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Making a Difference - The Wounded Warrior Project

Brad Swadley - JHO ProStaff - Dallas, TX
April 02, 2008

Win this Jeep
The Wounded Warrior Jeep is up for grabs in their sweepstakes! Log on at http://www.warriorjeep.org for your chance to win, and to support a great cause.

This was my first year to attend the S.H.O.T. Show. There were a lot of new products to look at and everywhere you looked, the walls and sidewalks were splattered with sponsors’ signs and advertisements. One in particular that caught my eye and several of the other JHO Staff was the Warrior Jeep sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project. The basic vehicle was a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4-Door. They had provided it with numerous improvements to the stock vehicle such as the drive train improvement of a 440 horsepower 6.1L Hemi, with a 545RF transmission, a four inch Rockrunner Suspension System, 37” IROC tires and a nicely upgraded leather interior.

But what we noticed the most was the custom designed graphics package which included the American flag. The hood was covered in the blue stars section and flowing down each side just under the window frames was the red and white strips in a furled look that ended at the back fender. Included was the logo of the Wounded Warrior project. It was a beautiful looking vehicle, and as I would come to find out, it was the heart and soul of a sweepstakes fundraiser to help support our wounded veterans coming back from the Middle East. The Jeep was provided by the Arkansas Crawlers, a non-profit off-road club in central Arkansas.

I made my way over to follow up on the Wounded Warrior Project where I was introduced to Ryan Paulu, Director of Outdoor Services for the organization. He was kind enough to give me an interview, the first one I had done, and to provide me with more in-depth information about the foundation and what it meant to be a part of this great organization.

The Wounded Warrior Project was founded by Executive Director John Melia and his brother. Frustrated by John’s experience during his stay in the hospital, they decided to help out other veterans going through the same issues. They started putting together backpacks to take to the wounded veterans at the Walter Reed hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. In the early days, the backpacks were full of items such as clothes, toiletries, a CD player, and some CD’s… about $100 in value. These were delivered bedside to the veterans who gave them something else to think about during their stay.

Over time, the project has grown much larger and is now staffed by full-time personnel, including some of those folks who had been recipients of the gifts provided by the original Wounded Warrior Project. Many benefits and other support services have been added to the organization since its inception. The benefits provided are broken out into the following groups: immediate impact, transitional impact and long term. The backpacks and benefits counseling are provide through the immediate impact, and seminars to cope with combat stress and the Warriors to Work program are covered in the transitional impact stage. The long term sets up an alumnus group and also drives the advocacy and public policies for their different programs such as the solider ride.

The outdoors projects that Ryan heads up are a part of the long term support as well. They take the veterans out and encourage them to participate in sporting events. These include things such as kayaking, hunting, and snow skiing. The participant selects something they enjoy then the organization helps them to get started in participating in that activity. The cost is 100% covered by the Wounded Warrior Project. They also provide job assistance and benefits counseling.

The Wounded Warrior Project members are in the medical facilities everyday, such as Brook Army Medical Center where they have two full time and three part-time wounded soldiers working with the veterans and getting them the information they need to participate and enjoy the activities that the Wounded Warrior Project has to offer.

Ryan mentioned that for these men, it is a life changing personal experience and that the Wounded Warrior Project can help provide some relief and support. He mentioned that they have noticed the Department of Defense improving their support and that they are starting to step up better for the wounded veterans. The Wounded Warrior Project works hand in hand with the Department of Defense and that they have been very supportive of the project.

So how can you help support this great project? Sign up for the sweepstakes for the jeep at www.warriorjeep.org. Or contact them at www.woundedwarriorproject.org. There are people there that can help direct you to the area you would like to help in and to also let you know of all the different methods of support that you can provide. Ryan really made me think of how this affected those involved in this great organization when, upon me asking about why he did it. His comment was “How could you not be inspired?”

I cannot think of a better statement. So do your part and help support this great organization.