To Hell and Back

As wounded warriors return home from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan they face a number of challenges amidst a vast industrialized military complex’s healthcare and disability system. For those with traumatic brain injury, the signature injury of this war, this system of care seems to be anything but that. Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Veterans Administration, and the Pentagon are beleaguered by scandal. This paper reviews current challenges, recommendations of the Task Force on The Future of Military Health Care, the West and Marsh Commission report on Walter Read and the Naval Medical Center, the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Soldiers, and legislative policy proposals and solutions. Resources for military members and their families are included.