The Warrior Transition complex consists of a 200-person barracks, unit administrative services facility and Soldiers and Family Assistance Center.
Wounded Warrior transition F
or Spc. Ashleigh Titre, April 10 was a special day, not just because of the ribbon-cutting for her new
Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) bar- racks, but because she received her paper- work to start college. Te help she received from the WTB and Soldier and Family Assistance Center is making it possible for her to pursue a degree online, which she hopes will further her career in the Army. Te Army established Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) at major military treatment facilities such as Fort Benning to provide personal support to wounded soldiers who require at least six months of rehabilita- tive care. Te units are designed to allow these soldiers to focus on healing so that they can transition back to the Army or to civilian life. Each soldier is supported by a primary care manager who is a physician, a nurse case manager who is a registered nurse, and a squad leader who is usually a staff sergeant.
August 2012 Fort Benning’s WTB had been separated
in several different locations, but in March of 2010 ground was broken for a complex containing a 200-person barracks, unit administrative services facility and Sol- diers and Family Assistance Center. Lt. Col. Gregory A. Hopkins, who was
the commander when the new complex opened, explained that the new facility has direct, closer access to the hospital, bet- ter living conditions, more amenities and brings all but one company together in the same place. Te average annual population is about 400, according to Hopkins. Te soldiers stay with the unit from 15 to 1100 days depending on their illness or injury, with about 287 days being average. He explained that many of the soldiers have multiple issues and about 40 percent suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). “Our goal is to properly process them through one of the most difficult times in
Columbus and the Valley
their lives, whether it’s PTSD or a broken leg, and to return them to duty or return them to a civilian life that is adequate for them to be able to support themselves and their families,” said Hopkins. To that end, the WTU partners with
a lot of community health services, and if the expertise is not available at Martin Army Community Hospital, then the sol- diers are transferred to specialized clinics in Columbus and Atlanta. Organizations like the Red Cross and churches donate items and support the soldiers with events. While he said the soldiers are not look- ing for a handout, Hopkins would like to see more access to job opportunities and employers. Many services are provided right in the new complex at
the Soldier and Family
Assistance Center. Army Community Ser- vices is housed there and provides the sol- diers in transition and their families with help, including information on finances,
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