Jonathon Pruden with the Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began in 2003 as a small, grassroots effort providing simple care and comfort items to the hospital bedsides of the first wounded service members returning home from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As their post-service needs evolved, so have our programs and services. Today, through our direct programs in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care, along with our advocacy efforts, we improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families.

This effort requires the passion and commitment of friends, supporters, and like-minded organizations that enable us to fulfill our mission. With their collaboration and support, we strive to ensure that when those who serve come home, they’re afforded every opportunity to be as successful as a civilian as they were in the military.

Social Media Contacts 

Website: woundedwarriorproject.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wwp 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wwp 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WoundedWarriorProjec 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wwp/?hl=en

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wounded-warrior-project/

Transcript

Natalie: 0:03

Hey folks, welcome to our special series heroes caring for heroes on the Confessions of a reluctant caregiver Podcast. Today, we're featuring organizations who offer services and support to our hero caregivers. Now, let's listen in as we learn more about these amazing organizations. Hey, good morning, Jay. How are you doing?

JJ: 0:26

I am fantastic NAD like I am to

Natalie: 0:29

you know what? I am so excited that we have another heroes caring for heroes Special Educational podcast,

JJ: 0:38

you know, I am as well.

Natalie: 0:39

I know. And this has been so much fun because I've learned so much because you know, I'm a civilian. I don't know if you know that. Yeah, I do. Yeah. And so you're

JJ: 0:48

decent, one civilian,

Natalie: 0:51

fairly decent. And so but the reality is, we're not here to talk about us like we always do. For we are here to educate folks on Wounded Warrior Project. And they are near and dear, we have had so several of our guests from the series talk about how wonderful they are to work with. And I would love for you to introduce our guests representative.

JJ: 1:11

I would love to and I'm so excited that Jonathan Pruden is here with us today, because I have seen advertisements for wounded warriors. And I really did not know all that wounded warriors did so I'm excited to have him here. So again, today we have Jonathan Pruden. With us today he is with the Wounded Warrior Project. He is a special adviser to the Chief of Staff for warrior care. He is a warrior himself. He was on the initial invasion of Iraq with the Third Infantry Division, and he was one of the first improvised explosive device the IED casualties of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jonathan, we are so happy that we you are here with us today and privileged to have you That is exactly right. And we're excited to hear more about wounded warriors, how they are helping caregivers, but also how we as civilians can help wounded warriors.

Unknown: 2:02

Yeah, thank you guys for having me. I appreciate the work you do. Highlighting the amazing work of caregivers. I can't say enough about my firsthand experience. My wife was my full time caregiver after I was wounded. And I wouldn't be where I am today. Without her. That's a certain thing. And that's, that's true for a lot of our warriors. So thank you for the work that you do. I my focus for the past 15 years has been veterans and active duty service members. But I'm on the board of the center for independent living down here as well. And it's a broad spectrum, folks with disabilities across the community. And in most cases, they have caregivers and loved ones providing those services and that love and support. So appreciate what you guys do.

JJ: 2:47

Thank you. Well, Jonathan, start out and tell our audience, tell us a little bit about history of wounded warriors, and just just a history of you guys.

Unknown: 2:56

Sure Wounded Warrior Project was started in 2003 by a guy named John Millia, who was actually a marine that was in a helicopter crash off of Somalia. And he remembered his recovery, and some of his buddies recovery. And he saw all the wounded coming off the battlefield from the invasion of Iraq and oh three, he said we've got to do better. As you know, when you leave theater, your clothes are cut off of you. You show up back stateside with nothing but a hospital gown on. And he started just with backpacks, packing backpacks with essential items, clothing, CD players calling cards back in the day, right. And those are important touches of home and little thank yous. But that grew into a hole, a number of services, almost 20 programs and services that we provide today are warriors and their caregivers. And it's not just from the point of injury. We do have teams in Germany, we have international teams that are touchpoints at launch dole Regional Medical Center, and then at Walter Reed and at the poly trauma centers in the States. So we're meeting them at bedside still as we started doing. And then the majority of our veterans today are their veterans, right? They're not active duty. We don't thankfully have the number of casualties coming back from the battlefields week in and week out that we did the last 20 years. And so our focus has shifted somewhat to the veteran population and some of the long term care needs with these veterans, especially our brain injured patients and those with chronic diseases and with cancers. So, the Azmuth has shifted slightly, but the focus is always care for the Warriors and families and a holistic package of programs and services to complement and augment what VA and DoD are able to provide. We can't supplant that, right. We can't. We're not a health care network. We don't have billions of dollars to spend on health care, but we are able to sometimes do stopgap measures to bridge the gap between VA and DoD care or to get somebody into care tonight needs to be in care tonight. We can't get an authorization into all next week. And so we have a whole pile of programs, our complex case coordination program or Independence Program, or benefits program. And I won't give you the whole list right now. But they all have a role in the journey of the caregiver from that point of injury all the way through to return to normal, whatever that new normal looks like. And that's for the warrior and the caregiver.

Natalie: 5:26

But it's interesting, because I didn't know as much about I just knew you did great things. And a lot of things that I think may people may know about Wounded Warriors where you take people out. So like Pam, and my guest is are connected to wounded warrior, their son, their guests confessor this year, in this year series, and their son Jason was also injured in an IED explosion. 17 years ago, he was 19 years old. And so but Jason has gone out with Wounded Warrior, and he's gone out to Colorado and done experiential stuff. And they talk about the impact in their confession. They talked about the impact that positive impact on his because he was a TBI as well, on his brain activity, they had the physician say when he goes out and does activities that you all offer, that he comes back. And he's actually they see improvement in brain functioning, which is like, and I'm sure that you know, you all are, you know, you said, Hey, we started out point of contact, we just wanted them to feel appreciated and valued and supported with a backpack, and you all are really making great change, that's got to feel really good.

Unknown: 6:34

Well, I'm glad you mentioned that couple. They're one of my favorite people, and they're good, but they're emblematic of somebody who was catastrophically wounded, and he's gonna have lifelong needs for support. And also, frankly, have a couple who's done an incredible job of providing the care for him, but also using us and other outside resources to help empower him and make him feel less like a patient who can't do anything, but also that he can do things on his own, and he can be empowered. And that's our mission statement is to honor and empower. Honoring is the thank you for your service, the backpack, the you know, the nice trips those things. Empowerment is giving both the Warriors and the caregivers, the tools to live their lives, whatever that whatever right looks like for them, right, whatever they can accomplish. I mean, we've got folks that are in persistent vegetative states, and they're probably not going to ever wake up. That's the reality. That's the harsh reality. We provide support for their caregivers to help them with that journey. We have folks more like myself, I, you know, lost a leg and was in a wheelchair for about three years and had 20 operations at seven different hospitals. And Amy was absolutely my full time caregiver in those first years. And all that entails, right. And eventually, I was blessed because she had a psych degree and was smart, she started, say, Okay, it's time for you to take care of yourself, and started pushing me towards greater independence and getting you know, when I dropped my clothes beside the couch when I was she'd say, you can put them in the hamper, right? Little things like that.

Natalie: 8:14

Alright, you know, we like Amy. Come talk to Jason.

Unknown: 8:19

But that recognizing you know where in that journey, it was time to help and do for me when I really couldn't do for myself. And then when it was time to push me and empower me. And we try to foster that and support that through our programs and services. Our Independence Program, we have community support specialists who actually go out to the veterans homes and provide whatever support they need. In other words, what do you want to do? What can you do with your limitations? Do you want to do music therapy? Do you want to go to a community garden and plant gardens? Do you want to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity? Whatever it is, they facilitate that and also gives the caregivers a little bit of respite and a little bit of time. Absolutely. So that's, I love that piece of our Independence Program. And it does everything from you know, Nurse Case Management type of services to more intensive things. But the community support specialists are great for giving respite and time. And so it's not always you and your spouse, or the mom or the dad or whoever the caregiver is 24/7 Is somebody else, you have another outlet, you have another person to speak to whatever your capabilities are. It's a wonderful program

Natalie: 9:29

to have. And I don't know the answer to this. Do I have peer support too, because you know exactly what you were saying. I think it's one thing like you and Amy, for example, you know, if you're the only person that she talks to, or if she feels like hey, I've can't be the only person you talk to you about this. Yeah, I think that's so critical. And we know that peer support is so healthy. It is evidence based to really show improvement in and I love how you say honor and empower that kind of support and then you Talk a little bit about care coordination in case management, that you all do some of that through the services that you offer. And I know that there's also care coordination and case management, that's all for offered by the VA. So I'm sure you guys walk a fine balance with that

Unknown: 10:15

we do we work hand in glove with the VA, have great relationships, as with any large federal bureaucracy, there are challenges inherent in the system. But by and large, they're wonderful folks, and they're trying to take care of our veterans and the caregivers. And we try to develop good trusting relationships with those both care providers and case managers on the VA side, and leverage them and those resources whenever we can, right, we're not here to supplant what they do. We're here to complement and fill gaps and sometimes, you know, wouldn't necessarily hold accountable or address things that slipped through the cracks sometimes. So that's, that's a piece of that. And I want to go back to the peer support piece of this because that's how I got into this world. When I was a patient at Walter Reed, I was between surgeries, laying in the bed, and this old Vietnam vet and a suit came walking into my room at Walter Reed and he said, Hey, do you like milkshakes? Did you like vanilla or chocolate? And I said, vanilla likes. And he came back the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and for weeks. And he treated my wife with respect and dignity and asked how she was doing and gave us resources. When we had questions. He clearly knew the hospital staff there. He was incredible resource. And I'll never forget almost two weeks into knowing this guy named Jim Mayer, who also is known as the milkshake man. I said, Jim, why are you limping? And he goes, Oh, my, my prosthetics acting up. I said, your prosthetic? Jim, you're missing the leg. He said, Yeah, I'm actually missing both of them. And I will never forget that moment. Because in that moment, I went, wow. Here's a Vietnam vet who lost both his legs in Vietnam. 40 years on going to work every day and after work coming to Walter Reed to do pure visits with newly wounded warriors. And I'm going to be okay, I can't be an infantry officer anymore. I can't do what I was going to do before. But I can do this, I can do something else. And that really started me on this, this journey. And Jim eventually retired from the VA came to work for Wounded Warrior Project and started our peer support program. And so we had it for initially warriors, and then warriors and caregivers. And now we've had cohorts of warriors and caregiver peer support, folks, because it's, and we actually certify them, you know, once they're far enough in their journey, they're doing well with their own recovery and are able to give back, as you guys highlighted, there's nothing more powerful than somebody that's been done the same. Difficult. That's

JJ: 12:45

absolutely. So in addition to that, I know you guys have a big focus on mental wellness, which is really important, especially with a lot of the people that we've talked to, and physical wellness, you do a lot of that through activities. So can you tell me a little bit about how your veterans your caregivers get involved in activities with Wounded Warrior?

Unknown: 13:08

Absolutely. So when when someone's registered, or they go online, and they register, you know, it's wounded, injured, or ill, after September 11, doesn't have to be a combat injury like mine. In fact, most of our people sign up right now are non combat injuries. Many of them are under the pact act, if you guys are familiar with that the toxic exposure act, who just passed because of all the cancers we're seeing from burn pits and other exposures in the service. Yeah. And so people sign up, and they get a newsletter, and it tells them in their geographically specific area, we've got offices all across the country, if you're in Tampa, these are events happening in your area, there may be an Art Night Night at the Opera, there might be a surfing clinic, adaptive surfing clinic or have adaptive sailing clinic or get to go to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game or whatever it is, right? It's so this is just about creating a community of peers. It's almost sort of fun events to get families and warriors together. But the bigger goal is to get them engaged in the more substantive programs and services. So the mental health programs are warriors to Work program, helping them find employment. Right, right. And so those are sort of the bringing them in connecting them with each other and peers in their community, but then tying them into our other resources and programs. And the mental health front that has become a major focus, and you guys are well aware of the suicide rate amongst veterans, and unfortunately caregivers as well. And so that has been a significant focus. past few years we've seen during COVID and uptick in suicides, uptick in substance use. And so we have a whole team called the complex case coordination team. A good friend Matt Brady runs it. He's retired med comms are major and We've got a team of basically folks doing social work and nurse case management, but taking really vulnerable folks that are involved in the justice system oftentimes or are on the edge of suicide on the back from the edge and getting them into care immediately, not four weeks from now, not next month, but getting into the care now, VA and DoD care when we can, right. But if not, we will pay for inpatient care and services, to get them into that appropriate care. And we'll work through with VA authorizations and all that stuff through the Community Care Network and so on. Because that's hard enough when you're sober, well and coherent. I mean, I'm sure you guys have fought with health care and insurance. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I haven't an advocate who says, Okay, I'm gonna get you into care. Don't worry about anything else. We'll work all the backend stuff, to get the authorizations. And if we can't get authorizations, then we'll cover it, we will pay for it. And take that fear away from that barrier to care away. So that team does tremendous work every day, very high touch with a lot of our most vulnerable veterans. We've got a warrior Care Network, which is a partnership with multiple academic medical centers. And it is world class, PTSD and substance abuse treatment. But a lot of the focus is actually around brain injury. And as you know, the traumatic brain injury is the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because of all the IDs. So concurrent with that is PTSD. And a lot of times the symptoms bleed over, it's hard to know the difference between cognitive deficits and attention issues and anger issues that are from PTSD, and those that are from brain injury. So oftentimes, we treat those together, those those academic medical centers. So that's a program we started some years ago. And it's been incredibly successful. We also have a talk team. I don't know if you've heard of this. But it is non clinical. It is based on actually an Israeli Defense Force model that was put together years ago of people calling in once a week, and our folks are not clinicians, but they answer the phones have been trained to listen empathetically help with goal setting. And it's a touch point, every week, a human being that is non judgmental outside of their circle of chaos with their family, with their spouse, with whatever that they can just talk to, they can vent to. And unless something is unsafe, manifestly unsafe, it remains confidential, right? It's just this safe place for them to vent, talk through their issues and have some helpful setting goals. It sounds very simple, but has been incredibly impactful, disproportionately impactful, I would say, as far as the resources invested versus the impact for the hundreds of folks who are using it right now.

Natalie: 17:53

Wow, that there's just like, jam packed, like so many benefits. And so how do people get connected with you typically, like if I'm somebody, like, I'm somebody I hear about a loved one. And I know they're a veteran? And so how do I help them get connected with you to see if there's a service that might be right,

Unknown: 18:15

the easiest thing to do would be to call our resource center 1-888-997-2586. We have an entire team of folks there, most of whom are caregivers and veterans themselves, who answer the phones 8am to 8pm, every day, and they will talk you through what are your needs, right? Are you homeless? Do you have acute financial needs is your husband going more and more volatile and angry, and you don't know what to do and try reaching out for help. And they'll talk through all the options of programs we can provide. And the programs some of our partner organizations can provide as well. They have a thing called the Ionawr database. So not only is it our set of programs and services, but our partners and VA and DoD programs, and it's constantly vetted. But we're always making sure that we're not sending someone to a dead end, right, if you're saying you need help with repairing your house, right, and maybe we've already helped you with emergency financial assistance before, we're not going to be able to do that right now. Turn you to a partner and do a warm handoff with that partner. But we know that those people are funded. They're actually providing scholarships or grants at this point. If you go to some of the larger databases out there, there's 1000 resources. And you don't know which is good, which is bad, which actually are gonna provide funds or counseling and which are not and so the team does a good job of keeping that up to date and making sure the trusted partners who are making referrals to but usually we'll make referrals internally, right. And it's the whole spectrum. It's, you know, everything from getting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to I just need something to turn the lights on today. You know, utilities haven't been paid my kids who don't have air conditioning in Florida, and will pay those utilities. We don't usually advertise that broadly because our emergency financial assistance team is small. But it is something that is a stopgap. And in my opinion, everything has failed when we have to use the FA, right, it's, it's a bandage on a sucking chest wound. Now we have to peel the onion back and figure out why did we get here? How did we get here? And then we bring in mental health, substance abuse or warriors to work team to help make sure that doesn't happen again.

JJ: 20:34

So I have a question, Jonathan. Yeah, I'm a civilian. But how can I help I see donations. But what other things can I do as a civilian?

Unknown: 20:43

It's a good question, though, we do have some volunteer opportunities through our website at Wounded Warrior project.org. And, you know, more broadly, I would say, if you know, a veteran in your family or in your community, you know, thank them for their service. If you know a caregiver, and you guys know this, see how you can help be a friend be a listening ear. I mean, honestly, just having someone listen to them is oftentimes one of the biggest helps. And I've gotten very unwarranted kudos over the years, for just sitting on the phone and listening to somebody for an hour. And that that can be tremendously impactful. So just be a friend, be an ally, and maybe know some resources, you know, and keep the Wounded Warrior Project resource center number. So if you don't know what to do, and friend says, My husband struggling with drinking, and I don't know what to do, to here's a number, haven't called the Resource Center, and they will hand walk them through the process into an appropriate substance abuse program. And we won't turn them loose until their support resolution.

Natalie: 21:44

You know, I love that. And I think that dovetails in where you were saying, you know, people thank me for listening. That listening, though, gives you the ammunition that you need to be an advocate, because I know that you are a fierce advocate. You know, you had mentioned that getting to testify in front of Congress, advocating for positive change, to support veterans and their families. So tell me a little bit more about that.

Unknown: 22:11

Yeah, absolutely. One of my, I guess, proudest things is being able to impact some federal policies, the VA central office level on the DoD side, we have an entire government and community relations team in DC that works closely with Congress in the Senate and senior leaders in VA and DOD, to make sure that the things that we've learned over the past 20 years of, you know, 20 years plus of combat operations, we don't lose those sharp edges of things. We've learned about how to care for Warriors and caregivers, about how we don't drop balls between the VA and the DoD during that transition process, about support for caregivers. We created and sponsored the the landmark caregiver legislation years ago to provide support for our caregivers, both training and fiscal support when they quit their jobs. And it becomes a full time job caring for a loved one who's been severely injured. That was one of ours, the traumatic service member group life insurance was one of our first pieces of legislation that didn't exist beforehand. And what we're finding is when young privates coming back from war, missing three limbs, and their houses were getting foreclosed on, they were losing the trucks because they didn't have the money. They're gaps in pay, as they were transitioning out of their command downrange. And so tsci was just $100,000. Big bandage. But you know, hey, you've been critically wounded, let's give your family enough money to get through these next couple of years without worrying about financial impact. And we've done been involved in dozens and dozens of significant pieces of legislation that have directly impacted our orders and caregivers. And oftentimes, it's not even a significant piece of legislation is just letting somebody at VA central office know, hey, we're seeing this in Little Rock. And in Long Beach. And in Brooklyn, you guys should probably be aware of this. Because usually, a lot of times, it's not from lack of attention or lack of caring, they're not aware that the issue is arising. And when they're made aware, they can address it without us having to go through legislation or those kinds of things. Because as I said before, most of the folks in the VA are phenomenal human beings that are trying to care for for warriors and their families. They just need to know what the problem is. I love that. Sometimes we have to hold him accountable to

Natalie: 24:36

well, you know what I mean? Here's the thing, we all were the no perfect people T shirts. Yeah. And I've worked for government myself. And so we all know, it's it's hard to have such a beast of a system and for it to it doesn't matter whether it's health care, 25 years in the health care system. Trust me it's it's we have the folks that are like you always hope that you get the right person who is fly To bend over backwards. And whether it's that in the mental health system, or we've worked with our mom and trying to support her as she has Parkinson's is the same thing. And so I think it's the biggest thing is what I keep hearing is, we're here to support you, we want to advocate for you, if you feel like you get stuck, how can we help you get unstuck? And you know, whether it's us or we have a wealth of partners, that there are information and referral that we can also connect you with there. So it's, you're trying to be a no wrong door?

Unknown: 25:33

That's right. Yeah. And that's that is that is absolutely part of our ethos is there is no wrong door. If you come to an adaptive sports clinic, you're doing sled hockey, and you complain about not being able to get new stoma bags for your colostomy. What should happen is somebody on the team should go okay, well, I don't know a lot about authorization for durable medical equipment. But I know a person on our team that does, and you don't know the right person at VA to call to get that authorization or to get an answer about why this isn't happening. And so that's critical to the some of the goodness I think, is that wherever we find them was hospital bedside or out in an event in the community, that ability to identify what's going on and then get into the right teammate. It's a wonderful part of having a we've got about 900 employees across the country from diverse backgrounds, all across the country, many veterans and caregivers in those in those numbers, but a diverse bunch of experience. And like like with you all, some of them are not military caregivers, but caregivers who see what we're doing and see the impact on both veterans and their caregivers and have joined us in providing support and care through our Independence program and our independent our complex case coordination programs.

Natalie: 26:48

I love it. Now, I will tell you, I have to say that I have a favorite that. So my husband and I ride Harley's. Yeah. And we know that Harley Davidsons, and Harley, if you'd like to sponsor us, you can, but Harley Davidsons are synonymous with military. And that's something I absolutely love. And I know that Harley, Harley Davidson supports you guys with when you purchase from them. So and I know you've got some other partners, but that's just something that I just wanted to be like, I love that because we have street glides. I'm like, Oh, that's good to know. Because that way, you know, when we're intentional about our about our purchases, like as consumers, we're like, that's another way that we as civilians can give back and say, Hey, I support and I know that if I purchase that I know what percentage of the of the of the monies goes back and in it. It's like carrying forward.

Unknown: 27:43

Absolutely. Yeah. Thanks for highlighting that. Yeah, my good friend John Roberts started our rolling project Odyssey years ago. Project Odyssey is sort of this experiential education thing for folks struggling with PTSD, mental health conditions, we have them for Warriors and for caregivers, that we take them out of their comfort zone, put them with other warriors who've been through similar things or struggling with mental health issues, and then do something used to be you know, camping, river rafting, rock climbing, horseback riding. And then John's like, he's an old Harley rider. And he was actually with our founder, John Millia. In Somalia, when when his helicopter went down years ago, and John was horrifically burned, and became a peer mentor and ran our benefits program for a while. But John actually came back and started this rolling project Odyssey with Harley Davidson. And so instead of riding horses, they're riding Harley's and

Natalie: 28:39

we hit on that one every time.

Unknown: 28:41

But awesome, initially impactful and and those relationships forged during those project Odysseys have lasted and lasted and more importantly, when they're there, they're going, Wait, you're doing that too. You struggle with that. Your doctor said that to maybe I should try it. Right. And in destigmatizing, both treatment and you know, ownership of the stuff they're going through. So

JJ: 29:07

yeah, Jonathan, I can only say and tell our listeners, there's so much information that you provided for us, but your website has so much information as well, because in addition to Harley, there are a lot of vendors out there that if you purchase through them, they give a donation back to wounded warrior, which is fantastic. That's an easy way for anyone to get donations back to support the cause. Everybody can, can participate. But I will say thank you for being here with us. So I will say thank you for your service that never feels strong enough. So just that I'm grateful for all that you have done for our country, but for us, but we are so thankful that you've been here with us to share.

Unknown: 29:49

Yeah, well, thank you. Thank you both for what you're doing. I mean that sincerely. This is important and for highlighting some of our families who have sacrificed and done 100 times what I'll ever sacrifice or do in their time. Just thank you for that. It means a world to me because these, as you know, our military and veteran caregivers are the unsung heroes that nobody sees that put in millions of, you know, thankless unpaid hours doing really hard work with people I love. So I can't thank you both enough for this.

Natalie: 30:23

Absolutely. Well, everybody, we will have all the information about Wounded Warrior Project, we will have all kinds of good stuff on our website in the show notes. And we'll be posting it throughout the month, but it'll be permanently on our website. And then of course, you can go the website with wounded warrior will make sure you all have that link. Jonathan, thank you so much for being here with us today. Thank you. All right, guys, until we confess again, thanks. Bye. Thank you for listening to our special series here is caring for heroes. Please visit our website to learn more about our featured organizations supporting hero caregivers. Before you go, please take a moment to leave us a review and tell your friends about the confessions podcast. Make sure you connect with us on your favorite social media site to stay up to date on all things, caregiving. And of course, you will find that video recording of our episodes on the confessions website and our YouTube Channel. We'll see you next time when we confess again