Wounded Veteran Scott Vycital Joins First Lady at State of the Union

Scott and Jarah Vycital join WTC Commanding General BG Gary H. Cheek and WTC Sergeant Major SGM Ly M. Lac at WTC Headquarters.

Scott and Jarah Vycital join WTC Commanding General BG Gary H. Cheek and WTC Sergeant Major SGM Ly M. Lac at WTC Headquarters.

By BG Gary Cheek

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting AW2 Veteran Scott Vycital and his wife Jarah. At Wednesday’s State of the Union Address, Scott joined Mrs. Michelle Obama in the First Lady’s box.

Scott told me that sitting in the historic chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives for President Obama’s address was an amazing experience.

“It was an honor to represent wounded warriors at this important event,” Scott said. “I’ve been lifted up by AW2, the VA, and organizations like the National Organization on Disability, and I encourage other wounded warriors to embrace the resources available.”

Scott’s story is a great example of a wounded warrior who has made the most of the opportunities available to him. Scott deployed to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, and in 2004, he sustained a gunshot wound to his face, neck, and shoulder. As a result, his face is partially paralyzed, and he lost hearing in his right ear. Scott medically retired later that year and used his benefits through the Army and Department of Veterans Affairs to attend Colorado State University, where he studied accounting. Shortly after graduating in 2008, Scott worked with his AW2 Advocate and the National Organization on Disability and found a job with the Federal Highway Administration.

This journey wasn’t easy for Scott and Jarah, but they overcame difficult challenges. It is great to see him continue to support our country beyond his military service. Scott’s story is exactly what the Army wants for every wounded warrior. Scott embraces his abilities over his disabilities and focuses on meeting his goals.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Write a blog for WTC

Warriors in Transition can submit a blog by e-mailing WarriorCareCommunications [at] conus.army.mil.