OPERATION WOUNDED CARE
Operation Wounded Care has been part of AaSP’s support arsenal since we sent our first care cartons to the largest U.S. military hospital in Iraq (Ibn Sina) in 2004. At one point, we supported 16 medical facilities in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Germany, Iraq and Kuwait.
Today, Operation Wounded Care focuses on two main areas. 1) Taking care of our Wounded/Disabled/Recovering Veterans (and their Caregivers) who come home from the War On Terror and struggle to make the transition to civilian life.
Theodore, a Vietnam-Era US Army Veteran, has faced numerous challenges since returning home from service. After suffering a stroke and spending months in a coma, he returned home to face yet another obstacle - physical therapy at the Department of Veteran Affairs. He fell there, compounding his difficulties. In stepped Homes for Veterans, who built him a completely accessible bathroom with wheel-in shower. AaSP assisted by putting Theodore and his wife in a nearby hotel so they would be safe and peaceful during a loud and dusty project over several days.
Tom M. is a triple amputee USMC single-Dad Veteran in North Carolina. His Mom assists him with transportation to all medical appointments and drives his 14-yr-old daughter to and from school. Tom need a new, non-adaptive vehicle and AaSP reached out to Subaru of America, who graciously provided Tom with a one-time VIP pricing grant that allowed him to select and purchase a new Outback at less than dealer cost.
Many thanks also to the LT. Dennis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund, the SSgt Joseph D'Augustine Memorial Fund and the Elmwood Park (NJ) VFW Post #5084 for their generous donations to help defray costs of Tom's vehicle.
Another important thing we did in 2023 is help Joseph L., a 100% disabled US Army 10th Mountain Veteran in Nevada, who has diligently dealt with severe PTS over the years. Joe had a tragic head-on collision last year that caused him a major, nearly-severed arm injury. In addition, his wife suffered head trauma; his sister-n-law had severe chest injuries; and most tragically, his mother-n-law was killed instantly. AaSP provided Joe with 6 months of mortgage payments to take some of the financial stress of him and his family as they dealt with inexplicable loss and his exacerbated PTS. Not all their expenses were covered by the VA and we gave them some "breathing room" to help them cope.
2) We also currently support medical facilities in Djibouti, Iraq, Kuwait; and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany -- where our injured Warriors are sent with combat wounds.
We also support Navy hospital ships when we have the opportunity and forward surgical teams wherever they may be. In the U.S, prior to COVID, we supported Christmas and Super Bowl parties at Walter Reed Nat’l Military Medical Center. We’ve helped purchase adaptive vehicles; renovate living areas for ADA appropriate bathrooms, doors and the like; provided financial stipends and done what we can to help our Wounded/Recovering battle life’s everyday challenges.
If you know of a Wounded or Disabled American Veteran with a VA disability who needs help you can email our Vice President of Wounded Care, Mary-Edna Krutchkoff, R.N. at - MEKRN@aasp.vet.
Our volunteer VP of Wounded Care, Mary-Edna Krutchkoff, R.N., has spent over 40 years as a registered nurse in a range of capacities - from Head Nurse of Psychiatry at one of NJ’s finest hospitals, Hackensack Meridien University Medical Center ... to school nurse … to Director of Nursing for five non-profit homes taking care of mentally disabled adults. Mary-Edna’s expertise, professionalism and heartfelt caring have been essential to the development of our Wounded Care program.
In 2023, Mary-Edna established a collegial relationship with the NJ Veteran Administration's HUD-VASH program. It is designed to keep veterans who are at risk of being homeless safe and out of shelters. The case workers help find appropriate low-rent apartments where the veteran is only responsible for a portion of the rent. AaSP has provided start-up rents for several service-connected men and women in recent months.
We continue our commitment to GIG - the Guitar Instruction Group, run by a core of volunteers in both NJ and FL. At-risk veterans meet for a series of several weeks and learn guitar basics. Upon completion of the classes, each is presented with a brand-new acoustic guitar complete with carry bag, tuner and picks. AaSP is honored to purchase guitar kits whenever needed.
Back in 2015, AaSP held the Warfighter Independence Weekend not far from Boston, MA, and brought Soldiers (mostly from the 10th MTN DIV) from all over the country. Attendees enjoyed the camaraderie and retreat setting but interventions were also made. It demonstrated the need to continue the effort.
We pushed forward with our suicide prevention efforts by supporting the ideals of Camp4Heroes in Fairmont, NC. We built the first log cabin at the Camp. Additionally, with the help of our Benefactors and Partners, we helped build two other cabins, an outdoor kitchen, a 60-ft pier over Lake Elliott, a barracks (the Team House) and made other important improvements.
Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon also works with other volunteer charities and organizations to help our Wounded/Disabled/Recovering Veterans.
Other projects in the past: We helped Truckin4Troops buy a Caregiver a new pick-up truck for her son's farm; Homes for Veterans in NJ transform a kitchen for a disabled Veteran chef; Helping Our Military Heroes buy an adaptive van for a Veteran amputee; and Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center of Gardner, MA, provide residences, counseling, training, outdoor activities (fly fishing) and such. All good stuff. Please help us continue!
MEMORIAL BRACELETS
We’ve learned over the years that when a unit has a catastrophe and loses one or more Warriors, memorial bracelets help with healing for the survivors and family of those who pay the ultimate price for our freedom. So when asked, we've made many bracelets for our units over the years.
We’ve been told that in the heat of battle, it’s difficult for Warriors to put faces in their mind and remember those Battle Buddies they served with, who had been killed earlier. For this reason, and others, memorial bracelets are a constant reminder of an American Hero who gave his/her all for America.
AaSP has been making memorial bracelets for many years now. It’s another example of how we help our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen deal with the stress of war. It’s part of what we do in our Operation Wounded Care. We did not make any new bracelets in 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023 thankfully.
Note: We do not sell bracelets. They are solemn reminders of American sacrifice.
HOW TO HELP
Our Wounded/Recovering Veterans all need our help and support. Some can’t hold jobs. Some need better self-esteem. Some struggle to make that transition to civilian life. Some need legal help or help navigating the vast Veterans Administration. And some just need a helping hand to get on the right track. Most of it takes plain old money but we need legal and social connections as well. You can contact Mary-Edna Krutchkoff, R.N., our Vice President – Wounded Care thru email:
MEKRN@aasp.vet or send donations (mark Wounded Care in the notation) to Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon, PO Box 1111, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410.
Thank you!