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Wounded in War: Air Force tracks, assists injured Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Service leaders have put into effect a program designed specifically to assist Airmen wounded or sick, including Purple Heart recipients, as a result of their support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

"Palace HART (Helping Airmen Recover Together) is a critical program," said Peggy Rayfield, chief, family programs team at the Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. "We help Airmen navigate through the complex health and benefits system. 

"It's a key role we offer - hands-on assistance for all of the services for which the Airmen qualify," said Ms. Rayfield. "We cut through red tape and make things happen." 

Almost 130 separated or retired Airmen are currently enrolled in the program. (If a servicemember returns to active-duty status, they are no longer enrolled in the Palace HART program.) That includes 25 Guardsmen, 97 active-duty members and seven Reservists. 

Of those, 94 of the Airmen are being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, and seven were wounded in action. Other injuries include both physical and mental impairments. 

Immediately after an Airman sustains injuries and is medically evacuated out of the deployment area, they are assigned a Family Liaison Officer. The FLO will help the Airman and his or her family with specific needs. 

The Airman is also assigned a case worker from AFPC, who links the servicemember's nearest Airman and Family Readiness Center with the FLO for help concerning issues ranging from financial assistance to transition and relocation. 

"Once Airmen are enrolled in Palace HART we track them at least monthly, as a standard," said Ms. Rayfield, adding the tracking lasts for five years. "Depending on their needs, we can work with them more often - weekly, daily or whatever it takes." 

The program also offers employment placement. Select federal positions on Air Force installations are open to Palace HART participants, which is especially a help to recently disabled veterans who may have trouble finding a job. 

Currently, Fairchild is not servicing anyone through the Palace HART system; there are no Palace HART Airmen in the area, though that isn't unusual because many return to their home towns. The base does have a high deployment rate, though, falling in line under Air Mobility Command's global-reach mission of delivering war-fighting and humanitarian effects around the world. 

"Palace HART ensures that our Airmen get the information and help they need when they most need it," said Col. Scott Hanson, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander. "Having the program prepared and ready to go at a moment's notice is very important to me. Fairchild's deployment tempo is constant; we need to be prepared to take care of our wounded and ill Airmen," he said, adding that caring for people is "what it's all about, a number-one priority." 

Palace HART, an Air Force-specific program, falls under the Department of Defense Severely Wounded Program, which also includes the Army Wounded Warrior, Marine 4 Life Injured Support and Navy SAFE HARBOR programs.