Page 27 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 27
Wounded Warriors as Army Professional and Tension Between Selless Service and Self-Interest
self-interest from political and socio- economic he was focused on the mission and his men’s
forces such as commercialization, competition, safety and wellbeing. He stepped on the IED
and government regulation. A second factor trying to protect his men on patrol. Now he as
is the perception that their profession is being an entire team focused on helping him. This
reduced to a trade or occupation. Finally, the seems to contradict the notion that “selless
professional begins to doubt the applicability service is larger than just one person.” 29
and validity of professional ethics in the
context of conventional morality. I will use the As an amputee, Sergeant A participates in the
following vignettes based on my research and DoD’s amputee care program at the Military
experiences at Walter Reed to illustrate how Amputee Training Center (MATC). The
the tension between selless service and self- program focuses on returning him to
interest affects wounded warriors. pre-injury physical functioning. He gains
access to the special training facilities; high-
Sergeant A is an infantry soldier with a wife and tech prosthetics including a swimming leg,
three children. During his second deployment a rock climbing leg, and motorized leg; and
to Afghanistan, he stepped on an Improvised special trips and events. He also has a stack
Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol. He lost of business cards from military and political
both of his legs and suffered a mild Traumatic higher-ups who visited the MATC to meet
Brain Injury (TBI). Sergeant A lourished in “wounded warriors.” They told him to contact
the Army. He planned to make it his career. He them if he needs anything. Sergeant A
enjoyed staying physically it, loved being a begins to see himself as the member of a
squad leader, mentoring soldiers, and protecting special interest group, rather than an Army
the world “from bad guys.” professional and public servant. 30
When he joined the WTU, he was told that As an amputee peer visitor, Sergeant A
his mission was to “heal” and “successfully met one of the Boston bombing victims.
transition.” He was assigned a “Triad of Comparing experiences, he realizes that as a
25
Care,” a nurse case manager, section leader, wounded warrior amputee, he has access to
and primary care manager tasked with the care and resources not available to civilian
mission to support him. According to amputees. He does not believe that he should
26
the WTC website, “(t)he Triad creates the have access to better care and beneits than
familiar environment of a military unit and she does. After all, he signed up for the
surrounds the Soldier and his/her Family with military knowing the risks of combat. She
comprehensive care and support, all focused probably never considered the risk of an IED
on the wounded warrior’s sole mission to heal at the Boston marathon.
[emphasis added].” Another wounded warrior
27
advised him to “Transition Is The Mission - Arguably, selless service obligates him to
Healing Is The Key - Stay focused on YOU.” 28 use his status to advocate for equal care for
all amputees. However, there are more than
Sergeant A and his team have been assigned 50,000 amputees in the VA and 2 million
himself as a mission. In Afghanistan, amputees in the United States. He is one of
31
27
self-interest from political and socio- economic he was focused on the mission and his men’s
forces such as commercialization, competition, safety and wellbeing. He stepped on the IED
and government regulation. A second factor trying to protect his men on patrol. Now he as
is the perception that their profession is being an entire team focused on helping him. This
reduced to a trade or occupation. Finally, the seems to contradict the notion that “selless
professional begins to doubt the applicability service is larger than just one person.” 29
and validity of professional ethics in the
context of conventional morality. I will use the As an amputee, Sergeant A participates in the
following vignettes based on my research and DoD’s amputee care program at the Military
experiences at Walter Reed to illustrate how Amputee Training Center (MATC). The
the tension between selless service and self- program focuses on returning him to
interest affects wounded warriors. pre-injury physical functioning. He gains
access to the special training facilities; high-
Sergeant A is an infantry soldier with a wife and tech prosthetics including a swimming leg,
three children. During his second deployment a rock climbing leg, and motorized leg; and
to Afghanistan, he stepped on an Improvised special trips and events. He also has a stack
Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol. He lost of business cards from military and political
both of his legs and suffered a mild Traumatic higher-ups who visited the MATC to meet
Brain Injury (TBI). Sergeant A lourished in “wounded warriors.” They told him to contact
the Army. He planned to make it his career. He them if he needs anything. Sergeant A
enjoyed staying physically it, loved being a begins to see himself as the member of a
squad leader, mentoring soldiers, and protecting special interest group, rather than an Army
the world “from bad guys.” professional and public servant. 30
When he joined the WTU, he was told that As an amputee peer visitor, Sergeant A
his mission was to “heal” and “successfully met one of the Boston bombing victims.
transition.” He was assigned a “Triad of Comparing experiences, he realizes that as a
25
Care,” a nurse case manager, section leader, wounded warrior amputee, he has access to
and primary care manager tasked with the care and resources not available to civilian
mission to support him. According to amputees. He does not believe that he should
26
the WTC website, “(t)he Triad creates the have access to better care and beneits than
familiar environment of a military unit and she does. After all, he signed up for the
surrounds the Soldier and his/her Family with military knowing the risks of combat. She
comprehensive care and support, all focused probably never considered the risk of an IED
on the wounded warrior’s sole mission to heal at the Boston marathon.
[emphasis added].” Another wounded warrior
27
advised him to “Transition Is The Mission - Arguably, selless service obligates him to
Healing Is The Key - Stay focused on YOU.” 28 use his status to advocate for equal care for
all amputees. However, there are more than
Sergeant A and his team have been assigned 50,000 amputees in the VA and 2 million
himself as a mission. In Afghanistan, amputees in the United States. He is one of
31
27
