Wounded Warrior Project

In 2003, a former United States Marine, John Melia, founded a not-for-profit organization known as the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). In 1992, John was wounded in a helicopter crash off of the coast of Somalia, where four of his Marines were killed and 14 others were severely wounded. When John arrived at the military hospital, all he had was a pair of running shorts and a T-shirt. Refusing to slip into a hospital gown, John was very fortunate to have his family there and a few personal items of his own. Through first-hand experience, John knew what kinds of problems service members were going to be facing, and that conditions upon arrival for all wounded soldiers would most likely remain the same throughout all military hospitals. This firsthand experience and knowledge played a major role in founding the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project was started to provide personal and responsive attention, as well as to help meet the needs of a new generation of service men and women: men and women who have been severely injured in the war and sent to U. S. military hospitals with nothing but the clothes on their back. One of the many goals of the Wounded Warrior Project is to help provide comfort and aid to these soldiers. John Melia stated, "We want to change the paradigm of veteran's services and bring these services right to the bedside." John explained that the Wounded Warrior Project would be going where the wounded soldiers were coming in. The WWP provides free services and counseling for injured troops from the moment they arrive at the hospital all throughout their recovery and various stages of rehabilitation.

Information on the Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project eases the financial and emotional burden of families by:

• Providing backpacks filled with necessities and comfort items such as clothes, phone cards, personal CD players and magazines at the hospital bedside of severely wounded service men and women.
• Subsidizing necessities such as housing, food, day care, airfare, and ground transportation while families are visiting injured service members at military hospitals in the U.S. and abroad.
• Funding and sponsoring adaptive sports and recreation programs.
• Facilitating ongoing communication and family support for patients through sponsored computer labs at medical facilities housing the wounded.
• Identifying and communicating the government benefits and services (including medical care) needed to assist patients as they return to their communities and reenter civilian life.
• Offering peer support and counseling.