United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Care Coalition’s mission is to provide SOF warriors and their families a model advocacy program in order to enhance their quality of life and strengthen the overall readiness of special operations. Central to this mission is advocacy for the SOF Wounded, Ill, and Injured Warriors, their families, and commands, not the system.
General Brown established the Care Coalition in August 2005 to track, support, and advocate for all USSOCOM casualties and to support the Component’s family programs. For the life of a SOF casualty, the USSOCOM Care Coalition advocates throughout the recovery/rehabilitation process and into their transition to civilian life.
As of January 2010, the USSOCOM Care Coalition has worked issues for three-quarters of the 3,118 SOF casualties and families, with a staff of 8 advocates, an Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) advocate, Veterans Affairs liaison, a Military and Family Life Consultant and a Wellness Coordinator all located at USSOCOM HQ, in addition to 15 hospital based liaisons and a staff of 5 advocates from the Care Coalition Recovery Program.
Critical to the USSOCOM Care Coalition’s success is the work accomplished by the SOF hospital liaisons located at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany; Walter Reed and Bethesda Medical Centers, both located in the National Capital Region; Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX; Balboa Medical Center in San Diego; James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, FL; other VA Medical Centers and Medical Treatment Facilities throughout the US. These SOF Non-Commissioned Officers resolve 90% of all issues.
All SOF casualties and their families, regardless of the extent of injury are provided with advocacy and information of evolving benefits and information/education related to their injury.
The USSOCOM Care Coalition works closely with Service programs (Army Wounded Warrior Program, Marine Wounded Warrior Regiment, Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, and Navy Safe Harbor) for casualties who fit their criteria of severely disabled to ensure their Service related issues are resolved.
