IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 152 
Expressing support for the members of the uniformed services and their 
families, particularly those wounded or severely injured in service to 
the Nation, and support for the newly established Military Severely 
Injured Joint Support Operations Center in the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2005 
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER (for himself, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. JONES 
of North Carolina, and Mr. HOYER) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the members of the uniformed serv-
ices and their families, particularly those wounded or 
severely injured in service to the Nation, and support 
for the newly established Military Severely Injured Joint 
Support Operations Center in the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense. 
Whereas all members of the uniformed services, regardless of 
branch of service and whether serving in an active or a 
reserve component, should be treated with the same de-
gree of dignity and respect by a grateful Nation; 
Whereas, for those service members who are injured, wound-
ed, or severely disabled, all steps necessary should be
•HRES 152 IH 
taken to assist them and their family members in navi-
gating the complicated processes of medical care and 
treatment and transitioning back to duty or private life 
provided by the Department of Defense; 
Whereas all those who serve in battle to defend freedom and 
in doing so become wounded or disabled—whether active 
component, National Guard, or Reserve member and 
whether soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, or Coast Guards-
man—have earned the right to equal treatment; 
Whereas over one million members of the Armed Forces—ac-
tive, National Guard, and Reserve—are currently serving 
on active duty, many of whom are deployed or forward- 
stationed in more than 120 countries; 
Whereas the Nation is currently experiencing the largest mo-
bilization of the reserve components since World War II; 
Whereas the Nation’s Guard and Reserve forces are serving 
with great honor and distinction, in Iraq, Afghanistan, 
and elsewhere, in a manner equal in every way to that 
of the active components; 
Whereas the uniformed services, while comprised of different 
branches, serve one nation and one mission—to protect 
and serve the United States—and, as such, when a per-
son takes the oath of office and serves in the Nation’s 
uniform, the Nation owes that person, and that person’s 
family members, equal assistance when that person re-
turns home; 
Whereas over 11,500 members of the Armed Forces have 
been injured or wounded during Operation Enduring 
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom serving the Na-
tion and the Nation’s dedication to fighting for democ-
racy throughout the world;
•HRES 152 IH 
Whereas medical advances on the battlefield and in rear med-
ical support centers have resulted in many service mem-
bers surviving wounds that in previous conflicts would 
have proven fatal, resulting in demands on military hos-
pitals, care centers, and bureaucracies to process larger 
percentages of severely injured service members than in 
the past; 
Whereas the modern Armed Forces are more integrated and 
operate more jointly in the theatre of operations than 
ever before, through technological and logistical support, 
but personnel and medical support services for returning 
wounded, injured, and severely disabled service members 
are unable to transition those members back to duty or 
to civilian life with the same level of integrated systems; 
Whereas members of Guard and Reserve forces, in addition 
to the strains faced by members of the active compo-
nents, face additional burdens from complicated and bur-
densome personnel systems that may result in long pay 
gaps, incorrect orders, and indefinite medical hold status 
ratings that, in too many cases, result in severe financial 
strains and even bankruptcies, long wait times for med-
ical care, undue stress and strain on families, and uncer-
tainty in returning to civilian life and employment; 
Whereas in response, on February 1, 2005, the Department 
of Defense established the Military Severely Injured Joint 
Support Operations Center in the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense, thereby providing a means for integrating the 
efforts of the Army Disabled Soldier Support System, the 
Marine for Life Injured Support Program, the Air Force 
Palace HART program, and the Navy Wounded Marines 
and Sailors Initiative; and