Wounded Warrior Project Under Fire,,,,Again

Wounded Warriors Project Under Fire
Daily Beast
Tim Mak
September 26, 2014

Is a much-touted charity for American veterans everything it says it is?

Over the past decade, the Wounded Warriors Project has emerged to become one of the celebrated charities in the country – but with its prominence comes deeper scrutiny and criticism.

It’s a broad but closely held sentiment within the veterans' advocacy community: grumbling and critiques about the fundraising behemoth WWP has become, and whether it has been as effective as it could be.

In interviews, critical veterans’ advocates and veterans charged that the Wounded Warrior Project cares more about its image than it does about helping veterans; that they make public splashes by taking vets on dramatic skydiving trips but don’t do enough to help the long-term wellbeing of those injured in combat.

These criticisms come from a broad cross-section of veterans and their advocates, the vast majority of whom refused to speak on the record due to the sway the Wounded Warrior Project carries.

"They are such a big name within the veterans’ community. I don't need to start a war in my backyard," a double-amputee veteran who served in Iraq told The Daily Beast.

But granted anonymity, the vet gave voice to what is at the very least a perception problem for the WWP:

“They're more worried about putting their label on everything than getting down to brass tacks. It’s really frustrating."

The same veteran spoke of waking up in the hospital after an IED hit his supply truck – WWP, he said, had given him only trivial merchandise: a backpack, a shaving kit and socks.

“Everything they do is a dog and pony show, and I haven't talked to one of my fellow veterans that were injured… actually getting any help from the Wounded Warrior Project. I'm not just talking about financial assistance; I'm talking about help, period,” he said.

Ken Davis, a veteran who served in Iraq before being injured, is considered an "alumni" of the Wounded Warriors Project – even though he said he no longer wants to be associated with them.

"I receive more marketing stuff from them, [and see more of that] than the money they've put into the community here in Arizona," he told the Beast. "It's just about numbers and money to them. Never once that I get the feeling that it's about veterans."

He could have used a ride to a VA facility for health care, he said. But rather than receive practical assistance from the WWP, he got a branded fleece beanie.
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UPDATE First while you hear the term "Wounded Warrior" it is not always about Wounded Warrior Project.

The DOD used that term talking about another charity supplying homes for wounded servicemembers/veterans
07/07/2014
Wounded Warrior Receives New Home
United States
℠2014 - "Helping a Hero" has provided its latest home for a wounded warrior.

The DOD has Wounded Warrior Program

Prosthetic knee returns wounded warriors to active duty
Department of Defense
Apr 27, 2012
A new, computerized prosthetic knee joint is making a major difference for wounded warriors. Some are able to return to combat zones.

Wounded Warrior Surfers
Department of Defense
Invictus Games
London, City of, United Kingdom
℠2014 - U.S. wounded warriors traveled to London to compete in the 2014 Invictus Games
Here is more about the Wounded Warrior Program

The military's wounded warrior programs provide assistance and advocacy for severely wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and their families. These programs assist service members and their families as they return to duty or transition to civilian life.

What are wounded warrior programs and what support do they provide?
Each of the individual branches of service operates a wounded warrior program to assist service members and their families with non-medical issues associated with the transition back to duty or to civilian life. The wounded warrior programs work with the service member and his or her medical team to develop a comprehensive recovery plan that addresses specific recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration goals. These programs provide lifetime support for the service member; eligibility for participation in the program does not conclude when the service member is discharged from a military treatment facility. Typical non-medical support provided by the wounded warrior programs may include, but is not limited to, assistance with the following:

Pay and personnel issues
Invitational travel orders
Lodging and housing adaptations for the wounded warrior
Child and youth care arrangements
Transportation needs
Legal and guardianship issues
Education and training benefits
Respite care
Traumatic brain injury/post-traumatic stress support services

The Wounded Warrior Project has been fantastic at raising awareness for themselves. Plain and simple. When you see the logo, you know exactly what it is tied to but few remember the real Marines in Iraq or the photographer there to take the iconic picture.

Shadow of Marines lives on in famous logo

The Marines Sgt. Matt LeVart carries injured Cpl. Barry Lange off the battlefield as members of India Company 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Division engage Iraqi soldiers in battle. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

So what are they doing? What are they doing besides advertising for themselves?

Yet they made it worse by making it seem as if they were there with this video.
They have the video unlisted, which usually I would respect however since they have it on their page, it is available for anyone to watch.

They show commercials with heart tugging images of amputees and families in tears. Are they trying to say they are operating the rehabilitations facilities? Seems like most of the things being done are just like the ones done by Army Wounded Warrior Program amazing enough, also celebrating 10 years.

AW2 Eligibility and Enrollment
Commemorating a Decade of Impact for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Families
Click here to learn more about AW2's Tenth Anniversary.

The Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) is the official U.S. Army program that assists and advocates for severely wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families, wherever they are located, regardless of military status. Soldiers who qualify for AW2 are assigned to the program as soon as possible after arriving at the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU). AW2 supports these Soldiers and their Families throughout their recovery and transition, even into Veteran status. Through the local support of AW2 Advocates, AW2 strives to foster the Soldier's independence. There are more than 18,200 Soldiers and Veterans currently in AW2.

In this video you see them delivering backpacks and yes, what was stated above with their logos on everything is true. That was their original mission statement. Now it has changed.

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) takes a holistic approach when serving warriors and their families to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement. Through a high-touch and interactive approach, WWP hopes to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history.

Uploaded on Sep 1, 2009
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the publics aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. For more information, please call visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

This is my video from long ago with the same song not used to raise funds but to actually raise awareness for the veterans!
They are fantastic at raising funds and spending money on commercials. As for the rest, I have exactly one advertiser blocked from this site. Guess who it is. They filed a lawsuit against another charity called Help Indiana Veterans because of accusations made based on complaints. The trouble is, if you pay attention to what they say, they never say they are doing anything. They don't claim to be running the hospitals doing the rehabs or supplying limbs or building homes or modifying them. They don't claim to be doing anything so if people are upset for giving them money, they need to ask themselves what they actually were thinking when they hit the donate button. Did they just assume or were they lied to? Honestly no matter how I feel about WWP, I never remember them saying anything wrong. They just didn't say anything at all. (Updated 3/21/15 to replace link to my video)