Page 25 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 25
Wounded Warriors as Army Professional and Tension Between Selless Service and Self-Interest
In response to these accusations of neglect, system, and a disabled veteran-representative
the Army established the Wounded Warrior to external groups such as civilian charities
Transition Brigade, to “help outpatients and high-level military and government
navigate a confusing world of paperwork, leaders. Being soldiers in transition, they are
10
appointments and readjustments to civilian adopting new roles as non-practicing Army
life.” The program currently includes 25 professionals and disabled veterans.
4
Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) across the
United States, Puerto Rico, and Germany; Selless service requires soldiers to “put the
WTUs have supported over 65,700 soldiers. 5 welfare of the nation, the Army and your
The WTU’s mission focuses on helping combat subordinates before your own.” ADRP 1
11
and non-combat wounded, ill, and injured states that Army professionals are committed
soldiers recover and transition back to military to unlimited liability- accepting risk of serious
service or civilian life- an “organizational and personal harm or even death. This unlimited
cultural shift” for the Army. 6 liability distinguishes the Army Profession of
Arms and the other armed forces from other
A critical dimension of the profession and federal employees and other professions.
bureaucracy tension is selless service versus This is a vital aspect of the Army Ethic of
self-interest. The Army profession requires a honorable service: a true ethos of service
commitment to selless service and sacriice, before self. 12
while bureaucracies assume competition and
self-interest. Army professionals are expected to “value
the service they render to society more
Discussion than the beneits society provides them.”
13
According to the current deinition of an
The selless service versus self-interest Army professional, this obligation does not
dichotomy is a major challenge for wounded end when wounded warriors transition out
warriors as Army professionals. Wounded of the Army, as “whether retiree or veteran,
warriors have multiple roles- soldier, recovering these men and women are soldiers for life and
patient, and disabled veteran. Current Army should consider themselves as a living part
doctrine states that soldiers “must irst self- of the profession and apply their service ethic
identify with being a member of the Army throughout the remainder of their lives.”
14
Profession.” They are expected “to serve daily Thus, wounded warriors’ commitment to
8
according to the profession’s ethic and values selless service is an important part of their
to maintain the American people’s trust.” transition out of the Army and in turn, the
9
However, wounded warriors have been tasked WTU mission.
with a self-interested mission, focusing on
their own recovery and transition. They operate While the irst soldiers injured in the Global
in a highly bureaucratic environment- as a War on Terror arrived home to a dearth of
patient in the medical system, a clamant in the support and resources, today’s wounded
Department of Defense (DoD) and Department warriors gain “access to perks and entitlements
of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability beneits that are not available to soldiers that are not in
25
In response to these accusations of neglect, system, and a disabled veteran-representative
the Army established the Wounded Warrior to external groups such as civilian charities
Transition Brigade, to “help outpatients and high-level military and government
navigate a confusing world of paperwork, leaders. Being soldiers in transition, they are
10
appointments and readjustments to civilian adopting new roles as non-practicing Army
life.” The program currently includes 25 professionals and disabled veterans.
4
Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) across the
United States, Puerto Rico, and Germany; Selless service requires soldiers to “put the
WTUs have supported over 65,700 soldiers. 5 welfare of the nation, the Army and your
The WTU’s mission focuses on helping combat subordinates before your own.” ADRP 1
11
and non-combat wounded, ill, and injured states that Army professionals are committed
soldiers recover and transition back to military to unlimited liability- accepting risk of serious
service or civilian life- an “organizational and personal harm or even death. This unlimited
cultural shift” for the Army. 6 liability distinguishes the Army Profession of
Arms and the other armed forces from other
A critical dimension of the profession and federal employees and other professions.
bureaucracy tension is selless service versus This is a vital aspect of the Army Ethic of
self-interest. The Army profession requires a honorable service: a true ethos of service
commitment to selless service and sacriice, before self. 12
while bureaucracies assume competition and
self-interest. Army professionals are expected to “value
the service they render to society more
Discussion than the beneits society provides them.”
13
According to the current deinition of an
The selless service versus self-interest Army professional, this obligation does not
dichotomy is a major challenge for wounded end when wounded warriors transition out
warriors as Army professionals. Wounded of the Army, as “whether retiree or veteran,
warriors have multiple roles- soldier, recovering these men and women are soldiers for life and
patient, and disabled veteran. Current Army should consider themselves as a living part
doctrine states that soldiers “must irst self- of the profession and apply their service ethic
identify with being a member of the Army throughout the remainder of their lives.”
14
Profession.” They are expected “to serve daily Thus, wounded warriors’ commitment to
8
according to the profession’s ethic and values selless service is an important part of their
to maintain the American people’s trust.” transition out of the Army and in turn, the
9
However, wounded warriors have been tasked WTU mission.
with a self-interested mission, focusing on
their own recovery and transition. They operate While the irst soldiers injured in the Global
in a highly bureaucratic environment- as a War on Terror arrived home to a dearth of
patient in the medical system, a clamant in the support and resources, today’s wounded
Department of Defense (DoD) and Department warriors gain “access to perks and entitlements
of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability beneits that are not available to soldiers that are not in
25
