Power Grid Blog
Hope for Wounded Soldiers: A Proven Approach
January 6, 2012 | AAPD Power Grid Blog Team
“I am always forgetful,” says Jim Batchelor, a retired Army soldier who took a bullet to the skull during a 2004 mission in Baghdad. Jim’s injuries resulted in blinding migraines, light sensitivity, and short-term memory loss.
“There are days I’ll just look around and notice I’m in the truck and driving. No idea how I got there or where I’m going.”
When a National Organization on Disability (NOD) Career Specialist first met Jim, he was sleeping on the floor in his Army-issued sleeping bag, with little hope for the future. His NOD Career Specialist, however, promised to help Jim improve his health and reclaim his life.
When Jim had trouble traveling to medical appointments, his Career Specialist helped him find a doctor closer to home. When Jim could not attend college classes due to light sensitivity, the Career Specialist had Jim’s truck windows tinted.
Jim is one of over 110,000 post-9/11 veterans with a disability rating of over 60%. This number continues to grow, even as the war in Iraq draws to an end. The career outlook for these veterans, many of whom have never held private-sector jobs, is bleak.
However, NOD is firm in the belief that, given the right supports, veterans with severe disabilities can make meaningful contributions to society. Through its Wounded Warrior Careers program, NOD visits these veterans in their homes to set work and life goals, and encourages them through each step of the process.
And NOD’s services are effective. 2/3 of the veterans with disabilities NOD serves are moving forward in their career paths via work, education, and job training.
Jim is no exception. He is now working toward a Master’s degree in psychology at Texas A&M University, toward a career helping other severely wounded veterans return to civilian life.
In October, Texas Governor Perry awarded Jim a three-year appointment to the Texas State Independent Living Council, advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities.
Learn more about the National Organization on Disability’s work with wounded veterans here.
Comments
Submitted by InvisibleDisability at 07:54 AM on February 18, 2012