Senior Pa. Guard leaders visit injured Soldiers at Warrior Transition Unit

Photo By Lt. Col. Keith Hickox | Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli (right), Pennsylvania’s adjutant general, speaks with Staff Sgt. Gregory Davis, a 28th Infantry Division Soldiers about his time spent healing at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Belvoir, Va. On 7 March, Pennsylvania’s senior leaders spent the day with their fellow Guardsmen, checked on their progress and well-being, and thanked them and their families again for their service and sacrifice to our commonwealth and country.  

PA, UNITED STATES

03.07.2019

Story by Lt. Col. Keith Hickox 

Joint Force Headquarters - Pennsylvania National Guard

Senior leaders from the Pa. National Guard visited injured Soldiers undergoing medical treatment at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, March 7. The contingent, led by Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general, spent the day at the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), where Soldiers with varying injuries sustained while serving our nation are treated and healed.

Pennsylvania’s senior leaders spent the day with their fellow Guardsmen, checked on their progress and well-being, and thanked them and their families again for their service and sacrifice to our commonwealth and country. The WTU at Fort Belvoir is one of 14 in the nation where Soldiers can recover from medical issues. Many are Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers returning from deployments. A WTU is designed to ensure that healing is the first priority for injured soldiers and provides high-quality living conditions, prevents unnecessary procedural delays, and facilitates their physical, mental and spiritual healing process.

“It is important for our leaders to stay connected with our service members wherever they are: at training, during exercises, while on deployment, and especially at the WTU for those who were injured during their service,” said Carrelli. “By personally visiting these Soldiers, we can see firsthand how they are doing and specifically address any support issues they may have encountered during their treatment. It’s also an outstanding opportunity to remind them that Pennsylvania is proud of their service and grateful for their families’ sacrifice defending our freedom,” he added.

Staff Sgt. Russel Trout, a Soldier from Detachment 1, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment, Pa. National Guard, sustained an injury while serving in Afghanistan. He has been recovering at the WTU for about eight months.

“The doctors have been great and the cadre have been right there to help if you have any issues,” said Trout.

Trout stated that Soldiers also have a lot of additional opportunities at the WTU while recovering.

“There are a lot of classes and programs to attend that help you transition back to your unit or the workforce when you leave here,” he said.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Cuomo went to the WTU following a deployment. For the past year he has been receiving treatment and recovery assistance for an injury sustained while serving overseas. A member of the 1955th Contingency Contracting Detachment in Allentown, Pa., Cuomo said being assigned to a WTU close to home allows many Soldiers like him to travel home to families on the weekend, provided there are no conflicting medical appointments.

“Knowing that you have a support team back in your state, looking out for you while you are here means a lot,” said Cuomo. “They really treat you well here.”

Carrelli also took the opportunity to thank the dedicated staff of caregivers at the WTU who have been working so closely with the injured soldiers, assisting them throughout their recovery process. He and Command Sgt. Maj. Harry Buchanan III, Pennsylvania’s senior enlisted advisor, presented several Soldiers with Outstanding Service Coins as a token of their appreciation for their tremendous service.

“The entire team here has such an important job,” Carrelli told the staff. “Your work is not often in the headlines but I can’t think of anything more important. I just want you to know how much we appreciate what you do here for our Soldiers and their families.”

Fort Belvoir Warrior Transition Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Joseph Messina was happy to greet the leadership from Pa.

“It’s always good to see the leaders come to visit the Soldiers here,” said Messina. “It helps them know they are still in the Army, still Soldiers and still valued.”

• Date Taken: 03.07.2019
• Date Posted: 03.13.2019 15:50
• Story ID: 313894
• Location: PA, US