$5M Oasis For War Wounded To Open At Fort Sam

[livvy]

$5M Oasis For War Wounded To Open At Fort Sam

By Michelle Roberts - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Nov 29, 2008 14:30:03 EST

SAN ANTONIO — Judith Markelz has relied on volunteers for years to help the war wounded and their families. They’ve brought meals, DVDs, event tickets and an endless supply of cookies to help comfort those whose lives are suddenly upended by a bomb or a bullet.

So when a new volunteer, Les Huffman, arrived at the chaotic 1,000-square-foot room used for the Warrior and Family Support Center in January 2007 and asked what Markelz needed, the program manager said a new video game system.

But Huffman, the president of a small commercial development firm, wanted to do more. And when Markelz conceded she could use a little more room, that’s what she got: a $5 million building designed like a Texas Hill Country home with a therapeutic garden, classroom, video game room and kitchen — all paid for by private donations. It’s the first center of its kind built on an Army post.

“I asked for an Xbox 360 and I got a 12,500 square-foot building,” she laughs. “Nice trade-off.”

Markelz gets the keys to the new place, built at Fort Sam Houston, on Monday.

more...



http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_warwounded_112708/%2e

Website: "Returning Heroes Home" There are some pics of the construction and additional and interesting details about the center:

http://www.returningheroeshome.org/

[PDittie]

1. Thanks, vets

I hope you guys get to feeling better real quick.

[Joanne98]

2. Who owns it? The federal goverment or the private sector?

[unhappycamper]

4. I'm guessing the feds.

~snip~

Markelz gets the keys to the new place, built at Fort Sam Houston, on Monday.

[bigbrother05]

5. It was donated to gov't by the charity/foundation.

Built on Ft. Sam property, near the hospital. The folks Mr. Huffman pulled together from in and around San Antonio wanted to reach out to the wounded on a local level. As a primary location for the long-term treatment of the most seriously injured, this facility set a standard for centers being built (by the government) all across the Army. These WTU (Warriors in Transition Units) centers will support the recovery of the Soldiers with what's needed where they can best get the appropriate care, whether at a med center or home base.

The gov't is spending hundreds of millions on the housing, administration, and recreation facilities that will make up the WTU centers.

[BR_Parkway]

3. Thanks to all of them for this and isn't it a damn shame that gov't can

always find another $5M for one more bomb or tank, but never to build things like this to take care of those who've sacrificed so much.