-person process where 

we get out there and take a look at it. 

I am confident that the program and policies and procedures that 

are in place now have the program going in the right direction, but 

again, more importantly, that we have the oversight out there in 

case we have some sort of challenge within the program, we can 

address it immediately. 

Dr. HECK. Thank you. Mrs. Davis. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Thank you. 

Again, thank you all for being here. 

I wonder if you could speak to the extent to which the population 

of service members that are participating in the Wounded Warrior 

programs has changed. We know it has changed to some extent, 

and I wondered about the enrollment process, particularly, and 

who is included, who is not included, eligibility in terms of the 

seriousness of wounds. 

Mr. Rodriguez, you might have the overall view of that, but I 

wondered whether—do you know, are there major differences in 

the services in terms of enrollment, and the proportion, I guess, of 

the population’s wounded warriors from the Iraq and Afghanistan, 

more particularly, or injuries that people have suffered in the 

course of their careers? 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Thank you for your question, ma’am. 

And as you mentioned, I believe my colleagues from the services 

can probably speak more diligently about their individual processes 

within the services, but I can tell you from an OSD [Office of the 
10 

Secretary of Defense] standpoint, we have noticed that the service 

members that are becoming part of the WTU population are in the 

injured and ill category now. 

Understanding that again each service member’s injury and illness is unique, and the processes in which they arrive in the WTUs 

or warrior care programs is a unique process as well. We want to 

ensure that every service member has the opportunity to be part 

of the program and receive all of the care and/or resources that are 

available within the WTUs or the warrior care programs in general. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Uh-huh. And I don’t know whether—if you wanted 

to speak briefly about that. Is there something that jumps out at 

you in terms of the way that your programs are progressing right 

now that may be different from what it was a few years ago? 

Colonel TONER. Yes, ma’am. And again, I appreciate the question. Let me give you a snapshot right now, if you can see the program where we are right now. So the Army has 4,139 soldiers in 

the program. Of that 4,139, 1,863 are Active Duty, so that is about 

45 percent. So we have 55 percent of Reserve Component, a balance of National Guard and Reserve. Of that total population, 81 

percent of that over 4,000 have deployed. That doesn’t mean their 

condition is related to a deployment. That means they have deployed. 

I think another interesting statistic you would probably be appreciative of is almost 2,000 of those soldiers, so about 47 percent, 

have a—some sort of diagnosis for PTS [post-traumatic stress] or 

behavioral health, could be a primary, secondary, or tertiary diagnosis, and of that, 84 percent have been deployed. So that is kind 

of representative of the population right now. 

With respect to your question on intakes and enrollments, I 

think, who gets in the program, there is a difference in the Army 

program with respect to an Active Duty soldier and a Reserve Component soldier. So an Active Duty soldier, to get into the Warrior 

Transition Unit, you are looking at, just generally speaking, 6 

months of complex care requirement. So they have a profile that 

prohibits them from doing their military occupational specialty, 

They require some sort of complex clinical care, and they are allowed to come into the program. 

Now, I would caveat that with senior mission commanders can 

enter somebody into the program from Active Duty. So for instance, 

if you have a soldier that has some sort of severe behavioral health 

incident or issue, that commander may designate that that individual gets the focused clinical care that is resident in the WTU 

and they can enter them in the program. 

For the Reserve Component, there is a difference. And so a Reserve Component soldier, if they require more than 30 days of care 

and it has been determined in the line of duty that their medical 

requirement occurred while they were on duty, then that soldier 

can apply to be entered in the WTU. The processing of admittance 

to the WTU is the same for an Active Duty or Reserve Component 

soldier. It still goes through the triad of leadership, the WTU commander, the medical treatment facility commander, and the senior 

mission command board to evaluate the entry of that soldier into 

the process. 
11 

Mrs. DAVIS. Thank you. 

And what about the Navy then, Captain? Is there anything very 

different from him? 

Captain BREINING. Yes, ma’am. We are, since Congress and OSD 

gave the services the ability to kind of shape our programs to what 

are our individual needs, I believe the last time that you heard testimony from us was in 2008, and Vice Admiral Robinson was the 

Surgeon General of the Navy at the time, came up and talked 

about a steady state for the Navy of about 250 cases. Through 

proactive outreach, we have expanded quite significantly since 

then. 

So 250 back in 2008, 1,000 in 2010, and today we have helped 

3,283. Our active caseload on any given day is a little over 1,600. 

That is about 600 Active Duty service members and reservists as 

well as around 1,000 transition service members in veteran status. 

So considerable program growth over the years as we have 

launched out. 

As far as the Navy’s criteria for enrollment, we don’t look at 

black and whites, but in generalities, about two back-to-back windows of a year period. If the recovery is going to take longer than 

that, that would be considered a category 2 and eligible for lifetime 

enrollment. 

Less than that, we will continue to assist that service member 

with their individual needs, but in all likelihood, they are going to 

be returned to duty, and the upfront costs, as far as support, is 

going to be for the first few months, and then once we get them 

back on their feet, they will return to the force. But we will continue to monitor that service member if anything changes as far as 

a prognosis or condition, we will relook at the case and then they 

will be eligible potentially for enrollment down the road. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Okay. Thank you. 

I know my time is up, and perhaps for the record, I don’t know, 

you want to have the Air Force and—— 

Dr. HECK. Well, I think we might have another round. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Come back. Okay. Thank you. 

Dr. HECK. Mr. Coffman, recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I am wondering if the respective branches of service could tell me 

what percentage of your caseload in the Wounded Warrior program 

are of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]? 

Colonel TONER. So, sir, if you don’t mind, I will take that first 

one. 

So, again, 4,139 in the program right now in the Army, 1,929 of 

those have a PTS or behavioral health-related issue. That could be 

a primary, secondary, or tertiary issue. So it could be, you know, 

part of their medical challenge. So that is 47 percent. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. Out of your experience with the program, 

how many of those that have behavioral health issues or PTSD are 

returned to duty? 

Colonel TONER. I will have to take that for the record and see 

if we can get back, you know, the specifics on that. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 90.] 
12 

Colonel TONER. I am sure we track that to some degree. 

Mr. COFFMAN. And what is the regimen of treatment for those 

personnel? 

Colonel TONER. Yes sir, it depends on how, you know, obviously 

the complexity of the case and how it is treated. But within the 

Warrior Transition Units, they have the clinicians, behavioral 

health specialists, the social workers that can treat that. They also 

have the access to the primary care managers, the doctors—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Right. 

Colonel TONER [continuing]. That can administer the program to 

them there. So that is within the WTU, which is unique to what 

we do. This is not separate from the organization. So those clinicians are inside the formation with those soldiers on a day-to-day 

basis. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. Captain. 

Captain BREINING. Yes, sir. About 25 percent of our illnesses are 

PTSD. I would like to take that for the record as far as the exact 

number. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 90.] 

Mr. COFFMAN. Sure. 

Captain BREINING. But that is a, you know, ballpark figure. 

Mr. COFFMAN. And return to duty? 

Captain BREINING. I will have to take that one for the record as 

well, sir. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 90.] 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. And regimen of treatment? 

Captain BREINING. Very similar. We provide nonmedical support 

for Safe Harbor, so that is all done in the Bureau of Medicine and 

Surgery’s side, but there are very good programs on that side that 

we collaborate with very closely for treatment. 

Mr. COFFMAN. General. 

General DOHERTY. Yes, sir. Similar process in play and probably 

about the similar numbers. I will take for the record, though, to get 

you the finite details with our occurrences. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 91.] 

General DOHERTY. As you understand, our program is a little bit 

different as far as we use the unit organization to be the—basically 

the mothership of care for that wounded warrior and family and 

the local facilities. 

Probably about a quarter of our wounded warriors do have PTS, 

and if it is of a significant nature or their injuries or their care require a significant nature, then we have patient squadrons. We 

have one on the East Coast and we have one down in San Antonio 

and one on the West Coast that we can bring them for a significant 

amount of time to make sure that they are getting the world-class 

care that they deserve. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. And I am looking at the Army’s numbers 

and I am looking at the Air Force numbers, and it seems that your 

numbers are larger than the United States Army’s, if I am right 

or not. I think the Army is 4,139; is that correct? 

Colonel TONER. That is correct. 
13 

Mr. COFFMAN. And your number is 1,000—well, not—1,165. Am 

I correct in that? 

General DOHERTY. Yes, sir. We have 1,125 on Active Duty right 

now, 300 of them are due to combat related and the other are due 

to illness and injuries, yes, sir. 

Mr. COFFMAN. It is surprising, I mean given the size of the 

United States Air Force relative to the size of the Army, that your 

numbers are actually larger than the United States Army’s. 

Okay. Well, if I—for the record—I would like you to tell me, out 

of those PTSD, how many are returned to Active Duty. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 91.] 

Mr. COFFMAN. To the Marine Corps. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Yes, sir. The numbers of individuals who are 

reporting treatment for a psychological cause is around 59 percent. 

Now, the protocols that the Bureau of Navy Medicine and Surgery 

provide for in treatment, as Captain Breining pointed out, is subject to the needs of that individual patient. 

Mr. COFFMAN. I am sorry. What was the—what is the total number for Marine Corps? For the Wounded Warrior program? 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Yes, sir. I reported that as 59 percent, but 

what that is is the number of individuals surveyed who reported 

that they were receiving treatment for psychological health issues. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. But I am sorry, what is the total number 

on the Wounded Warrior program, not just PTSD, the total number? 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Right. So you must understand that the Marine Corps’ approach to recovery care was initiated by General 

Conway, who stated that his desire was that Marines would recover with their parent unit so long as that unit could support 

them in recovery. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. The most needy cases would be brought, if you 

will, into residence—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON [continuing]. At the Wounded Warrior Regiment. Presently, there are 501 Marines who are currently in residence—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON [continuing]. With the Wounded Warrior Regiment. We have another 374 who are being supported at their parent unit—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON [continuing]. By a recovery care coordinator. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. So the ones in the Wounded Warrior Regiment, what percentage of those would be post-traumatic stress? Is 

that at 59 percent? 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Fifty-nine percent, yes, sir. 

Mr. COFFMAN. That is the 59 percent. And do you have any data 

as to how many who have processed through the Wounded Warrior 

program who are claiming PTSD who have been returned to Active 

Duty—who have been diagnosed with PTSD who have been returned to Active Duty? 
14 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Most often PTSD is a comorbid condition with 

some other disabling condition. That is why they were joined as an 

in-resident—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON [continuing]. With the Marine Corps Wounded 

Warrior Regiment. So 97 percent of those who are joined to a 

Wounded Warrior Regiment—— 

Mr. COFFMAN. Okay. 

Mr. WILLIAMSON [continuing]. Element are disability separated 

or retired, so there is approximately a 3 percent return to duty. 

Mr. COFFMAN. Approximately 3 percent, okay. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. 

Dr. HECK. Thank you. Mr. Cook, you are recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. Cook. 

Mr. COOK. Yes, sir. Thank you very much. 

I was trying to—I was obviously sleeping on the switch there and 

trying to digest some of those facts there. 

The number of post-traumatic stress disorders is very, very high. 

First of all, I had the opportunity to visit a unit down there at 

Camp Lejeune when I was down there for the 2nd Marine Division 

reunion. I was very impressed. 

And I got to be honest with you, and I am going to make a statement now. You know, I was on the VA [Veterans Affairs] Committee and I was chair of the Veterans Committee in California, 

and it bothers me, and listening to you and some of the things in 

the past, I just think you do a better job of taking care of the 

troops. 

Now, I am going to put you on the spot. If you believe that same 

thing, and anyone in the panel can ask this, and you all know 

about the problems with the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] 

and everything else. Now, I think we have dropped the ball on this 

in terms of the overall mission of taking care of the troops, and it 

seems like you still have that major concept why you are doing 

this. And just off the top of my head, I think you are doing a better 

job. 

Do you have any feelings—I know you probably don’t want to 

throw the VA under the bus, but everybody else has, and they have 

had some serious problems, and a lot of us are concerned that we 

have got to—maybe it is just too large, too bureaucratic; but it 

seems to be working for you, and I think you are doing a great job. 

Anyone have any comments on that statement at all? Controversial as it may be. 

Colonel TONER. Sir, I guess I will jump in being the infantryman 

at the table. 

Mr. COOK. Good. So am I. 

Colonel TONER. Sir, I would like to approach it this way, and unfortunately, I won’t help you out in talking specifically to the VA, 

but what keeps me up at night is the simple truth that, you know, 

we are going to be taking care of these soldiers and family members for 70 to 80 years. That is the fact of the matter. And I have 

them, we have them for an extremely short amount of that time. 

And what concerns me is, there is a lot of attention, there is a 

lot of focus into our programs, we are looking down, we all are 

looking down. But what concerns me is what are we doing out in 
15 

our communities? What are we doing to set the conditions for success, and I know I am preaching to the choir, in our communities. 

And it is comprehensive in nature, because what we want to do 

is we want to make the soldiers and family members feel like they 

have something that they are transitioning to. We want to reduce 

that stress. And so it is more than just adaptive sports, adaptive 

reconditioning, disabled sports, U.S.A., Ride of Recovery, it is more 

than that. 

It is great companies that are, you know, improving their habitat 

inside the workplace for disabled people, not just veterans, Americans. It is the folks that are revamping the college campuses that 

come and talk to us about how they are creating veteran campuses 

and how they are focusing more on how does a soldier who has 

PTS, how do they adapt to an educational environment. 

And so, you know, to me, that is where I would ask for help. 

That is where I would ask for focus in terms of what are we doing. 

Because there is great islands out there in the communities, and 

we know them, but what are we doing to join them together and 

make this more of a continental effort? 

Mr. COOK. Anyone else have any responses? 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. Yes, sir, if I may. 

The Marine Corps has focused our efforts on ensuring that the 

Marine understands that they are going to be in our program for 

a couple years. And as Colonel Toner indicated, we are going to be 

looking out after their welfare well into the future. But they are 

going to be veterans for the rest of their lives. So we want to introduce them to the capabilities and ensure that they understand the 

capabilities that the VA has for them and their competence and 

their desire to be of service to them. 

Mr. COOK. I don’t mean to cut you off, but I am going to run out 

of time. 

Let me cut to the chase real quick. Why is it working for you and 

not the VA? Is it the concept that maybe they have missed the boat 

about taking care of troops and the military mission, or maybe I 

am trying to get a simplistic answer to something that is a very, 

very difficult question because I think you are absolutely right in 

everything you are saying. 

Captain BREINING. Sir, if I may. 

This question came up in Recovery Warrior Task Force back in 

April. And I think what works well for us is we do collaborate, as 

Mr. Williamson said, very closely with the VA. We have the interagency coordination care committee that we work with the VA on. 

And what works well for us is for those enrollees in our program 

that have hit veteran status, we have that hands-on care. 

So while the VA is providing those resources, we are an extra 

line of defense for that service member if there is any issues and 

we directly inject right into the VA and solve the problems. I have 

a VA fellow recovery coordinator on my staff that if anything comes 

up, I can go right to her and she knows the touch point within the 

VA. 

So from our perspective, it is working very well, but that is for 

our population. 

Mr. COOK. Thank you. 

Yield back. 
16 

Dr. HECK. Thank you. 

Mr. O’Rourke. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate you asking after the WTUs in Texas. 

And Colonel Toner, thank you for your personal attention to this 

issue, and specifically for visiting El Paso and Fort Bliss. And I 

wanted to ask you about that, and you—you touched on this in the 

answer to the chairman’s question, but was there in fact cause for 

concern at the WTU at Fort Bliss? 

Colonel TONER. So, sir, during the context of the reporting document, so 2009 to 2013, there were challenges at Fort Bliss beyond 

a shadow of a doubt, kind of multifaceted, cadre, soldiers, just programmatic-type issues. What I found in my visit down at Fort 

Bliss, solid program, senior mission commanders fully involved 

down there, fully engaged, and their program is on track. 

As you know, demob/mob [demobilization/mobilization] site, so 

they have got a large population of Reserve Component soldiers 

down there, but a phenomenally engaged cadre and clinician staff 

down there. And I am satisfied that the program is on track and 

where it needs to be. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. And I do want to keep our focus forward, but if 

I could summarize. You were able to corroborate or confirm that 

there was indeed cause for concern. Could you just touch on what 

led to that and what changed so that you feel comfortable going 

forward? 

Colonel TONER. Absolutely. So, again, so these reports that the 

reporter had FOIA’d [Freedom of Information Act], these were our 

records. These were our oversight programs, so it is important to 

acknowledge that. So these were our—— 

Mr. O’ROURKE. You are talking about there was a TV broadcast 

station in Texas? 

Colonel TONER. Right. The investigative team, Scott Friedman in 

Texas. 

So, again, the reports that he based his story on were our matters of record, our oversight mechanisms. And so the things that 

we used to change the program, to make the program better, the 

feedback that we get from the soldiers and family members, and 

more importantly, we addressed the soldiers’ needs. So if a soldier 

has a concern, the expectation is, through the ombudsman, that 

that issue is going to be resolved. 

So since 2009 to now, our program has largely been built and adjusted based off of this type of input, soldier and family input. And 

that is—— 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Something—but I do want to make sure, and I 

apologize for interrupting you. I do want to make sure that you answer the question. What was going wrong? What was the specific 

challenge? Was it leadership? Was it processes? Was it procedures? 

Lack thereof? 

Colonel TONER. All of the above. So we are talking about a period 

of time from 2009 to 2013. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Okay. 

Colonel TONER. So you had multiple issues over that time. Everything from cadre members that did not have the right approach to 

the soldiers and the family members, to failure to implement proce-
17 

dures and policies that created some issues in the program down 

there. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. And you feel those are resolved now—— 

Colonel TONER. Absolutely. 

Mr. O’ROURKE [continuing]. Going forward. And I will just tell 

you anecdotally, I took office in January of 2013, and family members of service members who were at the Bliss WTU brought these 

issues to our attention. And we saw press reports prior to this recent broadcast report from this past year. And essentially, you got 

the family member saying that the service member was being humiliated or being treated with disrespect, and then you got commanders saying, well, these are folks who in some cases just don’t 

want to get in line, and we need to maintain discipline and order 

going forward. Some of them are going to be deployed and be reintegrated. 

We also found—we dug a little deeper, to touch on Mr. Cook’s 

point, that there were some problems at the VA because, you know, 

a certain percentage of these service members were going through 

the IDES [Integrated Disability Evaluation System] process as they 

roll out into civilian life, and that we had a hangup at this DRAS 

[Defense Retiree & Annuitant Pay System] processing facility in 

Washington State where we were not able to get the ratings, and 

these soldiers were literally languishing at the WTU there. And I 

think as that delay has come down and we are able to process 

these soldiers through the IDES process, I think that has improved 

things as well. I don’t know if you want to comment on the VBA 

[Veterans Benefits Administration] aspect of it? 

Colonel TONER. Well, so—you know, it all comes down to communication. That is the number one complaint that we get out there 

when we talk to soldiers and family members is communicating 

through the process. And so there is known entities that we can 

talk to them about and say, okay, this is known to us. But for a 

soldier and family member in transition, it is an extremely stressful time in their life. I mean, they are going through a medical 

process where it is stressful, and they are going through transition 

where it is stressful. 

So, you know, our ability to give them some sort of prediction on 

when they are going to be separated and transitioned in civilian 

side of the house is extremely important to the soldier and family 

member so they can make that part of their comprehensive transition plan. 

So, you know, from when I was a battalion commander in 2006 

to when I was a brigade commander in 2009, you know, we have 

broken the window down to where we can give them a pretty good 

idea. Ninety days, okay, we expect to get your ratings back and we 

will know this and we will be able to transition you at this point 

in time. It has been a pretty large accomplishment since 2006, 

when we couldn’t predict that. But at the end of the day, it would 

be nice to be able to tell the soldier, absolutely, we know you are 

going to transition on 6 June, it is going the happen on that day, 

your ratings are going to come back, we can get some predictability 

into their lives, et cetera. 

I think you reduce that and you mitigate that by having that 

conversation with those soldiers and family members out there so 
18 

they understand what part of the process is. There is also an appeal process where a soldier can choose to do that. So that is part 

of—part of what we are doing out there. And I don’t want to leave 

you, sir, with the idea that, you know, at Fort Bliss it was just a 

matter of we are replacing leaders and everything else. No, this 

is—you know, Fort Bliss sort of represents, in a good way, our ability to react to soldier input, family input, and cadre input and adjust the program. 

And so it is much more than changing leaders at Fort Bliss. It 

is readjusting our training program in San Antonio. It is readjusting the way that we select cadre members. It is our approach 

to the training that those folks get that allow them to adjust the 

program down there. So it is much more than just that. 

Mr. O’ROURKE. Thank you. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Dr. HECK. Mr. Jones. 

Mr. JONES. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. 

And for those of us on this committee who have been here 20 

years, we have really seen, and I want to commend the commitment made by not only you, but those before you to see this 

Wounded Warrior program become what it is today. And nothing 

is perfect in government and outside of government. You have done 

a magnificent job to get to this point. 

I have the privilege to represent the district in North Carolina, 

the home of Camp Lejeune Marine Base and Cherry Point Marine 

Air Station, and I have had a chance to visit the Wounded Warrior 

program many times down at Camp Lejeune. And I saw it from the 

old barracks to a new facility. It has been a tremendous commitment made by our government to those who have given so much 

physically and mentally. 

What I would like to ask each one of you, for those—and I know 

you said the numbers are down, which is a good thing, I would 

hope—that are still in the program from their mental and physical 

wounds from the Afghan and Iraq war, how many of those that are 

still in the program that are being medicated, meaning that they 

are still on prescription drugs for their treatment of PTSD or TBI 

[traumatic brain injury] or it could be another issue. 

If you could give me some idea of the percentage from the Army, 

Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, of those that are still in the 

Wounded Warrior program and the percentage of those that are 

being medicated. 

And if you don’t have it now, if we could get it for the record. 

That is really one of my biggest concerns, because I do still have 

a lot of communications, as certainly you have more than I do, but 

there are still those that are in much need, particularly the PTSD, 

of trying to be able to grip with their problems. And so if you could 

give me—maybe you know it now. If you could share it with me, 

I would appreciate it. 

Colonel TONER. Sir, I will have to take that for the record and 

get you the number there. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 91.] 

Colonel TONER. From a polypharmacy or pharmaceutical standpoint, you know, again, the Army program has come a long way, 
19 

so we have that one primary care manager that manages the care 

of that individual soldier so that we reduce the aspect of polypharmacy. And the first approach being, you know, how can we treat, 

how can we do this pain manager or how can we do the management of your condition through things other than some sort of 

medicated approach. 

Mr. JONES. Does anyone have any—the reason I am asking this 

because a few of us for a number of years have been trying to get 

the opportunity of a soldier, Marine, or airman, Navy, whichever, 

the ability to—with the doctor’s prescription, to be treated by 

hyperbaric oxygen treatment. And it has been a frustration for 

many of us in the Congress in both House and Senate that we continue to get roadblocks not from you—this is above the Wounded 

Warrior program—but of getting this treatment approved to the 

point that if prescribed by the doctor on base and that the patient 

believes it could be helpful. 

So that is the reason I would like to see these numbers that I 

have asked for, that if you could provide each service how many 

are still in the Wounded Warrior program that are from the Afghanistan—excuse me—or Iraq war and they are still in the program and how many are being medicated. I really would appreciate 

it very much. 

General DOHERTY. Yes, sir. That is a great question. I will take 

it for the record and get you the details on that. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 91.] 

General DOHERTY. But just our experience, I am retiring Captain 

Mitchell Kieffer on the 20th of February down at Langley Air Force 

Base, a phenomenal airman, and he just went through that treatment, and he was telling me about the superb results that he got 

from that treatment. And so I see firsthand that—from one case, 

he had very good results—— 

Mr. JONES. I want to thank you for sharing that story with this 

committee because I hope, Mr. Chairman, we talked about it earlier, that we will hold a hearing on the treatment programs and 

the success of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. And I have got stories, 

too, but I really appreciate it. It is more important that you share 

that with this committee than me share the stories that I might 

have. So thank you very much for that comment. 

Dr. HECK. Okay. 

Mr. Walz. 

Mr. WALZ. Well, thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member, 

and thank all of you. 

I kind of like to echo Mr. Jones’ sentiments on this. As the current conflict ramped up and as the need to approach our care of 

our warriors changed, I want to applaud all of you for going forward on that, doing the things. And I think all of us know this is 

a zero sum proposition. If one warrior is left behind or if the care 

is substandard, we failed, and that is—that is kind of the nature 

of it, but it doesn’t dismiss the positive lessons, the things that are 

moving forward. 

I had the opportunity to visit Wounded Warrior Battalion West 

at Pendleton. And I think the American people would be pleased 
20 

to see the facilities and the care and the outstanding treatment 

that is being delivered. And that is important. 

Colonel Toner, you hit on this point, and I know my colleagues 

here, Mr. Cook, Coffman, O’Rourke, and myself either previously or 

do now serve on the VA [Veterans’ Affairs] committee. And I’ve 

talked for decades till I am blue in the face that the lack of seamless transition hampers us in so many ways, whether it was electronic medical record or it was a commitment of care on a continuum. And again, we have you here but no one from the VA [Department of Veterans Affairs]. 

Now I do know they are embedded with you. There is things that 

happen. But I truly believe we are going to have to crack that. We 

are going to have that make that better. We are going to have to 

see it, that it is all of our responsibilities, because Colonel Toner, 

your comments were dead on. You are going to care for them in the 

big scheme of things for a relatively short amount of time. It is 

going to seem like an eternity to them if they are with you for 2 

years and their family and waiting for orders and everything else 

that goes with it. But the true eternity is right, the next 70 years. 

And our inability to shape that policy holistically, I think, is hampering us. And I think it causes great frustration. So I just echo 

that as a statement. 

A couple of things I would ask, though. You mentioned this, and 

I am concerned about this when I was out there and looked at it. 

The folks that are providing the care, the care providers in the 

cadre, how is their morale? How are they doing? And I know these 

are people that are self-selecting many cases because that is exactly where they want to be, doing exactly what they want. But 

this is tough work, and it wears on you. 

So if I could just get—I know this is subjective, but your assessment of how you see those providers from each of you. 

Colonel TONER. Yes, sir. So from the Army perspective, you 

know, a lot—a majority of these folks, especially the cadre, are volunteers. They want to be a part of the program. At the end of the 

day, though, this is an extremely stressful environment. And we 

place the leaders and the clinicians into the environment, we get 

them training and it is highly emotional, as you know, sir. 

I mean, you have a soldier that is going through a medical process, you have a family that is in transition, it is extremely emotional. It is 24/7 for the providers and the cadre. It is tough work, 

but it is very rewarding. 

So it is a challenge. We have instituted in the Army that a tour 

of duty for a cadre member is 24 months because it is so stressful. 

It requires such a commitment that we want to make sure that 

there is not a, you know, some sort of fatigue associated with a 

cadre member as they are going through the program. 

Mr. WALZ. So there is a conscious effort to address it, and this 

is—it is out there. 

Colonel TONER. Yeah. And so one other thing, too, if I may, Congressman, is the resiliency program that we put them through. So 

we have added a week of training to the cadre course that puts 

them through the Army’s—a portion of the Army’s resiliency training, shows them how to cope and also how to assess individuals 

that may be—that may be struggling. 
21 

We also opened up the master resiliency training course, which 

is a much longer course, and allows them to become trainers of 

that course within the formations. 

Mr. WALZ. Wonderful. 

Captain. 

Captain BREINING. Yes, sir. I talk to each of our staff members 

as they come through to take their assignments, and resiliency is 

one of the top things I talk about because it is such a challenging 

assignment. It is very rewarding to be able to give back to these 

wounded warriors that deserve our support so well. But it takes a 

lot out of you, and they are putting in a lot of extra hours to provide that quality care that they believe that the wounded warriors 

deserve. And resiliency is definitely something we’ve got to look at. 

My concern is we have military that come in for 3-year orders, 

but then I also have government civilians that do this for 7, 8 

years. 

Mr. WALZ. Yeah. 

Captain BREINING. And they are the ones who really impress me, 

because they keep at it. I continually focus them on living well for 

themselves and just kind of assessing where they are at and talking to the other care providers to make sure that they are not internalizing these stresses. 

General DOHERTY. Sir, we found that the training is incredibly 

invaluable to all of our recovery care teams. And we just got done 

with a one-week session down in San Antonio with nonmedical care 

managers, along with the recovery care coordinators, and the community airmen family readiness community leaders that help it 

along assisting families. 

But we give them those resiliency skills during this week. They 

are a part of our master resiliency trainer program as well. And 

then just the socialization and the commonality of bringing our 43 

regions across the globe together to share challenges, to share insights, best practices, and whatnot, we find that to be very valuable. And we are putting that into our battle rhythm. 

So we are doing that once a year. And then the policy folks, the 

folks that have levers to—we midstream it at the summertime, and 

then we start it all over again for next January. We will be doing 

the same thing. Yes, sir. 

Mr. WALZ. Mr. Williamson, I am sorry, my time cut you off. I 

may have to follow up with you and just ask you offline. Thank 

you. 

Dr. HECK. Mr. Knight. 

Mr. KNIGHT. Thank you, Mr. Chair. 

It is always interesting to be a freshman. You get to hear all the 

good questions, and then you are last. 

You know, some of the statements I will make, and I will leave 

it kind of open for how you want to answer this, but I always look 

at outreach. I just Googled and went onto Web sites and saw how 

you enroll into the program and what is needed and all of that. 

How much outreach are we doing? Obviously, if someone is 

wounded, then we probably enroll them right away. But if someone 

comes home and now is starting to go through some of the issues 

of PTSD or some other issues by being in the combat zone, what 

kind of outreach are we doing so that those individuals know that 
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there is a place for them, there is a place where they can get treatment, there is a place where they can be treated? 

And secondly, what are we doing about funding? We always—we 

are always talking about funding in one form or fashion. I am sure 

we are going to be talking about that this year quite a bit. But 

there is something the American people never argue about, and 

that is, taking care of our wounded warriors. There is never a partisanship there, there is never a question about that. It is always 

they should get the care, and they should get everything that they 

need and they deserve. 

So I will just leave those both open to Colonel or Captain or General, if you want to answer any one of those? 

Colonel TONER. Sir, I guess I will start. So in terms of outreach, 

you know, so it is a large Army issue, first of all, and so the Army 

has addressed this in many ways. We have embedded behavioral 

health now down in the combat brigades. We have medical providers in the combat formations out there. And so within the formations themselves, they have the ability to assess an individual 

and get them the help they need. 

A soldier who is medically evacuated from theater, from some 

sort of deployment, so the policy that is in place right now is that 

soldier, when they are medically evacuated—so let me give you an 

example: Fort Campbell, 101st Airborne soldier medically evacuated from Africa goes back to Fort Campbell. They are attached to 

the Warrior Transition Unit for an evaluation period. And so the 

primary care managers, those clinicians within that formation and 

that leadership within that formation will assess the soldier and 

determine whether or not that soldier can proceed back to their 

unit and receive the care they need, or they remain in the Warrior 

Transition Unit. 

So the other thing that units do is they do medical review boards 

where the clinicians of the unit will sit down, they will go through 

the formation, they will take a look at their folks that are in the 

care process, and they will make a determination to whether that 

individual needs to go in the Warrior Transition Unit. 

From a funding perspective, we are a fully funded program, and 

we have been the whole time. I am fully funded for this year, and 

I don’t see any lack in my ability to execute my mission and my 

mandate. 

Captain BREINING. So there is a few ways. One is our proactive 

marketing and outreach, getting different advertising spots that 

are aired at base theaters, to putting local news stories in the base 

paper, to actually going out and meeting with leadership of unit 

commands at the regions to get the word out about the program. 

I have done a tour around the U.S. to meet with Reserve Component commands, and all the NAS [naval air station] COs [commanding officers] to talk to them, especially on the Reserve side. 

It is always a challenge to let them know that our services are 

available to them as well. 

And then finally is the personal casualty report [PCR]. So anyone 

who is seriously wounded, ill, or injured, the unit commander is required to do a PCR on that individual. And we track all those as 

they come in. And that is the primary means for us to be notified 

that someone needs our services. 
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But it is a continuing challenge to get the word out and make 

people understand that we are more than just combat wounded, 

that 80 percent of our population is for seriously ill and injured as 

well. 

As far as resourcing, I brought the stats up at the beginning, 19 

percent growth in 2013, 34 percent this past year. Basically our enrollments, because of our successful marketing and outreach, is 

outpacing our resources. And in a resource-constrained environment that is a challenge, but we are addressing that through the 

planning, programming, budgeting, and execution system and are 

hopeful that we will be able to catch up with the current need. 

General DOHERTY. Yes, sir, as far as the outreach, it starts from 

the top and it comes with the profession of arms and the ethos. 

And so General Welsh, in his statements last week, it is a top priority. It is a sacred trust. And so from the top down through the 

chain of command, the way our program is organized with parent 

units taking care of their folks to the most extent possible, we 

stress that. 

And so I personally at every new wing commander, crew commander that is coming on line, I personally have sessions with 

them in forums to talk through the program, talk through the 

strengths, the possible challenges and insights on keeping their eye 

and keeping the focus. And then we give them lists on who their 

wounded warriors are, who their recovery care coordinators are, 

phone numbers, and get them personally connected with all the 

people that are in charge of their programs. So once they hit the 

ground, they are part of the team immediately. 

As far as funding goes, it is a nonstarter. I mean, that is a top 

priority and has not been an issue, even though we have growth 

as well as the other services. 

Mr. KNIGHT. Thank you, Mr. Chair. 

Dr. HECK. Mrs. Davis, did you want to follow up with your question? 

Mrs. DAVIS. Sure. I don’t know that we need to go back and go 

through the piece from the Air Force and the Marines, but if you 

wouldn’t mind doing that for the record, just in terms of making 

sure that people—sort of the distinctions in terms of getting people 

into the program. That would be helpful. 

[The information referred to can be found in the Appendix on 

page 89.] 

Mrs. DAVIS. What I did want to ask you about is what you see 

are barriers for people being served today. Are there changes to the 

policies that would make a difference with the population as we see 

it going forward, or do you think that we pretty much need to keep 

things as they are? 

One of the things that—we have come a long way. I mean, I just 

want to really applaud the effort for resiliency and taking care of 

the care providers, because that is very, very important. 

I had the woman come to see me recently from the Heroes and 

Healthy Families program. I don’t know if anyone is familiar with 

that. But what they have tried to do is, from a really experiential 

point of view, share the experiences that folks have had getting 

help and assistance. 
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At the beginning of all this, you know, a number of years ago, 

the stories of people who just were not seeking care were really 

right there in front of us, and it took almost our senior leaders to 

show up at mental health clinics, frankly, and to sit there and to 

suggest to the troops that they needed help as well, in order to get 

people to get the care that they needed. 

And so I am just wondering, is there anything different now that 

we need to do to address those policies to make it more comfortable 

and less career-inhibiting to be certain that people get the help 

that they need in a timely fashion? You are providing it, but sometimes people are not necessarily getting in line. 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Well, ma’am, thank you for the question. And I 

definitely can provide a little bit of information of that from the 

OSD level. 

One of the things we are consistently doing is reviewing our policies to make sure that they meet the requirements that our service 

members are going to need in the future. We also want to ensure 

that they are inclusive as possible to be able to provide the services 

that any service member may need as he or she feels that they 

may be—they may benefit, rather, from the services that are provided within the WTUs from all of the services. 

One of the things that we consistently do is do, again, a quality 

assurance of our programs, ensuring that the programs meet the 

needs of our service members and that the services, again, based 

off of their unique way that they conduct their execution of their 

programs for their particular service members, I think they may be 

able to elaborate a little bit more on that. 

However, we are consistently reviewing our policies from OSD 

standpoint to make sure that they do meet the requirements in the 

new population that we are working with. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Okay. Does anybody see the problem that we have 

with individuals who believe, soldiers, sailors, who believe that 

seeking help would hurt their career in the future? Is that still an 

issue out there? 

Colonel TONER. Yeah. So, ma’am, again, thanks for the question. 

So unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to characterize it, what almost 14 years of conflict has given us is a large 

population of soldiers and leaders who understand PTS and behavioral health issues. And it has significantly reduced the stigma associated with it, to the point that leaders and those that they are 

leading out there understand it and understand the treatment and 

the help they can get to it and understand the fact that we have 

folks walking in our formations now that are dealing with it and 

doing just fine in terms of their ability to perform. 

From an experienced perspective, you know, my own experience, 

you know, prior to going to combat I probably was—you know, just 

didn’t understand it. I thought maybe I understood it; didn’t understand it. Going to combat, first tour, 16 months, I get it. I understand it. And so you have this generation out there right now that 

understands it. 

The fact that we have embedded behavioral health inside our formations—I was one of the first brigade commanders to get that, 

and I will tell you that is a phenomenal achievement, a leap, just 

an incredible leap, where I have an individual inside my formation 
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that I call Bob or Sue or whatever and that I can go to and talk 

and I can address my problem. More importantly, I have a squad 

leader that pushes me in that direction because they understand 

I am suffering, they understand I am going through that challenge. 

So the big challenge is just to not lose that, is to maintain that 

kind of understanding, and to make sure that the new generation 

that is coming in that has not had that experience borne out of war 

understands that, and that we don’t lose the funding and the policies and the procedures that we have in place. At the end of the 

day, we are hard on ourselves. We are going to constantly address 

the policy and the program and make it right. 

Mrs. DAVIS. Yeah. Thank you. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Dr. HECK. Well, I want to thank you all for—that was the call 

for votes, so I want to thank you all for taking the time to be here 

today. 

And, more importantly, thank you for everything that you are 

doing to take care of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and 

Coast Guardsmen that need the care that your folks are providing 

and that they deserve. 

So there being no further business before the subcommittee, we 

stand adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 4:38 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.] 

A P P E N D I X 

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 

PREPARED STATEMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD 

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 

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WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING 

THE HEARING 

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 

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RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MRS. DAVIS 

General DOHERTY. In 2005, we began support of our combat wounded Airmen 

through our Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (originally called Palace HART). 

In 2009, we added the Recovery Care Program to provide non-medical support to 

our seriously/very seriously ill and injured as well; both deployment and non-deployment related. In 2012, we combined the two programs into one, the Air Force 

Wounded, Ill and Injured (WII) Program, to consolidate our resources and provide 

standardized care. 

Airmen that fall in one of the following categories are eligible for the WII Program: identified as seriously or very seriously ill or injured or combat wounded; referred to Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) for Post Traumatic Stress 

Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); Air Reserve Component Airmen 

who are redeployed because of an injury or illness or who are in an active duty status and are anticipated to remain on Title 10 medical orders (serious/severe conditions) for at least six months; and Airmen assigned to a Patient Squadron and have 

a 9P AFSC Wounded Warrior Identifier. 

Since 2005, the program has seen numerous key changes and initiatives for our 

Airmen and families. Our Recovery Care Coordinator (RCC) program has grown 

from 15 to 44 RCCs and has morphed into a regional concept to ensure all bases, 

including Guard and Reserve are covered by an RCC. To better serve our Airmen 

and their families, we developed automated case management through the Recovery 

Care Program–Support Solution (RCP–SS) and added technology tools (Skype, 

Texting, Twitter, Facetime, Facebook) to allow contact flexibility. Our Adaptive 

Sports program provides physical, social and psychological rehabilitative opportunities. In cooperation with OSD Office of Warrior Care Policy, our Airmen have Education and Employment support and opportunities to participate in Operation 

Warfighter. We also implemented programs to help alleviate financial burdens. Airmen wounded, ill or injured in support of combat operations are eligible for the Pay 

and Allowance Continuation program. And, to help offset a caregiver’s loss of income, we have the Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living program. This past year, we developed special programs to support our Caregivers, focusing on peer-to-peer support, counseling, and resiliency. Annually we 

conduct program reviews to assess the continuum of care, validate support is onthe-mark, capture lessons learned, and continuously make improvements. [See 

page 23.] 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. 1. The U.S. Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR) 

was established in 2007 to provide and facilitate non-medical care to combat and 

non-combat wounded, ill, and injured Marines, Sailors in direct support of Marines, 

and their families. In 2009, Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 1300.24 established an enduring requirement for service level recovery care coordination for 

all severely ill and injured service members, regardless of combat status. The WWR 

command is headquartered at Quantico, VA and commands two subordinate battalions and 11 detachments that provide recovery care coordination for the Marine 

Total Force. 

2. The Marine Corps model is for Marines to recover with their parent units as 

long as the unit can support their recovery and return to full duty status or transition to civilian status. Marines requiring complex care coordination are joined to a 

WWR element either during hospitalization or through a referral made by a medical 

provider via the Marine’s unit commander. A WWR board, composed of medical and 

non-medical subject matter experts evaluates each commander-endorsed referral 

and makes a determination based on several criteria, including: a. The Marine has 

injuries that will require more than 90 days of medical treatment or rehabilitation 

per Marine Corps Order 6320.2, Administration and Processing of Injured/Ill/Hospitalized Marines. b. The Marine has three or more appointments of complex nature 

per week. c. The parent command cannot support transportation requirements to 

the medical treatment facility. d. The Marine cannot serve a function in the parent 

command due to their injuries or illnesses. 
90 

As of February 2015, 501 Marines were joined to the WWR, with an additional 

46 Marine in-patients and their families receiving service and support from a Regiment on-site staff. 

3. Marines not rising to the level support required to be joined to a WWR element 

will remain with their parent units and may, based on a comprehensive needs assessment, receive external support from WWR. Support comes through Recovery 

Care Coordinators (RCC), battalion level contact center outreach, pay and entitlements audits and assistance, Disability Evaluation System (DES) advocacy, and 

transition support. As of February 2015, 374 Marines remained with their parent 

units while receiving, at a minimum, RCC support from the WWR. 

4. The combined joined and external WWR population has shifted in recent years, 

with combat wounded Marines dropping by more than half since December 2012. 

Of the recovering service members (RSMs) currently supported by RCCs, 68% became ill or injured outside a combat zone; 13% were ill or injured in a combat zone; 

and 19% were combat wounded as the result of direct armed conflict with the 

enemy. The number of combat wounded is expected to continue to decline through 

FY17; the remaining population needing services will be severely ill and injured. 

5. Current referral and acceptance policies for assignment to the WWR for recovery allow the commander to evaluate each case individually. Using the criteria previously set forth, the WWR is able to join each Marine whose medical/non-medical 

needs require complex care, regardless of the type or timing of the illness or injury, 

including those Marines receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder 

(PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). As the warrior care community gains a 

better understanding of PTSD and TBI, the WWR continually trains staff and cadre 

to recognize and support recovery from these conditions. Should the current operating policy be found inadequate in the future, the WWR will take necessary measures to ensure Marines in need and their families have access to the best possible 

care and resources. 

6. In addition to the joined and external RCC supported Marines, there are other 

specific populations of WII Marines receiving support through the Regiment. The 

Regiment’s Wounded Warrior Operations Center (WWOC) reviews every Personnel 

Casualty Report (PCR) and Serious Incident Report (SIR) generated by field level 

commanders, across the Marine Corps, to identify Marines who may require WWR 

assistance. If the WWOC deems appropriate, a deeper dive into the particulars of 

a case may be directed and may result in a direct engagement with the Marine’s 

unit commander or the individual Marine who was the subject of those reports. 

Through our Battalion level contact cells and the Regiment’s Sgt. Merlin German 

Resource and Outreach Call Center, more than 30,446 reserve Marines and Marine 

veterans who were disability separated or retired, and 3,338 WII Marines currently 

on active duty receive periodic contact to ensure their recovery needs are being 

properly addressed or they are receiving information on benefits and services available to them and their families. The outreach facilities generate more than 120,000 

outreach and receive 14,000 incoming calls. Additionally, 741 reserve and medically 

retired Marines currently receive recovery care coordinator-like services through one 

of the Regiment’s 31 field level District Injured Support Coordinators who are geographically dispersed across the nation and most often embedded within a VA Integrated Service Network (VISN) facility. 

7. POC is Mr. Paul Williamson, Command Advisor, Wounded Warrior Regiment, 

at 703–432–1857. [See page 23.] 

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MR. COFFMAN 

Colonel TONER. Of the 29,463 Soldiers who returned to the force, 2,056 Soldiers 

from all components (7%) were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Further 1,112 Soldiers of 29,463 (4%) had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a ‘‘primary 

condition’’. By comparison, 4,633 Soldiers (16%) had a Behavioral Health diagnosis 

(non-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and 2,833 Soldiers (10%) had a Behavioral 

Health diagnosis as a primary condition. [See page 11.] 

Captain BREINING. As of 3 February 2015, 495 enrollees in Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor have a primary or secondary diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) out of a total population size of 3,310. This equates to 15 percent of 

all enrollment conditions and 33 percent of illnesses. [See page 12.] 

Captain BREINING. Of the 495 Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor (NWW–SH) 

enrollees that have a primary or secondary diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 21 are presently in a return to duty status (4 percent). 

It should be noted, however, that this return-to-duty percentage is not representative of the entire population of Navy personnel who have been diagnosed with 
91 

PTSD. Many of these personnel are enrolled in NWW–SH for serious disorders in 

addition to PTSD, and it is these disorders, rather than PTSD, that are preventing 

them from returning to duty. In addition, those personnel enrolled in NWW–SH 

typically suffer from more severe conditions than other patients. The vast majority 

of PTSD patients in the Navy are effectively treated through routine outpatient care 

and are never referred to NWW–SH. In the majority of cases, a diagnosis of PTSD 

does not necessitate separation from the service. [See page 12.] 

General DOHERTY. Since the Air Force Wounded, Ill and Injured (WII) program 

inception in 2005, 4,246 members have been enrolled in the program (RegAF, 

Guard, Reserve). 45% (1,916) of the WII have PTSD, and 13% (258) of those with 

PTSD are still on Active Duty (RegAF, Guard, and Reserve). 

Since 2005, 2.8% (54) of those with PTSD have been returned to duty. [See page 

12.] 

General DOHERTY. There are 1,049 Airmen on Active Duty (RegAF, Guard, and 

Reserve) in the Wounded, Ill or Injured program. 258 of those Airmen have PTSD; 

124 combat related, and 134 non-combat related. 

During verbal testimony the Army reported having 4,196 Soldiers in the Warrior 

Transition Unit (WTU). That number reflects those Soldiers currently assigned to 

the WTUs as of the date of the testimony. The Army reported that since program 

inception in 2007, they have provided recovery and transition support to 65,700 Soldiers. The current Army number of 4,196 Soldiers should be compared to the 1,049 

Airmen still on active duty currently in our program, not the 4,246 total Airmen.

[See page 13.] 

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MR. JONES 

Colonel TONER. Of the 6,248 Soldiers previously deployed Army Active Duty Service Members assigned to the Wounded Warrior Program between October 1, 2013 

to September 30, 2014, and diagnosed between October 1, 2011 to September 30, 

2014, with at least one post-traumatic stress and/or traumatic brain injury condition, 6,147 (98.38%) were prescribed at least one medication, and 6,045 (96.75%) 

were prescribed at least one chronic maintenance medication for any medical condition at any time from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. [See page 18.] 

General DOHERTY. There are 1,049 Airmen on Active Duty (RegAF, Guard, and 

Reserve) in the Wounded, Ill or Injured program. 258 of those Airmen have PTSD; 

124 combat related, and 134 non-combat related. 

During verbal testimony the Army reported having 4,196 Soldiers in the Warrior 

Transition Unit (WTU). That number reflects those Soldiers currently assigned to 

the WTUs as of the date of the testimony. The Army reported that since program 

inception in 2007, they have provided recovery and transition support to 65,700 Soldiers. The current Army number of 4,196 Soldiers should be compared to the 1,049 

Airmen still on active duty currently in our program, not the 4,246 total Airmen. 

There are 1,049 Airmen on Active Duty (RegAF, Guard, and Reserve) in the 

Wounded, Ill or Injured program. 258 of those Airmen have PTSD; 124 combat related, and 134 non-combat related. 

During verbal testimony the Army reported having 4,196 Soldiers in the Warrior 

Transition Unit (WTU). That number reflects those Soldiers currently assigned to 

the WTUs as of the date of the testimony. The Army reported that since program 

inception in 2007, they have provided recovery and transition support to 65,700 Soldiers. The current Army number of 4,196 Soldiers should be compared to the 1,049 

Airmen still on active duty currently in our program, not the 4,246 total Airmen.

[See page 19.] 

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING 

FEBRUARY 3, 2015 

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QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MR. JONES 

Mr. JONES. How many service members that are in the WTUs still being medicated, in percentages? 

Captain BREINING. There are currently 125 Sailors assigned to Navy Wounded 

Warrior–Safe Harbor (NWW–SH) who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and were 

diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury 

(TBI). 

Within all of Navy Medicine, 75% of individuals diagnosed with PTSD are prescribed medications for the treatment of this diagnosed condition. Of these, 93% receive medications in accordance with DOD/VA Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). 

A review of personnel assigned to NWW–SH indicates that their treatment is consistent with these overall numbers. 

Navy Medicine closely tracks the extent to which our PTSD patients are prescribed medication, and the extent to which these prescription patterns are consistent with CPGs. Specifically, Navy Medicine conducts quarterly metrics reviews 

using data from the Military Health System Management Analysis and Reporting 

Tool (M2), as well as detailed reviews of a representative sample of medical records 

from multiple facilities. Our findings related to medication have been consistent 

each quarter. Among those seen in our Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), between 93 and 94% of those prescribed medication are prescribed those medications 

specifically recommended by CPGs. In the 5–7% of cases in which alternative medications are prescribed, these are typically used only in the short term for sleep, or 

to provide rapid alleviation of symptoms for a patient in acute distress. 

Mr. JONES. How many service members that are in the WTUs still being medicated, in percentages? 

General DOHERTY. The Air Force does not have Warrior Transition Units. Most 

Air Force Wounded Warriors, including those with PTSD or TBI, remain at their 

duty station for treatment and care at their local Air Force Military Treatment Facility (MTF) or a civilian hospital in the community. If the care Airmen require is 

unavailable at their duty station or if they are stationed overseas and require treatment for more than six months, they are assigned to a Patient Squadron in an Air 

Force MTF that provides the specialties required for their treatment. 

There are approximately 2,100 Active Duty, and active Reserve and Guard members with a PTSD diagnosis. Of those, 124 are Wounded Warriors and 105 (84.7%) 

have had a PTSD-associated medication prescribed since 1-Jan-14. Only 11 of the 

Wounded Warrior Airmen with PTSD are in a Patient Squadron. These Wounded 

Warriors are treated under the supervision of providers at the local MTF, which 

monitors medications and other therapies. All Airmen with PTSD have access to 

medicine and psychotherapies as outlined in nationally recognized DOD/VA Clinical 

Practice Guidelines for the treatment of PTSD. 

Mr. JONES. How many service members that are in the WTUs still being medicated, in percentages? 

Mr. RODRIGUEZ. [No answer was available at the time of printing.] 

Mr. JONES. How many service members that are in the WTUs still being medicated? He would like this answer in percentages 

Colonel TONER. Of the 11,829 Army Active Duty Service Members assigned to the 

Wounded Warrior Program between October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014, 11,519 

(97.38%) were prescribed at least one medication, and 11,171 (94.44%) were prescribed at least one chronic maintenance medication for any medical condition at 

any time from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014 

Mr. JONES. How many service members that are in the WTUs still being medicated, in percentages? 

Mr. WILLIAMSON. As of February 2015, there were 155 Marines assigned to the 

USMC Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR) who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan 

and were diagnosed with PTSD or TBI. 

Within all of Navy Medicine, 75% of individuals diagnosed with PTSD are prescribed medications for the treatment of this diagnosed condition. Of these, approximately 93% receive medications in accordance with DOD/VA Clinical Practice 

Guidelines (CPGs). In the approximately 7% of remaining cases, alternative medica-
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tions are prescribed, primarily for short-term sleep issues or rapid alleviation of 

acute symptoms. A review of personnel assigned to WWR indicates that their treatment is consistent with these overall numbers. 

Navy Medicine closely tracks the extent to which our PTSD patients are prescribed medication, and the extent to which these prescription patterns are consistent with CPGs. Specifically, Navy Medicine conducts quarterly metrics reviews 

using data from the Military Health System Management Analysis and Reporting 

Tool (M2), as well as detailed reviews of a representative sample of medical records 

from multiple facilities. Our findings related to medication have been consistent 

each quarter. 

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