By BG Darryl A. Williams, WTC Commander
WTC Commander BG Darryl A. Williams (left) welcomed more than 100 attendees from the WTC and WTU personnel from across the Army on the first day of the Army’s Medical Command Training Symposium in San Antonio, TX.
The first day of the Army Medical Command Training Symposium started off on a high note with me getting to meet with about 100 attendees from the Warrior Transition Command and WTU personnel from across the Army. Before the symposium ends I’ll meet with WTU commanders, we’ll host a WTC cadre recognition ceremony, discuss some personnel issues, and delve into adaptive sports.
Yesterday, I kicked off the Warrior Transition Command track by discussing the Comprehensive Transition Plan or CTP, as we call it. I believe that the CTP is at the core of what we do—and some WTUs are doing it very well. We ask a lot of Warriors in Transition and we owe them the resources to help them heal and transition simultaneously. When you do it right, when the fundamentals of the CTP are in place, the plan works.
This week we have the benefit of a lot of smart people coming together for the greater good. I found it very interesting to hear the participants highlight the vital roles Family members play in setting and achieving CTP goals. I was also impressed by the discussion of the importance of including the right multi-disciplinary specialties in the scrimmage and in focused training reviews so that we help Soldiers map out their way ahead and help knock down any obstacles in their paths to success.
My three priorities are cadre training, education, and jobs and careers. These go hand-in-glove with being able to successfully support our wounded, ill, and injured warriors as leaders and mentors. I reiterated this yesterday at the symposium and want to ensure that we continuously look at improving cadre training, educating our Soldiers more, and setting up conditions so that our Soldiers and their Families have a good place to land whether they remain in the military or transition out of military service.
I charge my team to continue to provide the highest caliber support to active duty, National Guard, Reserve, wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers—they deserve nothing less. We are all here to prepare them to turn potentially limiting events into unlimited potential. This is going to be a great week! Hooah.
Hello BG Williams / WTC,
I had a question about the Army Wounded Warrior Education Initiative (AW2EI) program, the one that is set at Kansas University. I have not heard any information concerning the Fall 2012 start date. Also, the quota is limited to five active duty (AW2) soldiers and five (AW2) veterans. I strongly believe that this program fulfills all three of your priorities that you are setting: cadre training, education, and jobs and careers. Could you please look into expanding the number of AW2 (active duty and veterans) that are allowed per year. I was a veteran alternative for the 2011 Fall start date and the program was not filled. I was one of seven veterans and there was only two active duty soldiers. Thus, all of the veteran slots were filled, yet there were 3 slots for active duty soldiers left unfilled. Lastly, when I was an active duty soldier at a WTU, I was not aware of this program, so I also think there could be greater viability for this program.
Mr Levao,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. You raise some very valid points!
Because AW2EI is a pilot program, it is now under review by TRADOC (as directed by ASA/M&RA Secretary Lamont). Personnel from TRADOC, WTC, Army G-1 and AW2 have already had several meetings to develop and present recommendations concerning the future of the program. Once this review has been completed and Army Senior Leadership has made a decision as to the future direction of the program, a concentrated effort will be undertaken to inform those interested of the outcome.
To ensure you receive timely information relative to the future direction of AW2EI, please stay in contact with your AW2 Advocate. They are the ones who will be the first to know about any AW2EI recruiting efforts and will be in the best position to help eligible Soldiers and Veterans understand whether the AW2EI program is right for them.
Thanks,
WTC Stratcom