Army Wounded Warrior Careers Program Featured at State of the Union Address
2011-03-16 16:17:24 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wounded U.S. Army Veteran Spc. Scott Vycital of Colorado sits with First Lady during national address from the Capitol
January 27, 2010
National Organization on Disability's Army Wounded Warrior Careers Program Featured at Tonight's State of the Union Address
Wounded U.S. Army Veteran Spc. Scott Vycital of Colorado to sit with First Lady during national address from the Capitol
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Army Veteran, Specialist Scott Vycital of Fort Collins, Colorado has been invited to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama during President Obama's State of the Union address Wednesday night. Spc. Vycital will be recognized as a wounded veteran who has returned to the workforce as a result of the National Organization on Disability's successful Wounded Warrior Careers program.
To help recovering soldiers re-enter the labor force and build a career, the U.S. Army's Wounded Warrior program partnered with the National Organization on Disability (NOD) to design, pilot and refine its career services program, NOD's Wounded Warrior Careers. NOD, which aims to expand the participation and contribution of all Americans with disabilities, began by developing a dedicated team of Career Specialists who are specially trained case managers that concentrate on education, skill development and aiding injured soldiers to prepare for, and return to, the workforce. Kessler Foundation, a public charity supporting people with disabilities, was an early supporter of NOD and has provided more than 1.5 million dollars toward the Army Wounded Warrior Project.
"We're thrilled by the success Specialist Scott Vycital and his wife, Jarah, have achieved through NOD's Wounded Warrior Careers program and are grateful to the President and First Lady for allowing us to share Scott's story with the nation. They are just one of our many success stories," said Carol Glazer, President of the National Organization on Disability. "With approximately two-thirds of working-age people with disabilities unemployed, we can't stress enough the importance of supporting our wounded veterans as many transition into the civilian workforce. This support cannot have a time limit. These soldiers have given so much; we need to be there for them as long as it takes."
While serving in a combat unit in Iraq in 2004, Spc. Vycital was injured when he was struck by a bullet that entered his face and traveled down his neck to his back. Spc. Vycital's wounds were severe, requiring him to have numerous surgeries to reconstruct and repair his face. Today, he suffers from facial paralysis on one side, deafness in his ear and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
After medically retiring from the Army, Spc. Vycital struggled to get back on his feet, but finally returned to college through Veterans Affairs' Vocational Rehabilitation. While in school, Spc. Vycital began communicating with an NOD Career Specialist who helped him work toward securing a job after graduation.
Near the time that Spc. Vycital graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting in December 2008, NOD was approached by Rick Suarez, senior engineer and supervisor for Central Federal Lands' Federal Highway Administration, who expressed interest in supporting the program by hiring a Wounded Warrior. Spc. Vycital was hired in early 2009 as an entry level accountant and was promoted to Program Financial Specialist in less than a year.
"Being able to support myself and my wife was a serious concern when I returned with injuries from my service in Iraq. I've always been a hard worker and wanted to continue to have the opportunity to progress in a successful career," said Spc. Vycital. "The National Organization on Disability's Wounded Warrior Careers program has helped me achieve that success and allowed me to open doors that, due to my injuries, once seemed closed to me. I'm grateful to President Obama for giving me the opportunity to shine a light on this critically important program."
The NOD Wounded Warrior Careers pilot program is currently based in three locations, Colorado, Texas and North Carolina, and is scheduled to continue for two more years. NOD is actively seeking a $28 million federal appropriation to expand this successful program to as many as 12 sites throughout the country for a five-year period. The current program is supported with lead funding from Kessler Foundation, Ford Foundation, Lockheed Martin, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Starr Foundation.
"Kessler Foundation is proud to have provided seed funding for the launch of NOD's Wounded Warrior Careers program, which is helping to meet the critical need for employment for soldiers returning with disabilities," said Rodger DeRose, President and CEO of Kessler Foundation. "Our support of this program is just one of the ways that the Foundation is improving the lives of people with disabilities, like Spc. Vycital."
The most severely injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan must travel a long and difficult road before they can resume active civilian lives and put their abilities to full use. The ultimate goal of the NOD Wounded Warrior Careers program is to help the Army, as well as other organizations inside and outside the military, learn the most effective ways to support veterans with the gravest injuries as they move forward on a career path. Just as important is the need to make employers aware of the value employees with disabilities can add to their businesses, and the benefits of transforming the labor market into a more equitable, safe and welcoming place for people with all kinds of abilities.
About the National Organization on Disability
For nearly three decades, the National Organization on Disability has been a galvanizing force, a clearinghouse of ideas and policy, and an authoritative voice for people with every kind of disability. Through initiatives like its Wounded Warrior Career program, the National Organizatio
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Contact: Steve Aaron 717-554-8614
