For some veterans finding their purpose after time in the service isn’t always easy. The Wounded Warrior Project works to ensure they have support and resources.
HOUSTON — For some veterans finding their purpose after time in the service isn’t always easy.
That along with navigating benefits, finding a job, and taking care of their family and mental health can take a toll on them.
For 20 years the Wounded Warrior Project has been providing resources and support to veterans across the greater Houston area.
When you walk through the doors of the organization’s office, you’ll find folks eager to help and many of them are veterans themselves like James David Roos.
“I was an Airborne Ranger, United States Army,” Roos said.
Roos has been part of the Wounded Warrior Project for 14 years.
“I am a benefits manager on the benefits team with the Wounded Warrior Project. I help manage a team that makes sure that the VA benefits that are warriors have are correct,” he said.
For Roos, making sure veterans receive their benefits is crucial after he suffered burns on more than 40% of his body and lost movement in his arm.
“I couldn’t move my right arm,” said Roos.
During that time his benefits were impacted.
“I was going through surgery with the burn ward, and, I was getting out, going to college at the same time,” Roos said. “I was at a certain percentage, but then I was reduced. Which means I had a certain amount of money then my money went down.”
He was able to get everything resolved and now he works to make sure no one else has to navigate something like that alone.
“What our team does is make sure that they provide the right evidence. We help them with that,” Roos said.
The organization provides a variety of resources including mental health and financial readiness. But they also provide a sense of community for veterans like John Kadleck.
“I had a rough transition from the military. I was really struggling financially. My mental health, you know, just feeling isolated,” Kadleck said. “And one of my buddies told me, hey, you should really check out Wounded Warrior Project.”
Kadleck spent three years with the organization.
“They really were able to help me focus on connection. Give me something to look forward to, you know, camaraderie with other warriors that were struggling in the same way that I was,” Kadleck said.
Kadleck then joined the team.
“That was very empowering to me. It made me feel like I took ownership in my own recovery, and now I’m able to go and help other warriors figure out what that looks like for them,” Kadleck said.
Now he works to make sure veterans have the resources they need and more importantly, people to support them.
“It’s a privilege to be able to help other warriors figure out what their path to healing looks like because everybody’s is different,” Kadleck said.
To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project, click here.