Thursday, April 24, 2008

Leadership visits Warrior Transition Unit

The National Capital Region’s senior mission commander and command sergeant major traveled to Fort Belvoir April 15 to get a first-hand look at DeWitt Army Community Hospital’s Warrior Transition Unit and to talk with its Soldiers and their triad of care. 

The Military District of Washington’s Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe, Jr.; and Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond P. Houston, visited DeWitt’s WTU to learn about its processes before attending the unit’s regular town hall meeting.

“The first 24 hours are the most critical,” explained Capt. E. Travonte Moten, DeWitt WTU commander, about receiving new Soldiers.  “This is when the Soldiers get their behavioral health risk assessment and then get linked up with their triad of care, all the while, adapting to a new Army culture.”

According to Moten, the triad of care is comprised of a case manager, primary care manager (physician) and a squad leader. Each Soldier in transition is assigned to a triad of care to ensure continuity of care. 

Moten said each Soldier is greeted by their squad leader and then personally taken to other members in their triad. After the initial 24-hour period, each Soldier meets with the primary care provider and the Soldier and Family Assistance Center and then settles into the warrior in transition battle rhythm. 

“It’s about healing the mind, body, heart and spirit,” said Moten. “And, each Soldier’s primary mission while assigned to this WTU is to heal.”

Each Soldier’s treatment plan includes a lot of variables, and the WTU cadre is very busy with daily formations, tracking appointments, nurse case manager and primary care manager visits and hosting monthly town hall meetings, Moten said. 

“I’m learning more and more each time about this unit’s complexities,” said Rowe. “Thank you for all you do.”

At the town hall, Rowe told the WTU Soldiers he received updates each week from the installation and hospital commanders about the WTU’s progress and its Soldiers, but wanted to put faces to the numbers.

Col. Kenneth G. Canestrini, DeWitt Health Care Network commander; and Col. Brian Lauritzen, Fort Belvoir installation commander, host the monthly town hall to bring subject matter experts from the SFAC and hospital together with the WTU Soldiers and their family members to surface problems or issues they might be having. 

“If anything, I hope my being here increases the energy of asking questions,” said Rowe.  “Please don’t think a general officer being here changes that, it’s not about rank or a certain position.”

Rowe told the Soldiers the Army was a learning organization and that it is still working to get it right. 

“We’ve done a lot of discovery and the Army has changed,” said Rowe, “These folks here are directly accountable to the top of the Army, so, if something isn’t right, tell them.”
Rowe said Fort Belvoir was doing a lot of things right but encouraged the Soldiers to tell him if there was something they could be doing better. 

“We have a lot of success going on here, but we’re not satisfied,” said Rowe. 

Canestrini added they can only solve problems when they know about them. 

After the Soldiers received briefings from the WTU commander, SFAC and the new DeWitt ombudsman, Rowe told the Soldiers he hoped to see them back in the Army’s formations again. 
Rowe and Houston also toured the SFAC and WTU barracks with Lauritzen, before arriving at the hospital.