[House Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
REVIEWING THE PROGRESS OF THE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES PARALYMPICS
AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS TO PROMOTE ADAPTIVE SPORTS
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
of the
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
OCTOBER 5, 2011
__________
Serial No. 112-28
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
----------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
71-380 PDF WASHINGTON : 2011
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800;
DC area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC,
Washington, DC 20402-0001
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
JEFF MILLER, Florida, Chairman
CLIFF STEARNS, Florida BOB FILNER, California, Ranking
DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado CORRINE BROWN, Florida
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida SILVESTRE REYES, Texas
DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine
MARLIN A. STUTZMAN, Indiana LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
BILL FLORES, Texas BRUCE L. BRALEY, Iowa
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio JERRY McNERNEY, California
JEFF DENHAM, California JOE DONNELLY, Indiana
JON RUNYAN, New Jersey TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
DAN BENISHEK, Michigan JOHN BARROW, Georgia
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
TIM HUELSKAMP, Kansas
MARK E. AMODEI, Nevada
ROBERT L. TURNER, New York
Helen W. Tolar, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
MARLIN A. STUTZMAN, Indiana, Chairman
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida BRUCE L. BRALEY, Iowa, Ranking
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
TIM HUELSKAMP, Kansas TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
JEFF DENHAM, California
Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public
hearing records of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs are also
published in electronic form. The printed hearing record remains the
official version. Because electronic submissions are used to prepare
both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process
of converting between various electronic formats may introduce
unintentional errors or omissions. Such occurrences are inherent in the
current publication process and should diminish as the process is
further refined.
C O N T E N T S
__________
October 5, 2011
Page
Partnership Between the United States Paralympics and the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs to Promote Adaptive Sports...... 1
OPENING STATEMENTS
Chairman Marlin A. Stutzman...................................... 1
Prepared statement of Chairman Stutzman...................... 38
Hon. Bruce L. Braley, Ranking Democratic Member.................. 2
Prepared statement of Congressman Braley..................... 38
WITNESSES
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Christopher Nowak, Director,
Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events. 28
Prepared statement of Mr. Nowak.............................. 58
______
Disabled Sports USA, Kirk M. Bauer, J.D., USA (Ret.), Executive
Director....................................................... 9
Prepared statement of Mr. Bauer.............................. 48
Iowa Sports Foundation, Ames, IA, Michael Charles Boone,
Director, Adaptive Sports Iowa................................. 6
Prepared statement of Mr. Boone.............................. 42
Paralyzed Veterans of America, Carl Blake, National Legislative
Director....................................................... 12
Prepared statement of Mr. Blake.............................. 52
Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, Ft.
Wayne, IN, Tina Acosta, MS, TR, Director, Adult Day Services
and Adaptive Sports and Recreation and Secretary, Indiana
Association of Adult Day Services.............................. 7
Prepared statement of Ms. Acosta............................. 45
U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, Colonel Richard G. Cardillo,
Jr., USA, (Ret.), Military Sport Program Coordinator........... 4
Prepared statement of Colonel Cardillo....................... 39
U.S. Olympic Committee, Charles Huebner, Chief of U.S.
Paralympics.................................................... 25
Prepared statement of Mr. Huebner............................ 56
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES PARALYMPICS AND THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS TO PROMOTE ADAPTIVE SPORTS
----------
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in
Room 340, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Marlin A. Stutzman
[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Stutzman, Braley, and Walz.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN STUTZMAN
Mr. Stutzman. Good morning and welcome everyone to the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
This Committee's first responsibility to our veterans is to
enable those injured in military service and to have the
broadest opportunity to rehabilitate themselves, and that is
what today's oversight hearing is all about. So I appreciate
everyone being here and looking forward to the testimony this
morning.
While I was not a Member of the 110th Congress, one of the
legislative bright spots was the provision in Public Law 110-
389 that established the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA)-U.S. Paralympics Adaptive Sports Program, an initiative to
expand the use of sports as part of a veterans rehabilitation
programs.
To do that, the law authorizes $8 million per year to fund
veteran adaptive sports programs from the local level through
elite levels of competition. The law limits use of the funds to
disabled veterans and servicemembers and includes a provision
to pay a per diem to those selected to participate in high-
level adaptive sports competitions.
There was a good reason to direct VA to partner with U.S.
Paralympics, and that was to use the cache of the Olympic brand
and the ability to attract local and national organizations.
Just as important, we saw how the Olympic brand would
attract disabled veterans to adaptive sports.
Given what we will hear today, that strategy has worked
very well. It appears that thousands more disabled veterans are
now involved in adaptive sports and at the elite levels, as
well in our national Paralympic and adaptive sports teams that
now include many more disabled veterans. It seems the program
is also fostering further cooperation between adaptive sports
clubs and programs at the local and at the national level.
While the Paralympics has yet to draw the viewership like
the Olympics, I believe the next steps would be to expand media
coverage, and I would ask Mr. Huebner to include their media
plans in his remarks this morning.
In short, I believe the VA-U.S.Paralympics program is the
right thing at the right time and that is why I have introduced
H.R. 2345, which extends this program through 2018. And I am
very happy that we were able to favorably report H.R. 2345 to
the full Committee back in July, and I look forward to its
consideration at the full Committee.
Before I recognize the Ranking Member, I believe it is
important to mention the role of recreational therapy as part
of rehabilitation.
When staff visited a Midwestern VA medical center and asked
the director about the hospital's recreation therapy program,
the reply was, ``we don't have Bingo here.'' I find that myopic
view of a well-documented rehabilitation resource incredible
and I intend to speak with Chairwoman Buerkle about taking a
look at VA's national recreational therapy program or lack of a
program. If nothing else, it should be a major source of
participants for the VA-Paralympic program.
So at this time, I would like to recognize the
distinguished Ranking Member, Mr. Braley, for his opening
remarks.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Stutzman appears on p. 38.]
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BRUCE L. BRALEY
Mr. Braley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Since the beginning of time, competition has been in our
DNA and it has always been a part of the warrior ethos, and the
great thing about this Paralympics program is that it allows
individuals who have served their country with honor and
distinction and who have suffered wounds that have changed
their outlook on their own lives the opportunity to continue to
compete and inspire others with their performance, and that is
why I am so glad to be here with you today holding this
important hearing.
Since the early years in our country, Congress has had to
reassess programs created to care for our men and women in
uniform, our veterans who have courageously answered the call
to duty, and their families who have shared in that military
experience. Congress stands united in support of our members of
the Armed Forces and veterans who deserve the best resources we
can mustard to help them succeed in life after they complete
their military service.
Paralympics sports have been used as a method of adaptive
sports therapy since World War II when my father served.
Paralympics continue to provide rehabilitation services to
our disabled servicemembers who continue to use them
successfully and these services have proven to be popular.
And I might add, Mr. Chairman, my brother, Brian Braley,
works at the VA Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, as a
kinesiotherapist working with veterans to help them get back on
a path toward achieving their full level of functioning, and
that is why I am so proud to be a part of this Committee.
Today's hearing will give the Subcommittee the opportunity
to hear from the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), how the
Paralympics program was first authorized, as the Chairman did
on October 10th of 2008, and how it has assisted our members of
the service and veterans to heal from the wounds of war.
We know that the price of war is not paid for by money
alone. Servicemembers that are called upon to serve on behalf
of our country pay in many ways and they often pay the ultimate
price. This is especially true for those who have made the
sacrifice of life and injury sustained while in service, and I
am very proud to welcome Mike Boone, the Director of Adaptive
Sports Iowa who is here to testify today.
In March, his organization hosted a forum that brought
people together interested in increasing opportunities for
persons with physical and visual disabilities to be active in
daily physical activity programs.
And I am also happy to welcome Clarence Hudson who is the
Executive Director of Iowa Sports Foundation, who I just met
and am very honored to have with us today.
Although I was unable to attend this forum, my staff was
there and has provided great feedback on the work Adaptive
Sports Iowa is doing and how positively it impacts physically
disabled athletes.
I also had the opportunity recently to meet with Andy Yohe
from Bendorf, Iowa, who is a member of Team USA sled hockey
team and in 2006 helped his team win a bronze medal at the
Paralympics Winter Games in Torino, Italy. Then he helped the
U.S. capture gold at the 2010 Paralympics Winter Games in
Vancouver, Canada. Ironically he was accompanied at that
meeting by U.S. Olympic gymnast and fellow Iowan, Shawn
Johnson, who has been a tremendous advocate on behalf of the
Paralympics. Shawn earned a gold medal and three silver medals
at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Many of my colleagues agree that the Department of Veterans
Affairs provides world-class care to our injured servicemembers
and veterans. Knowing this, I would like to hear about the VA
and USOC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and its
implementation. I am very interested to see if there have been
any issues of concern in the partnership process, and I would
also like to hear about program outreach to veterans and other
veterans organizations that could help coordinate important
events such as the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.
As always, I look forward to working with you and your
staff, Mr. Chairman, to ensure that this program continues to
be successful in its mission to provide rehabilitative sports
therapy to our injured servicemembers and our veterans.
And I will yield back.
[The prepared statement of Congressman Braley appears on p.
38.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you, Ranking Member Braley, and I now
call up our first panel.
Our first panel is composed of Colonel Richard Cardillo,
Jr, from the U.S. Army, retired from the United States
Association of Blind Veterans, Mr. Michael Boone from Adaptive
Sports in Iowa. Welcome. Ms. Tina Acosta from the Turnstone
Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities in Ft. Wayne,
Indiana. Mr. Kirk Bauer from Disabled Sports USA, and finally
Mr. Carl Blake from Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA).
I want to extend a special welcome to Ms. Acosta from Ft.
Wayne, Indiana. We had the chance to meet last night, and some
of the stories that she shared with us are quite inspiring and
the work that they are doing is very encouraging, and I know
that the work that she is doing in Ft. Wayne in my district is
something to be very proud of. So welcome and thank you for
coming.
The story she also is going to share with us, I hope, about
a veteran from Indiana is also a wonderful story I think the
Committee will appreciate.
So Colonel Cardillo, I think we will start with you. If you
would like to go ahead and share your testimony, then we will
go to Mr. Boone and down the line from there.
STATEMENTS OF COLONEL RICHARD G. CARDILLO, JR., USA, (RET.),
MILITARY SPORT PROGRAM COORDINATOR, U.S. ASSOCIATION OF BLIND
ATHLETES; MICHAEL CHARLES BOONE, DIRECTOR, ADAPTIVE SPORTS
IOWA, IOWA SPORTS FOUNDATION, AMES, IA; TINA ACOSTA, MS, TR,
DIRECTOR, ADULT DAY SERVICES AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS AND
RECREATION, TURNSTONE CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH
DISABILITIES, FT. WAYNE, IN, AND SECRETARY, INDIANA ASSOCIATION
OF ADULT DAY SERVICES; KIRK M. BAUER, J.D., USA (RET.),
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DISABLED SPORTS USA; AND CARL BLAKE,
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA
STATEMENT OF COLONEL RICHARD G. CARDILLO, JR., USA, (RET.)
Colonel Cardillo. Great. Good morning, Mr. Braley, Mr.
Stutzman, other Members of the panel.
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is
a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that has provided life-
enriching sports opportunities for children, youth, and adults
who are blind and visually impaired for the past 35 years.
Through our partnership with the United States Olympic
Committee, USABA has strengthened the collective effort to
enhance the lives of disabled veterans and disabled members of
the Armed Forces who are blind and visually impaired in order
to enhance their rehabilitation process through sport, physical
activity, and recreation, and most importantly to assist them
in the reintegration back into their home communities.
I would like to thank you for this opportunity to present
our views on the partnership and progress between the USOC
Paralympics Division and the Department of Veterans Affairs in
promoting adaptive sports for our Nation's veterans.
This morning I would like to explain what this initiative
has meant to USABA, and more importantly, to highlight some of
the accomplishments and the impact this has had over the past 3
years.
First off, we have grown our mission vision programming
efforts from a start of 19 veterans back in 2008 to over 300
veterans today, and those same veterans are living at home and
training in local community-based fitness centers around the
United States.
Many of these veterans have recognized the health benefits
that physical activity has on improving their daily lives, and
a select few of those veterans have been able to take their
level of physical activity and skills to a higher level through
the U.S. Paralympic Emerging Athlete Program in hopes of making
the U.S. Paralympic National Team.
For example, Chester Triplett, United States Army, a
veteran out of Mooresville, North Carolina, recently
participated at the U.S. Track National Championships in tandem
cycling for the first time. He began cycling less than 2 years
ago. Well, he won the 200 meter sprint and he placed second in
the kilo, and more importantly he qualified to attend the World
Track Nationals in Los Angeles in February. So he is probably
one of our more elite athletes at the other end of the
spectrum.
Through our Military Sport Program we work directly with
the VA staff at 9 of the existing 13 Blind Rehabilitation
Centers in an effort to enhance the rehabilitation programs at
those centers by assisting them in connecting with local
community-based programs, and in some cases, Paralympic sport
clubs.
Some examples are the Southeastern Blind Rehab Center in
Birmingham, Alabama, has a very close relationship with the
Lakeshore Foundation; another nonprofit organization, also a
Paralympic sport club, and they take veterans on a weekly basis
predominately to improve their strength and physical fitness.
The Western Blind Rehab Center in Palo Alto, California,
has a tremendous weekly relationship with a local tandem
cycling club and they take their veterans out cycling once a
week, perhaps even twice a week in some cases, and they are
also in the developmental stages of partnering with the Riekes
Center for Human Enhancement; another local community-based
organization, which also happens to be another Paralympic sport
club.
And finally, at the American Lakes Rehab Center in Tacoma,
Washington, they have a golfing program with a local golfing
organization, and they are working to expand their program with
the Tacoma Parks and Recreation and a local rowing program.
We have worked closely with the Department of Veterans
Affairs over the past 2 years on immersing select Veteran
Affairs blind rehabilitation center staff into our summer
sports program in a train-the-trainer program; the adaptive
sports programming knowledge that these individuals gain is
easily transferable back into their own recreational and
rehabilitation efforts.
We continuously expand existing programming efforts to
include greater veteran participation at our summer and winter
sports programs and other developmental and learn to race
cycling camps.
We encourage and assist veteran participation at community-
based programming being offered around the United States.
And I see my time is slowly running out so I will quickly
jump to our recommendations. We have three. And those three
involve working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Vision Center of Excellence.
Our first recommendation is to ease the identification and
sharing of contact information so that we can better assist
these veterans as they become known to learn more about the
programming efforts and the rehabilitation efforts around the
United States.
Secondly, we would like to re-establish the funding stream
from the VA to allow for the continuation of support and
services to the Blind Rehabilitation Centers.
And our third recommendation, we would like to see an
expansion of the current on-going programming efforts to
include the spouse and family member integration into those
rehabilitation programs.
For the past 53 years, I have known all too well the
importance that the military family plays and the impact that
it has on the servicemember, and we believe that the inclusion
of those individuals in that rehabilitation program effort is
important to the rehabilitation of that veteran.
I truly would just like to say thank you for giving us the
opportunity to present our thoughts, and if I had more time,
and I can wait till the end, there is a letter attached as
Exhibit A from one of our recent program participates that very
clearly articulates the impact that the program had on his
life, and I believe that I can speak for the rest of the
veterans that it has on their lives as well.
[The prepared statement of Colonel Cardillo appears on p.
39.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. And feel free to share more
comments during the questions that we have.
Colonel Cardillo. Okay.
Mr. Stutzman. So we definitely want to hear what you have
to say. So Colonel----
Colonel Cardillo. Great.
Mr. Stutzman [continuing]. Thank you.
Mr. Boone, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL CHARLES BOONE
Mr. Boone. Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley, and
Members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate and am humbled to
appear before you today to discuss the partnership between the
U.S. Paralympics and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
I personally have never had the honor to serve within the
military. As a citizen of this country, I cannot express enough
the gratitude I have for the sacrifice the honorable men and
women of our Armed Forces make.
As a professional in the adaptive sports industry, I
realized that I can have an impact on the lives of those who
have come home with a physical disability. The opportunities I
can provide will have a positive effect on the quality of life
for both the injured members and their families.
Prior to 2010, the State of Iowa lacked the infrastructure
to support a development of a sustainable statewide sports and
recreation program for the physically disabled. The Iowa Sports
Foundation or the ISF recognized this need. We had the
leadership to make the difference within the State of Iowa and
to serve as a catalyst for change.
Adaptive Sports Iowa or ASI is our answer to Iowa's need.
Officially kicking off in March 2011, ASI was established with
the mission of creating, organizing, and promoting sport and
recreation programs for Iowa's physically disabled population.
The Adaptive Sports Iowa Summit, which Congressman Braley
was just referring to, officially kicked off in March of 2011.
As a part of the Summit, we were honored to host Charlie
Hubener, Chief of U.S. Paralympics. Mr. Hubener came to observe
and present ASI with an Olympic Opportunity Grant from the U.S.
Paralympics and the Department of Veterans Affairs. That grant
allowed for us to purchase new equipment and to begin a program
that would target physically disabled veterans in the State of
Iowa.
With the promise of that grant money, we launched Operation
ASI, a program specifically intended for Iowa's physically
disabled veterans.
To assist in the planning, we formed a committee to oversee
it. The Committee was comprised of representatives from the
Iowa National Guard, the Central Iowa VA Health Care System,
Paralyzed Veterans of America-Iowa Chapter, and myself.
We held our first event on July 9, 2011, which was set up
as an expo to introduce veterans to a variety of different
activities.
The partnership between the U.S. Paralympics and the VA is
an important and successful collaboration with great potential.
Nationally, there are organizations that provide adaptive
sports and recreation programming in their respective
communities and regions. The overwhelming majority of these
organizations work independently from each other with limited
collaboration.
U.S. Paralympics is in the unique position to provide the
leadership to these organizations to assist in the development
of a nationwide grass roots support system.
There is an area of improvement I suggest the Subcommittee
examine to improve this partnership.
Efficiently disseminate information regarding our programs
to disabled veterans has been a significant stumbling block for
our organization. When a disabled soldier returns home from
rehab, there is currently no effective way for us to inform
them of our programming opportunities. And an easy and
immediate improvement to this partnership is to establish a way
for soldiers that would benefit from our services to be
informed prior to their separation from the military.
In closing, I would like to thank the Committee for your
support of adaptive sports programming for disabled veterans.
I grew up in a household with a blind father. While he was
not a veteran, I saw firsthand how opportunities like the ones
that we are providing can drastically change lives. What you
are doing matters a great deal and will have a positive impact
for program participants, their families, friends, and
communities for a long time to come.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Boone appears on p. 42.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you.
Ms. Acosta, you are recognized for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF TINA ACOSTA, MS, TR
Ms. Acosta. Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member, Braley, and
Members of Subcommittee, I would like to thank you for inviting
me to come here and speak. It is an honor to be here to
represent Turnstone and Ft. Wayne.
I would like to say that Turnstone has been a Paralympic
sport club since 2009, and through our partnership it has
provided a lot of resources, referrals, and experts, and it has
really helped us to increase the quality and the size of our
program.
In 1995, Turnstone addressed the lack of sports,
recreation, and wellness activities by developing the region's
only adaptive sports program. In 16 years, Turnstone's program
has grown to become a Paralympic sport club, which today serves
over 500 people with physical disabilities, but hundreds more,
including our veterans and members of the Armed Forces, could
be served if programs were available.
Turnstone has been providing services to the community
since 1943, and last year we provided services to over 2,200
people. We provide a full range of services from birth through
a person's lifetime, including licensed daycare, physical
occupational and speech therapy, adult day services, a wellness
center, and our adaptive sports program.
While we have served many people with physical
disabilities, it became aware to us that we were not serving
our veteran population.
While at a conference with the Paralympics Sports
Association in April, I became aware of a program that was
piloted in Chicago, it was called Healthy Minds, Healthy
Bodies. The gal that presented the session talked about a
veteran who had been suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) and had literally lived his life in his
basement for 5 years, and she credited the success of this
program for helping to bring this gentleman back to life. And I
felt like that that was a perfect program for us to apply for
one of these Olympic opportunity grants.
We have a perfect set up here in Ft. Wayne. We have an
accessible fitness and wellness center, we have trained staff
that with work with veterans with physical disabilities.
The components of our program include inviting 25 veterans
with physical disabilities and one family member to a free
membership to our fitness center. It would also include monthly
social events for any veteran with a physical disability, and
at that time we would provide a speaker on health and wellness
topics, we would introduce them to our adaptive sports program,
and provide a meal, as well as networking and fellowship among
the veterans.
Part of the grant also includes hiring a vet, contracting
with a veteran who can help us get out there and be a liaison
between the veterans and our organization.
We will also establish an advisory committee, and that
advisory committee will evaluate the success of our program,
but also the needs of our veterans and how we can partner with
other community agencies to meet their needs.
I would like to talk a little bit about this gentleman, his
name is Tim, and before we even applied for the grant he came
to our facility, and I feel like he is a great example of how
we can serve others.
Shortly after I returned in April, there was an article in
the paper, this gentleman, Tim, he is 25 years old, he attends
the Indiana University (IU) Purdue extension campus in Ft.
Wayne and he did a project called Operation Thank You.
From there we offered him a free membership to our fitness
center. He attended all summer, he came three times a week, and
he started to see a lot of weight coming off. He told us that
while he was rehabbing and after he went back to civilian life,
there was just a real loss of activity and he had a huge weight
gain. So he started coming. He has also been joining the
fitness center at the campus and he has also been able to
compete in some athletic events.
Just last month he participated in a 4 mile run where 9,500
people from the area competed in a 13 or a 6-K or a 4 mile run.
This is Tyler who he helped get through the race. Tim has
been a great role model. He always has a positive attitude and
he really wants to give back to the community for everything
that has been given to him this summer.
This is another picture of him, this was taken in Chicago
at the Valor Midwest Games. This was an opportunity for Tim to
participate with 150 other veterans with disabilities in a
variety of sports track and field events. It was a great
opportunity for this young man to see the kinds of
opportunities that there are out there for him in the world of
sports and recreation.
And this is Tim today. He still continues to attend school.
He is also a member of our adult wheelchair basketball team. He
has a lot of goals he wants to accomplish. He has also been
selected as a committee person to serve on the campus committee
to explore the possibility of intramural and collegiate
adaptive sports at the college level.
And I would just like to say that I would echo with what
has been said today that we would like to open those doors
between the VA and the community partnerships so that we can
work together so that when these veterans are returning to the
community, that the opportunities that they deserve are there
for them.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Acosta appears on p. 45.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. And if I remember right, yesterday
you said that Tim was living at his parent's house for how
long?
Ms. Acosta. I am sorry, what was the question?
Mr. Stutzman. Tim was living at his parent's house, is that
right, in the basement?
Ms. Acosta. No, that was the gentleman in Chicago. Tim is
living on campus at the University.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay, all right, I was confusing the two. All
right, thank you.
Mr. Bauer, you are recognized for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF KIRK M. BAUER, J.D., USA (RET.)
Mr. Bauer. Thank you. My name is Kirk Bauer, I am a
Director at Disabled Sports USA. The organization was started
in 1967 by disabled Vietnam veterans. I got involved in 1969
when I got hit by a grenade during an ambush in Vietnam, and so
I have been involved with this sports program for over 41
years, and I want to say that the Paralympics sport program in
partnership with the VA is the most successful program we have
ever seen and we are certainly honored to be part of it. We
think it has opened up opportunities for veterans both at the
recreational level, healthy lifestyles, as well as at the
Paralympic level.
I think it is significant to note that the very first medal
won at the Vancouver Paralympics in 2010 was also the very
first medal ever won by the U.S. in Paralympic sport of
biathlon, and it was won by a wounded warrior, Andy Soule, and
I think that is a testament to the success of the Paralympic
program and the work that they are doing and that we are trying
to help them do to show that these veterans can excel in sport
as well as excel in life.
So I certainly want to thank all of you for this
opportunity and for the program that has been created.
I also want to touch on a few comments that were made by
Congressman Braley. Even though this program is both to enhance
lifestyles and to create physical activities so the disabled
veterans can lead healthier lives, it also has a competition
component, and we see that competition component not just for
Paralympic sport, these young men and women are very
competitive, and if one other veteran does something like jump
a mogul or hit a wake on a wake board the next veteran says,
okay, I have to do that now, and this natural competition
really does speed up the progress that they make in sports and
in rehab. And so that element of competition exists everywhere
across the board and it is really very, very healthy, so thank
you for your comments.
And I would also like to say that you touched on, you know,
the recognition of rec therapy and what it really means. It
means, you know, climbing mountains.
I was privileged to take two double leg amputees last year
up Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, and the three
of us had literally one good leg between us, that was mine,
thank God it was mine, and we made it to the top, and that is
because of opportunities that were provided through programs
like the VA, so thank you very much.
I am going to touch, just sort of briefly go over our
testimony, but again, I want to make one recommendation which
is to raise the awareness level with the rec departments in the
various VAs. Right now, we are working with about 30 VAs that
are very proactive, but just last week, we ran into a situation
on the west coast where we talked to a VA rec person whose
comment was, well, we have to treat all nonprofits equally. We
can't, you know, give favor to one nonprofit over another when
we are promoting programs. And I had to remind this person that
Disabled Sports USA, along with Paralyzed Veterans of America,
Disabled American Veterans who play sports is actually named in
the legislation and is a partner with the VA and this is a VA
program, and that person evidently was not aware of that.
So this kind of awareness really needs to get there so our
job is easier in reaching out to the disabled veterans and
providing the services that we know they deserve.
This program, the Paralympic sport program, has enabled
Disabled Sports USA. We have been providing sports programs at
the hospitals since 2003, when they declared the war in Iraq,
but we have been able to double our service when the program
was established through the VA.
This year we just got a count of over 1,100 severely
wounded being served this year in over 125 different sports
teaching events in 32 States involving 20 different sports.
So these are not just Paralympic sports, they are all
sports that they can get involved in year round.
And we are now working with 30 VAs, recruiting disabled
veterans for the programs, and 17 wounded warrior units like
Fort Belvoir, Fort Campbell in Tennessee, and others around the
country, the Pendleton and Lejeune Marine Warrior Transition
Units. And all of this has been possible because of this
funding, and so we do want to stress how important it has been
in our outreach and service to the disabled veterans and the
wounded warriors.
We have been able to leverage this money to raise $3 in
private-sector funding for every dollar that has been provided
through the Paralympics, and that has enabled us to expand
services beyond what the role is within the Paralympic sport
program.
We now have sponsored four elite international competitions
here in the U.S. having to do with ski racing. That has been
funded by private-sector funding, but it is also a supplement
to the competition program so that they can become better and
better prepared to be Paralypians in the 2014 Paralympic Games.
We have been able to fund training camps. We have been able
to hold activities in is summertime. A range of activities in
is summertime both on the competitive level as well as the
recreational level.
We have been able to support a national hand cycling series
that involves disabled veterans that cannot walk but are able
to hand cycle so they have those opportunities, and all of this
again has been parlayed, it has been leveraged so that we can
work more effectively with these young men and women.
And this program has created such excitement that Disabled
Sports USA has 104 chapters, 39 of them have already become
Paralympic sport clubs helping to promote the brand, helping to
promote the message, and we expect many more chapters to come
on board as a result of this program.
So this is involving communities across the country.
And the next step that has occurred because of this program
is that, you know, not only teaching events are held, but also
ongoing events so that the veteran can be involved on a
continuous basis. We have continuous programs going on in
California, in Washington, in New Hampshire, in Vermont, in
Virginia, in Maryland, in Colorado, and other places, and this
is giving them ongoing opportunities to lead healthy and fit
lives.
I have some examples again of some of the veterans that
have benefitted from the program. One is a policeman now in
Pleasanton, skis regularly, hand cycles regularly, and again is
back at work.
Another gentleman was a demolition expert, he literally was
blown up in Iraq. If you saw the movie Hurt Locker he was the
hurt locker, and the blast was so severe, it wasn't the heat
from the blast but the actual power of the blast that literally
ripped off the skin from his legs and he had to have multiple
skin grafts. He just last month got a job offer from one of our
corporate sponsors, AON, to work in their security department,
and again, he was so excited about that opportunity, but this
is again a full round of getting back into life and getting
back into work.
Another is working for Boeing and is also a certified ski
instructor, teaching other disabled veterans how to ski, and
you know, using that sport as a form of rehabilitation.
I think the list could go on. We had one wife write to us
and say thank you for giving me my husband back. She said he
had been depressed, he had lost the light in his eyes, and when
we got involved in the sports program, he suddenly came alive
again. And so this is literally changing lives and changing the
lives of families as well.
So these are just some of the examples of what has happened
with this program. We envision greater things as the program
continues.
I do want to stress that the need is greater than ever. We
have been seeing at the hospitals, particularly at Bethesda, an
influx. I have never, in my 41 years, have never seen so many
multiple limb amputees ever. Single, double, triple amputees,
there is actually a couple of quadruple amputees now, and I
tried to get a meeting with Chuck Scovill, Colonel Scovill, the
head of amputee care at Bethesda on Friday and his aid said
forget it, he is in an all day meeting.
Three weeks after Bethesda reopened their beds are totally
full, and this is after they have shifted a third of the
patients from Walter Reed over to Belvoir, which has a great
facility by the way, and they don't know what to do with the
influx of multiple amputees that are coming through. They are
full right now and this was not anticipated.
So we expect that this need and these young men and women
will need these support services in the future and we ask for
your continued support on their behalf.
So thank you very much for the opportunity to testify, and
thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Bauer appears on p. 48.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. And you know amazing stories and I
am sure you could share a lot of them, and the mental toughness
that they have is also unbelievable.
Mr. Bauer. I am sorry.
Mr. Stutzman. The mental toughness that these men and women
as they start training and performing is incredible.
Mr. Bauer. Yes, absolutely.
Mr. Stutzman. Mr. Blake, you are recognized for your
testimony.
STATEMENT OF CARL BLAKE
Mr. Blake. Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley,
Members of the Subcommittee, on behalf of Paralyzed Veterans of
America, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to
testify today on the partnership between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the United States Olympic Committee
Paralympics.
Perhaps no veterans service organization (VSO) understands
the importance of sports as a rehabilitation tool more than
PVA. Since its inception in 1946, PVA has recognized the
important role that sports and recreation play in the spinal
cord injury rehabilitation process. It is for this reason that
PVA developed and annually administers a comprehensive sports
and recreation program for its members and all veterans with
disabilities.
PVA was pleased to support the provisions of Public Law
110-389. PVA has been fortunate to benefit directly from the
expansion of activities under the USOC-Paralympics partnership
with VA.
PVA was a grant recipient of one of the first round of
grants provided by the USOC. In December 2010, PVA received a
grant of $400,000 from the USOC for the Paralympics Integrated
Adaptive Sports Program. This funding was intended to cover
program support activities through June 2011 when the next
round of grants was originally anticipated to be disbursed.
With the financial support of the Paralympics, PVA was able
to provide sports and recreation opportunities to 805 unique
disabled veterans. Ultimately, 4,261 participation
opportunities were made available to disabled veterans. These
are individual events for individual unique veterans.
PVA allocated the grant funding to the PVA Hand cycling
Program, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, our National
Trapshoot Circuit, and a PVA/American Wheelchair Bowling
Association (AWBA) Bowling Tournament series.
We believe that much progress and enhanced cooperation has
resulted from the Paralympics program and its partnership with
VA.
Under this program, PVA has witnessed improved coordination
between our organization, the USOC-Paralympics, and other
veterans' and community-based organizations that has enhanced
existing programs and advanced development of new programs in
communities that previously had not been served.
In the past, we offered several recommendations that we
believed would expand veteran participation in programs
administered by the VA and the Paralympics program. While we
believe that the Paralympics program has helped alleviate some
of those concerns, our principal recommendation to remove
barriers to participation remains the same.
Our concern is that newly injured veterans should be
provided timely access to education and training regarding
sports and recreation opportunities, much like that was already
mentioned here. We believe that the VA and DoD should continue
to improve coordination of outreach efforts between legitimate
organizations promoting sports and recreation opportunities and
newly injured veterans.
With regard to the USOC-Paralympics program specifically,
we are pleased to see that the USOC has recently provided an
open accounting of how it has administered all of its funds;
however, we believe the USOC-Paralympics should implement a
review committee that consists of leaders from the adapted
sports and recreation community who administer programs for
disabled veterans to also participate in the disbursement of
funding for these programs.
Finally, we have some concern about the timeliness and
efficiency of funding the USOC-Paralympics program.
In order for the organization to disburse funding to grant
recipients, the USOC-Paralympics program must receive Federal
funding in a timely manner. We understand that VA has been slow
to provide the necessary funding authorized by the original
legislation. The ability of the USOC-Paralympics to plan and
administer the grants it provides is hindered by the inability
of Congress to complete work on the appropriations process.
As we understand it, funding for this grant program is
directed through the Office of Public and Intergovernmental
Affairs. In other words, until the Fiscal Year 2012 VA
Appropriations Bill is finally completed, funding for this
program will be placed on hold.
Moreover, we must emphasize that the importance of this
program should preclude it from having its funding reduced as a
part of deficit reduction discussions.
We look forward to working with this Subcommittee to ensure
that a wide range of sports and recreation activities are
available to the men and women who have served and sacrificed.
This concludes my statement, I would be happy to answer any
questions that you might have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Blake appears on p. 52.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you very much, and thank you to all of
you on the panel, and would also just mention right now I want
to recognize Mr. Bauer and also Colonel Cardillo for your
service to our country and thank you for your willingness to
serve.
I will start with just anyone on the panel. Just a simple
question. Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the
Paralympic grant process? And anybody can feel free to answer
that.
Mr. Bauer. Well, again we would reiterate the need for
timeliness. I know that sometimes their funding is held up
because of, you know, either bureaucracies or the uncertainty
of the funding from the Committee.
But the timeliness. We are already, for instance, moving
forward for winter programs. We have to schedule these programs
months and advance. Our first program will be in December,
December 4th through the 11th, in Colorado. It will be a full
week of everything to do with winter sports. There is going to
be sled hockey training, there is going to be Nordic biathlon,
snow boarding, alpine skiing. There is going to be race
training, and all that had to be put into place and yet we are
still uncertain about the funding because of the process.
So I would certainly reiterate what Blake said that, you
know, we just need some certainty so we can move forward.
Mr. Blake. I would like to say as a credit to the
Paralympics, they have already begun outlining their plan for
disbursing funding through various grants. Unfortunately, they
are just held up by not having the actual money in hand to
divvy it up once it comes online.
Mr. Bauer. And I will support that statement very much.
Mr. Boone. The organizations that are here in front of you
today obviously other than myself, they are large national
organizations. More often than not, though the people that are
out there doing the actual work, the local adaptive sports
programs, a lot of times, they are independent organizations,
and unfortunate to be hooked up to a larger nonprofit. The Iowa
sports Foundation, a lot of times, they are independently
operated. And one thing we recognize is just the nature of the
beast is adaptive sports usually the numbers are low and the
cost is very high for the programming for equipment and
everything else.
So when grant money is committed, it is a big financial
burden for these small organizations to commit the funds and do
the programs not knowing when exactly the money is going to
arrive.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay. And then kind of to follow up with you,
Mr. Boone and Ms. Acosta, if you would chip in on this one as
well. How did you initially find out about the VA Paralympic
adaptive program sports--the sports grant program and what was
your impressions of the program and the process?
Ms. Acosta. I found out about the program at the Paralympic
Leadership Conference in April, and we were very excited
because we have a 3.8 million annual operating budget and 60
percent of that is raised locally and we felt like this would
be a great resource for us to utilize to get our veterans
involved, so we were very excited about it and hearing about
it.
There was a time delay in getting the application to us,
and like everyone has said, you know, we are now kind of--we
are going to be running forward very quickly to do what we need
to be within the next year.
Mr. Boone. Adaptive Sports Iowa found out through
Paralympics. I was looking up to really create a good
relationship between me and Charlie Huebner just because he was
so interested with the success that our program was having
locally, very quickly and we were made aware of it.
And what was the second part of that question?
Mr. Stutzman. Just how did you find out about the program.
Mr. Boone. Okay, yeah. It was through USA Paralympics and
the conversations I had with Charlie Huebner.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay. And then again to all the panel and
feel free to anyone to answer this, but how would you track
successes of the grant program and the grant that you had
received measuring success how?
Mr. Bauer. Again, Kirk Bauer, Disabled Sports USA. We are
actually conducting surveys. This last summer we have a return
of about 100 surveys and we are shooting for about 300 to 400
surveys returned, and getting paperwork from these guys and
gals is not always the easiest thing in the world. And
basically, we are tracking their assessment on their outlook on
life, as well as their fitness levels, as well as their
continuing activity.
That is really the crux of this whole program is you want
to introduce them and teach them skills, but then you want to
see that they continue to use those skills to lead a healthy
lifestyle.
So we are actually in the process of doing those surveys
now and they are very positive so far. The preliminary results
are very, very, very positive.
Mr. Stutzman. Good.
Colonel Cardillo. We all have metrics that we use towards
determining a program's success, but the reality of the issue
is if you get one soldier or one veteran to come to a program
that has never been prior to his injury, that is success. And
if it is only one person, then the next time it is two, and
then the next time it is three.
And I think that is where we have seen the growth in our
programming effort. The fact that somebody will show up,
realize hey, I can do this and then go back home, share that
information with other veterans, other friends, and the next
time we promote something we get more applications.
And so, it is truly by them coming, participating, and
recognizing that I can do this and I don't want to sit at home
anymore, I want to get out and I want to be active.
Mr. Stutzman. So do you find if they show up one time, they
usually show up again?
Colonel Cardillo. Yes, to be honest with you. And it is
both fortunate and unfortunate. It is fortunate because they
are excited about what they are doing, but we only have so many
slots, if you will, at these programs, and we really want to
expand the programming to allow other veterans that haven't had
the opportunity to come to these programs.
So yes, we have had repeat veterans come. But I have also
had to tell guys hey look, I am going to put you on my wait
list because I want to bring other guys in to expose them and
give them that same opportunity to experience success.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay.
Ms. Acosta. I think for the success for our program would
be measured by obviously their attendance to the program. You
know, we are looking at people coming into a fitness center,
and we will be doing interviews with them, pre and post
surveys. But I think another measurement of success would be
the number of contacts we make in the community, the resources
that can lead those veterans to our organization, which we feel
we are lacking right now.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay.
Mr. Bauer. I want to add. Again, I want to stress the fact
that once, you know, we are about teaching skills, and once the
skill is learned whether a person learns how to kayak or
bicycle or ski or rock climb or scuba dive, once that skill is
learned, that wounded warrior, that disabled veteran can do
that activity anywhere, and that is again why we are asking in
the surveys are they continuing the activity. It doesn't
necessarily need a structured program once they learn the
skills. If they want to get into competition that is a
different matter. They need the training, they need the
coaches, what have you, and so you are providing opportunities
for us to teach skills so that they can use those skills any
place in the country.
Mr. Blake. I would just sort of piggyback back on what
Colonel Cardillo said, I think quantifying success for
something like this is very difficult.
I mean, I think up front we measure success by the number
of new unique veterans that we serve and the number of new
opportunities that are created. But much like Colonel
Cardillo's point about serving a single new veteran, you only
have to go to the Wheelchair Games once, and to meet someone
who has never been and participated in their first wheelchair
games and just the joy and their attitude and how it changes is
enough to convince you that that is success.
You know, the interesting thing about this is success is
beyond just becoming an athlete or becoming involved in
recreational activities again, this translates into other
things in life. Confidence becomes the opportunity to maybe go
find a job when I might not have otherwise considered it
because I have a serious disability. It is getting employed, it
is becoming an active member of my community again.
So quantifying it is certainly a difficult proposition, but
if we serve one veteran with a new opportunity that is success
to us. Granted one is not enough.
Mr. Stutzman. Sure.
Colonel Cardillo. If you don't mind, I think now is
probably an appropriate time to read that exhibit that I
referenced earlier from a veteran who attended one of our
programs for the first time. He is totally blind. His injury
was to a gunshot wound after he left the service. Still a
veteran, still visually impaired, and he came to our most
recent winter program. And I think this letter would describe
what success is in a number of different ways.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay, Mr. Walz, do you have any objection to
him going ahead and doing that now? Okay. All right, go ahead.
Colonel Cardillo. This gentleman, his name is Lonnie
Bedwell, United States Navy from the State of Indiana and he
attended our winter sport program back in March.
I want to start this letter by thanking everyone involved
with putting this program together. As you will soon tell, I am
not very good with words so please forgive me as it is truly
heartfelt.
When I sit back and reflect on this past weekend, I am so
humbled and grateful. I had the opportunity to meet a little 7
year-old visually impaired girl who is completely full of life.
I am in awe of someone that never had the blessings in life to
see as many years as I did.
I also met a man who sacrificed so much in combat and spent
months in hospitals and has had 58 surgeries to piece him back
together. Even after all of these surgeries, he is still not
whole, not to mention all of the others I was so fortunate to
meet.
You can never walk in another man's shoes, but you can gain
knowledge as well as draw strength and inspiration from their
life's experience.
Whether you realize it or not, you have made a major impact
on so many lives, and here are a few things you have done for
those of us who have had the opportunity to participate in this
program.
We have developed new friendships that in some cases, I am
sure will last for years.
Walls that were solid, you not only placed a door in them,
you also opened it for us.
You have provided us with a new sense of hope and drive.
Thoughts like the following once again go through my mind.
I really can do this. I wonder how much better at this I can
get? And just what else I really can do. In my mind, aren't
these wonderful thoughts.
With regards to my family, here are some of the things you
have done for them. You place tears of joy in my mother's eyes.
My father told me I am proud of you, son, and at the age of 45
this almost brings tears to my eyes.
As for the rest of my family, it also provides them with
joy and a new sense of strength.
In my community, you have put me on a platform to help
others as you have helped me. What a humbling honor this is.
In just a few short weeks of people finding out I was
heading to Colorado and 2 days of being back, the following has
happened. Almost a countless number of people have called my
house or approached me to talk. A mother came up to me crying
and thanking me. She said, you don't know how much of a
difference you make in my daughter's life as she watches and
listens to you. A couple said, you make us realize how little
we have to complain about. And a gentleman talked with me for
30 minutes about the whole event in a local restaurant. That I
know of, I had never spoken to any of these people before, and
this doesn't include the others I don't know and those that I
do.
For those who put this program together, took care of us at
the lodge, guided us on the slopes, and financially supported
this, I want to thank you once again.
So you see you have not only touched the lives of those of
us privileged enough to participate in this event, you have
touched the lives of literally hundreds of others. I just hope
that I can represent all of your efforts and support in a
manner that will also make your proud.
Signed Lonnie Bedwell, United States Navy. Thank you.
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. Yeah, thank you for sharing that.
I recognize Congressman Braley for his questions.
Mr. Braley. Well, Colonel Cardillo, I don't know how you
could listen to that letter and not be moved by it. I also want
to make sure that, I know this was just an oversight, we want
to thank you, Mr. Blake, for your service and sacrifice to our
country, but I think that letter you just read really captures
what these programs are all about.
And Mr. Blake, you made a very important point, and that is
how you measure the success of these programs often ignores
some of the real realities of success.
We know that one of the biggest drivers of health care
costs in the country are chronic disease treatments and we know
that we pay an enormous amount for chronic disease care that is
directly related to obesity and all of its attended physical
and mental problems.
So when you provide a disabled person the opportunity to be
physically active and involved and engaged and give them the
resources to be active, we are saving ourselves millions and
billions of dollars of future long-term health care costs.
So that is why when you look at these programs and the
small investments we are making in them, I think it is
important for us to think long term about the net impact on
U.S. taxpayers by failing to make these important investments.
I have had the privilege of working with a lot of disabled
people in my life and addressing their needs, and Mr. Bauer,
your statement about the number of multiple amputees that we
are seeing in our districts, and your comment, Colonel
Cardillo, about how this impacts their lives and what it means
to the people they come into contact with, all of us see these
wounded warriors missing limbs in the United States Capitol as
we go into vote brought there by one of the Capitol tour guides
to give them a sense of the government that should be standing
behind them.
And I think all of us have had that experience knowing how
contentious things are in this town of wondering why we ever
complain about the minute things in our lives that give us
problems.
So one of the best things that ever happened to me, Mr.
Bauer, was my good friend in Waterloo, Iowa, Dennis Clark, who
has a prosthetics and orthotics company and provided me with an
orthotic device when I tore my Achilles tendon, started the
prosthetic rehab unit here at Walter Reed, and for 2 years,
flew back and forth on his own dime to turn it into a world-
class rehab facility.
And Dennis took me through there and we got to see some of
the people who benefit from this program in the beginning and
end stages of their rehab. And if you can't be inspired by
those wounded warriors and what they go through, I don't think
you have any feelings.
Dennis told me the story of one of the first people they
took care of who was an amputee who was a very competitive
skier and wanted to get back on the slopes and they fitted him
with a special device on his stubbies so he could go out on
that slope at Walter Reed and try it out.
And he said they were there and he kept pushing this
veteran to get him started down the hill and he kept falling
down and falling down and falling down. And he looked up and
there were people on the walkway pounding on the windows
thinking he was abusing this wounded warrior, and it was the
drive and the competitive nature inside of that young man that
kept dragging him back up that hill until he was able to use
those skis. And that is why these programs are so important.
So one of the things that kept coming up in your testimony,
Mr. Bauer, was this whole idea of creating awareness. Awareness
of the programs and making sure not just that the wounded
warriors who participate, but the broader public knows they
exist and how they benefit all of us, not just those competing.
So I would like to hear from those of you on the panel what
we can be doing to address that issue.
Mr. Bauer. That is a tough question, I would probably
rather have somebody else answer it, but let me tell you what
we are trying to do, okay, as a starter.
When we work with a local community group, a Disabled
Sports USA chapter we have agreements with, 63 of them now that
are helping us with this program, they agree to promote the
program, promote, you know, the benefits of physical activity
and promote the Paralympics so that their communities in States
across the country hear about the programs.
We help them to do media releases about the activities they
are doing to get local media coverage, interviews with wounded
warriors that get the message across in their own communities,
and that is what we are trying to do at the local level so that
people can hear more and more about the programs.
We also are conducting, you know, sort of larger events
that help to promote the abilities of the wounded warriors.
One example was just in Portland, Oregon. The Hood to Coast
Race is 197-mile relay race from the top of Mt. Hood to the
coast of Oregon and there are 1,200 teams of 12-person teams so
there is 14000, 15,000 doing this. We had the only wounded
warrior team in that 12-person team of traumatic brain injury
(TBI), amputee, visual impairment and we got a lot of media
attention about that, again promoting their abilities, but
promoting the fact that they can do these things, and those are
the things we are trying to do.
It is a tough nut to crack, promoting the Paralympics. I
know that the U.S. Olympic Committee has tried diligently to
get the message out and they do it all the time, but getting
through all the media clutter is sometimes very difficult and
we are going to have to just keep on working at that.
If I could just give one more little story to substantiate
what you just said. I was up with a group of wounded warriors
doing a 100-mile bicycle ride and one of them had gotten up
with me at 4:30 in the morning to try to finish the whole ride
in one day with a hand cycle, and it is over three mountain
passes. He made it over two of them and he didn't make it over
the last one, he just didn't have anything left in him, and
this is his first time trying.
Now you would have thought he was discouraged, but he was
excited, and he said, you know what, I am coming back next year
and I am going to beat that last hill.
And that is the kind of attitude we love to see, that is
what these sports programs do. They ignite these guys and
motivate them to be better next time. And we just think it is a
wonderful program.
Mr. Braley. Mr. Boone, you had also raised this in your
testimony so there is no effective way to inform them prior to
separation, this is one of the common concerns we have when
people are being separated from service and especially with the
extensive reliance on our National Guard and Reserve units.
They are getting bombarded with information when they are being
sent back home and a lot of times they just want to get home,
be back with their families, and it is later on in the process
when they are thinking about their rehabilitation or what is
available that they need that information and it is often not
available to them.
So what has been your experience in dealing with that?
Mr. Boone. Well, as you know, Iowa is a very--it is kind of
a unique environment in that there is no major military
installations, there is no major military hospitals other than
the VA Central Iowa Health Care System and the Iowa National
Guard.
So, the struggle that we have had is trying to find, I
guess, newly disabled veterans. The average age I would say of
the disabled veteran population in Iowa is probably 70-plus
years old. So, really trying to find that group that would
really benefit most, you know, from the programs that we are
offering has been difficult. And I don't know if I can give you
a good example of a success that we have had in that department
just because it is extremely difficult to get our word out.
And on top, is the fact that because we are such a new
program too, you know, there is no real way for us to really
get to them.
You know, what I am suggesting is there should be some way,
and this can be applied across the country. But there should be
some way for veterans that are about to be released, I mean
just a single piece of paper saying what adaptive sports
programs there are, where are they at, and how you contact them
and that you don't need to do anything beyond that. Because
right now for us to find out who is being released, who is
coming home, it is just that that information is just not
available.
Mr. Braley. Colonel.
Colonel Cardillo. This touches at my first recommendation
that I offered up and that is the identification and sharing of
information about who these athletes or who these veterans are.
I am a little bit familiar with Health Insurance
Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA) but I am not a subject
matter expert. When I first started working with the U.S.
Association of Blind Athletes I said to myself, well, where are
they, who are they, you know, what is our target audience?
And so I have learned some things. Perhaps the biggest way
to get at this is through what is called a business associate
relationship between the VA and selected organizations,
certainly not everybody. Maybe it could be written for
everybody, I don't know, that allows the sharing of information
of a name and an address of somebody that has a physical
disability or a visual impairment and let us help the VA or the
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). If we are still talking about
active-duty servicemembers, give us that information and let us
help you rehabilitate them.
Because right now it is word of mouth or finding needles in
haystacks in locating these individuals.
Mr. Braley. Thank you.
Mr. Blake. I think from PVA's perspective we have sort of a
unique opportunity that makes it easier for us to talk about
these programs that are available because we have a captured
population that comes through the spinal chordinjury (SCI)
service of the VA and we begin informing them about all their
different opportunities while they are in the midst of rehab.
The National Veterans Wheelchair Games has also proven to
be an important outreach opportunity because it is a national-
level event that attracts veterans of all eras, including
Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF)
veterans, and then I mentioned in my testimony the number of
new participants as well, and once they find out about these
opportunities they just sort of move on their own.
I think the real challenge in this is not unlike we have
talked about in health care and all these other issues with the
VA in particular ingetting the word out to individuals who are
not necessarily coming through a facility like Walter Reed or
Brooke or other major military treatment facilities or VA
facilities around the country. You know, you end up with
disabled servicemembers at their home posts that might not ever
find out about these programs and so they are still challenged
there.
You know, we have talked about for years the problems with
transition assistance for the disabled in particular and this
is an opportunity that falls by the wayside along with the many
other things that go on with the disabled transition
assistance.
So your concern is not lost, and it is a matter of getting
the VA and DoD and all of the partners that are here engaged
together to get the word out.
Mr. Bauer. Thank you.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay, Mr. Walz.
Mr. Walz. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member.
I want to thank you both for your passion on this for bringing
this hearing together, and I say every year that we gather to
talk about this program. I can't help but leave much more
optimistic, much more encouraged to where things are at.
I want to thank all of our panelists and everyone here for
the incredible work you do. I think it has been hit on, the
multiple returns not just to the warriors who earned every bit
of our support, but the return to our society that this does
and a sense of what we can accomplish together. It has such a
strong appeal, a public/private partnership doing all the right
things, the success stories.
I am truly impressed with my colleagues asking, and the
answers you gave, about measuring effectiveness with
symmetrics, and I think we know there are intangibles here that
are going to be very difficult to measure. But reading the
letter or seeing the face of some of our athletes is enough and
those around it that it inspires us.
So my only regret today is that our fellow Americans
couldn't see how this was done. They see a Congress working
together with the private sector for all the right reasons with
effective outcomes. That is a very encouraging thing and I
think we could use more of it.
So I can't tell you how supportive I have been and how
impressed I have been from everyone involved from the
Paralympic Committee, and we are going to hear from them, and
VA to all of you.
I was just going to end, and I think maybe you got on a
little bit Carl, at the end, I was going to ask the line of
questioning that went there, always comes back to ways we can
get efficiencies between DoD, VA, and the private sector.
Are we introducing sports and rehabilitative services?
Because I am looking at this as we are talking rehabilitation
in general to folks who may not be able to go one and do a
century ride or something but who may gain through the Vision
Centers of Excellence, the ability to ride with their children
through the park, whatever that may be. Are we introducing
these things early enough? And I think maybe you hit on it,
Carl, that there is the problem that it is hit or miss. You are
in a little better position because of that, maybe Blinded
Veterans of America is in a little better position with Tom and
his people. But what do you think, are we getting to everybody
who might benefit? And not just current veterans. I think there
are some from previous conflicts that could certainly benefit.
Mr. Blake. I think the short answer to that question is
probably no.
From our perspective, like I said, we introduce our
programs very early on when we have new members. Most new
injuries that would be members of our organizations are brought
into the spinal cord injury service at the VA and we have that
unique opportunity where we are plugged in and can make them
aware of all of their opportunities almost from the get go.
We found that not related to sports activities, but when it
comes to employment with our vocational rehabilitation program,
much the same principal applies. We begin informing them about
their opportunities very early in the rehabilitation process
because it helps establish their goals in a lighter spectrum
going forward. But that is a unique perspective because of the
SCI service.
I think when you look out on a broader scale I would say
that you can never introduce this type of opportunity early
enough, and I would suggest it is probably not early enough,
particularly when you look at even from something like the
Wheelchair Games. We get a lot of new participants every year
and the shocking part of that is the number of new participants
that are Vietnam-era veterans who are, you know, 40-plus years
removed from service just finding out about this kind of stuff,
and it makes you wonder why didn't they know about this a long
time ago and why not about these other programs that are out
there?
Mr. Walz. And Mr. Bauer, I mean the reason I ask it is we
are starting to kind of--we are working on some stuff to
redefine rehabilitation not just to a functional level and let
them go, but to continue to go on. We are in the process of
doing that right now.
I am interested how this would go into that general
rehabilitation and quality of life increase.
Mr. Bauer. And I would like to offer a little slightly
nuance answer to your question about reaching them.
In looking at it at three or four different levels. First
of all you have the main hospitals, Walter Reed Bethesda now,
Brooke Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, National Naval
Medical Center in San Diego. Those three major facilities are
taking a lot of the severely wounded, okay, not those who have
slightly less wounds, they are being covered by facilities like
Fort Belvoir and other facilities. Those three facilities are
very attune to recreation and sports. Paralympics is there all
the time, Disabled Sports USA is there all the time, and they
are getting introduced at the earliest possible stage to sports
and recreation activities as part of their rehab. It is a very
effective tool. The therapists love it because they can say to
somebody, you know, if you want to go on this hiking trip or
you want to get certified in scuba, you have to go through the
therapy in order to be cleared for this. So it really, you
know, motivates them to do the therapy.
We have a golf program. We set up a thing, if you go to all
8 weeks of the learning sessions you get a free set of Ping
clubs. Well, I tell you attendance doubled, you know, after
that announcement was made. So that is why the therapists love
it.
At certain VA hospitals they are very proactive. We are
working with 30, I would say a good portion of them are
proactive. But you know, there are 170 something facilities in
the VA system, so we think that there could be more proactivity
in that end of things and that is where things are falling
through. Where are your transition units?
Paralympics is working with these guys all the time, so are
we. Those units, some of them again are very proactive. The
Camp Lejeune Marine Wounded Warrior Barracks, they started
years ago with sports. We were down there back in 2004.
Pendleton same thing. But then some others are not quite as
proactive about physical activity, and that is where it is more
difficult to identify and get them on board in terms of, you
know, recruiting warriors from that.
But I will say at the military medical centers that I
mention, they are very proactive about recreation.
Mr. Walz. Okay. Colonel.
Colonel Cardillo. I have a unique situation, or our
association has a unique opportunity, to help influence the
rehabilitation of those servicemembers right up front, and that
is through our relationship with the VA Blind Rehabilitation
Centers (BRC)s.
We are actually funded to help go to those centers and see
what we can do as an organization to enhance their
rehabilitation programs through sports or physical activity and
recreation. When we started, we were only working with three or
four of the Blind Rehabilitative Centers, and then over the
last 2 years we have expanded that to 9 of the existing 13.
They just fielded three hospitals the past couple of months and
I haven't been to those yet.
But what we try and do is we will go in there and take a
look at their programs through sports and physical activity and
see what they would like to do to enhance it or what we can do
to help enhance that program.
Their clientele is average age 65, but the young guys go
there because the active-duty health care system doesn't have a
Blind Rehabilitation Center for visually impaired soldiers, so
those guys get sent to the VA centers.
So if they come and there is a rehab program in place, then
we think we have kind of opened that first door for them
through sports and physical activity, and if they decide to
take it to the next level or increase their physical skills,
then we help them guide through those other wickets, if you
will.
From the blind and visually impaired, I think we have a
good relationship right now with the VA at the Blind Rehab
Centers to help enhance their programming efforts.
Mr. Walz. Well, I certainly appreciate all this.
I would ask you all just as a yes or no, I hate to put you
on the spot like this. When I go back home and my constituents
expect me to make decisions about spending or whatever, is this
a good $10 million spent?
Colonel Cardillo. Yes.
Mr. Blake. Yes.
Mr. Bauer. Yes.
Mr. Walz. Absolutely. We will carry that message home with
us. Thank you.
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you very much, and I want to thank the
panel, and especially to Mr. Boone and Ms. Acosta for traveling
from Iowa and from Indiana respectively. And I apologize, Mr.
Blake, for missing your service, thank you as well.
And I will excuse you all and thank you again, this has
been very informative and appreciate all of you and what you
are doing as well.
So at this time we will call up the second panel to come
forward. Okay, welcome.
I want to introduce Mr. Charles Huebner from the U.S.
Olympic Committee, thank you for being here. And also Mr.
Christopher Nowak, from the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Thank you to both of you and we will go ahead and take your
testimony, Mr. Huebner, if you would like to again, I will
recognize you.
STATEMENTS OF CHARLES HUEBNER, CHIEF OF U.S. PARALYMPICS, U.S.
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE; AND CHRISTOPHER NOWAK, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF
NATIONAL VETERANS SPORTS PROGRAM AND SPECIAL EVENTS, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
STATEMENT OF CHARLES HUEBNER
Mr. Huebner. Excellent, thank you so much. Good morning
Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley, and Members of the
Subcommittee. I want to thank you for the opportunity to
testify on progress of the Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S.
Olympic Committee, and U.S. Paralympics partnership.
On a personal note I have a veteran in the room, Lieutenant
Heidi Grimm-Powell. It is her birthday, I would just like to
say happy birthday to her.
By way of a brief background, the USOC is an organization
chartered by Congress and one of only four National Olympic
Committees that mange both the Olympic and Paralympic Program,
and we are very proud of that.
We are also only one of only a handful of National Olympic
Committees that are 100-percent privately funded. Most people
don't know that. Our major competitors are out funding us often
as much as five to one.
Paralympic programs are sports for physically disabled
athletes. The Paralympic movement began shortly after World War
II utilizing sport as a form of rehabilitation for injured
military personnel returning from combat.
In 2012 the Paralympic Games returned to Great Britain
where with significant involvement from U.S. and United Kingdom
veterans, the movement was founded.
Injured military personnel and veterans are really the soul
of the Paralympic movement. And when I speak of the Paralympic
movement, I am not just talking about the few athletes that are
elite that go to the games, but I am talking about the
programming in the U.S. led by the USOC and our partners
Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled Sports USA, USA
Shooting, to name a few, that allow veterans with physical
disabilities an opportunity to re-engage in life by simply
skiing with their buddies or playing in the backyard with their
kids.
As programming expands daily, we see a population that has
lower secondary medical conditions, higher self-esteem, lower
stress levels, and higher achievement levels in education and
employment. Research proves that.
More importantly, we see a population that inspires all
Americans to pursue excellence in sports and in life.
A few years ago, this Committee with incredible vision and
leadership, Congressional leaders and veteran and military
organizations asked the USOC to lead this effort. Due to our
powerful and inspiring brand, our expertise in physical
activity and sports for persons with disabilities and our
significant infrastructure of member organizations such as the
National Recreation of Parks Association, YMCA, and USA Hockey,
organizations that have a footprint in just about every U.S.
community, which allows for incredible financial and
programmatic efficiencies.
We accepted the responsibility and opportunity to serve
those that have served us, and because of your leadership in
developing and providing funding for this USOC and VA
partnership, we are here today to report the following outcomes
in the past year.
The VA and USOC have distributed more than 70 grants and
provided ongoing training and technical assistance with an
emphasis on engaging veterans at the community level in
physical activity.
An interesting point about that and I think it goes to the
efficiency that you talked about a little bit in the past
panel, these grant organizations are contributing more than $40
million in private resources and programmatic support of their
own resources against this initiative. It is pretty incredible.
Each of those grant recipients has a contract with the
USOC, has goals outlined in their contract with outcomes, so it
is performance and outcome based, and they are auditable, so we
are very, very, very pleased with the ability to make sure that
the money is being spent in an impactful way.
More than 200 Paralympics sport clubs or community sport
organizations are currently providing programs for veterans or
servicemembers, so above the 70 grantees I just talked about,
there are another 130 organizations based on the USOC, our
partners in the VA, asking them to make veterans an initiative
in their communities that have taken on this task with their
own private resources.
More than 800 community sport military and veteran leaders
have been provided training, technical assistance, and ongoing
program support to develop or expand existing programs for
veterans.
In the first panel, you heard the Turnstone Program talk
about the Paralympic Leadership Conference, which is a joint
initiative between the VA and the U.S. Olympic Committee where
we are training people on how to go implement programming in
their community to serve veterans.
More than 14,000 veterans with disabilities participated in
programs and activities since the programs inception, and
currently 85 veterans are receiving a benefit based on their
ability to be an a national team or pursue the Paralympic
Games.
Thanks to the leadership of this Committee, Secretary
Shinseki, Executive Director Billicous, VA Director of National
Veteran Sports and Events, Chris Nowak, and VA staff member,
Matt Bristol, we have completed the planning phases for 2011
beyond with an emphasis on expanded services, greater
efficiencies, and significant impact on those that we owe so
much.
And I would just like to recognize the fact that all of
those individuals I mentioned are veterans.
Moving forward, and this is based on the feedback of our
constituents, many who were on the first panel as well as the
VA, and I would argue that was probably the biggest challenge
in our first year of this program is having that engaging
planning process with VA leadership and VA staff.
Our goal is this, to provide $7.5 million in grants,
training, and programmatic support, and improve the grant
process, which I believe we have already addressed in our
planning over the last 6 months.
Post the quarterly reports and grant recipients online and
make all of our information available and transparent to all
the participants as well as the general public. It is currently
posted on the USOC Web site.
Implement the inaugural VA-USOC Paralympic Adaptive Sport
Training Conference with more than 50 VA therapeutic rec
coordinators participating in February 2012 at the U.S. Olympic
Training Center. That I believe, and that was a recommendation
from Mr. Nowak, will assist us in expanding awareness and
knowledge of the collaborative opportunities with VA
therapeutic rec coordinators and opportunities available in
their communities. A significant opportunity for us, and again,
recommended by the VA.
Reducing the year one programmatic staff and reinvesting
those resources in programming. Based on our assessments we can
reduce our programmatic staff right now from 17 to 10 and a
half people and be efficient and effective and utilize those
resources to reinvest back in the programs.
And then the only challenge is pursuing additional
resources. We see a great need for focused regional
coordinators. An example of that is in Chicago where we have a
full-time staff person working with a collaborative agency
there. They are coordinating 25 different organizations to work
together and focus on developing programs for veterans and we
feel that is a great need that will allow greater impact.
In closing, I would just like to highlight one program that
aligns all of our strategies, collaboration, training,
technical assistance, awareness, and financial support, along
with an emphasis on hiring veterans.
Joe Brown was from Arizona. His family has a strong
military history. His grandfather died as a prisoner of war
during the Korean War. His father was an Air Force fighter
pilot. Joe played football at the Ohio State University, I
won't hold that against him, and 3 years in the National
Football League. But the Army Rangers were continually a
calling, so he joined the Army, the Rangers and deployed to
Iraq in 2004 and again in 2007.
During his 2007 tour, he was calling in air strikes atop a
three-story building trying to help a unit in trouble. As his
unit was leaving the building, Brown fell down a 30-foot shaft
suffering a severe brain injury.
Brown knew the firsthand importance of physical activity in
the rehabilitation process. He attended the USOC-VA Paralympic
Leadership Conference to gain valuable training and expertise,
as well as develop relationships to focus on collaboration. He
pursued a position in the parks and recreation industry near a
military facility so he could serve injured servicemembers and
veterans.
He was hired by Harker Heights Parks and Recreation outside
of Ft. Hood, Texas. Harker Heights was awarded a $23,000 USOC-
VA grant in 2010.
Today, more than 80 veterans are participating consistently
in an array of physical activity programs led by Joe, and an
additional 200 wounded warriors are participating in
programming.
Harker Heights hired a hero. I would like to recognize U.S.
Army Veteran, Joe Brown, who is with us today.
[Applause.]
And again, I would like to thank the Committee, VA
leadership, and organizational partners with us today for
entrusting the VA and USOC in a partnership that is so critical
to supporting our Nation's finest.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Huebner appears on p. 56.]
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. And Mr. Brown we obviously want to
recognize you and appreciate your service, and what an amazing
story and one of the real heroes in our country and I
appreciate you being here today as well.
So, Mr. Nowak, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF CHRISTOPHER NOWAK
Mr. Nowak. Thank you. Good morning Chairman Stutzman,
Ranking Member Braley, and Members of the Subcommittee. I am
Chris Nowak, Director of the Office of National Veterans Sports
Programs and Special Events, Department of Veterans Affairs.
I am honored to be here today to share the success of the
partnership between the VA and the USOC.
I am also a disabled Marine veteran, and I believe my
personal participation in adaptive sports as part of my
rehabilitation provides me with a unique perspective in this
very important VA program.
Adaptive sports can be an integral part of a veterans
rehabilitation from traumatic injury, illness or disease.
My office is committed to providing veterans with the
opportunity to engage in adaptive sports as part of their
comprehensive rehabilitative program based on clinical
outcomes.
Our partnership with the USOC allows us to provide adaptive
sporting opportunities year-round in the veterans community
where they live.
Public Law 110-389 authorized the formation of the Office
of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, which
is to be headed by a Director who reports to the Secretary,
Deputy Secretary, or an appropriate official within the
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).
When I joined the team as its first director in February
2011 the office managed all VA Paralympic-related programs to
include grants, allowances, outreach, and reported to the
secretary as necessary.
On September 22, 2011, the VA's existing office of National
Programs and Special Events was merged with the National VA
Rehabilitation Special Events, was consolidated into one
office, Office of the National Veterans Sports Programs and
Special Events.
This consolidation permits more efficient utilization of
personnel and increased capacity and flexibility to support VA
adaptive sports and art therapy programs at the community and
national level.
I now oversee VA's Paralympic programs as well as the six
rehabilitation special events. I report to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs.
The Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special
Events is currently staffed by 19 full-time employees. These
staff not only coordinate VA's partnership with the USOC to
include the grant awards and oversight, monthly allowance to
assist veterans and related outreach, but to also plan and
manage the six VA National Rehabilitation Special Events.
Additionally, the office coordinates VA's commemorative
event activities, such as the National Veterans Day Observance,
and manages VA's participation in the National Memorial Day
observance.
The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act also authorized VA
to seek sponsorships and donations from the private sector to
defray the cost of carrying out the integrated adaptive sports
program.
As Director, my focus has been to ensure proper use of VA
grant funding, enact the monthly allowance, and develop
outreach materials.
I have also taken steps to establish sponsorship as an
objective for 2012. These steps include, establishing a Deputy
Director within the office with the capacity to develop
clinical support for adaptive sports programs. This will allow
us to validate the clinical benefits of adaptive sports as a
form of rehabilitation.
Developing promotional materials that will aid in
recruitment of eligible veterans as well as potential sponsors.
These materials include adaptive sports brochures, posters,
fact sheets, outreach tool kits, Web-based, and Web sites.
In fiscal year 2010, VA entered into a MOU with the USOC to
provide Paralympic sport programming and additional community
support, including funding resources to injured servicemembers
and veterans across the country.
VA subsequently awarded $7.5 million to the USOC for the
integrated adaptive sports program.
VA also published regulation, provided developed forms, and
established process for awarding the monthly allowances as
authorized by the public law.
Moving forward in 2012, I expect to see greater
coordination with the VA as we consolidate the National
Rehabilitation Special Events and Paralympic programs, while
continuing to develop our relationship with the USOC.
The overreaching objective is to provide disabled veterans
with adaptive sporting opportunities year-round and to ensure
these opportunities are consistent with the appropriate
clinical guidelines to aid in their rehabilitation.
While the VA continues to improve its current National
Rehabilitation Special Events program, VA is continuing to look
at new ways to enhance the rehabilitation experiences of our
veterans. We are meeting the challenges head on and constantly
exploring ways to strengthen our partnership with the USOC.
This concludes my statement, and will answer questions,
sir.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Nowak appears on p. 58.]
Mr. Stutzman. Okay. Thank you to both of you.
I would like to start questions with Mr. Huebner. You
mentioned the need to establish regional directors. Could you
expound on that a little bit and what your thoughts are
regarding that?
Mr. Huebner. And everything we are doing I just want to
emphasize is based on our learnings, based on input from many
of the organizations that you heard from earlier and what we
are seeing happening in the field.
One of the unique roles we play, and we are very humbled by
it, we understand we have a very powerful brand, and when you
go into a community, and I will use Chicago as an example,
there are 23 different parks and rec agencies. There is the
park district, there are VA facilities, there are 30 some odd
organizations all fighting for the same piece of pie. And the
message that we jointly have really developed and shared and
have learned from is that if we work together, we could grow
that pie. We could have a larger impact. We can collaborate to
create more efficiencies. But to make that happen, to expect,
and you heard earlier, some of those organizations are three
person shops with a $300,000 budget, some of them are $8
million organizations that have, you know, 120 staff. To get
those entities to work together their focus is usually on what
their mission is and not to go out and work with 24 other
agencies in a region.
We have seen significant impact based on that regional
focus, especially from a neutral party. And one of the benefits
we have seen is coming in together as VA and USOC, it does
create that, you know, and we saw this in Iowa with 75
organizations coming together for a Summit and I think the fact
that it was an Iowa Sports Foundation U.S. Olympic Committee
led initiative, it created excitement, it created a ground
swell for us in the State of Iowa, but it also I think created
excitement for some of the people in Iowa to be able to partner
with a national organization called the United States Olympic
Committee.
So creating that focus, and I know programmatic staff
always comes up as an issue no doubt, I have that same
conversation with my Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on a daily
basis, but having some focused leadership in targeted places we
believe, and this is a conversation Chris and I have had, we
believe can allow for a greater impact and a greater
efficiency, especially as it relates to getting people to work
together.
And I think as we heard earlier, you know, all the
different, how do we connect the dots, how do we let, you know,
a WTU or an active-duty soldier leaving know about the VA
program and the VA program know at the community program?
Having somebody focused, and we have that person in Chicago who
is just doing fabulous work, really allows us to become more
effective and efficient for a minimal investment.
Mr. Stutzman. Would that person be a VA or a USOC employee?
Mr. Huebner. Don't make me go back to my CEO and ask for
more head count.
Mr. Stutzman. Okay.
Mr. Huebner. You know, the way we look at it, and I say
this every day, we don't deliver a program in a box. I think it
is a discussion based on the market. In some cases, in Chicago
we have partnered with World Sport Chicago, which has
incredible leadership, it is a partnership agency of ours, it
has great recognition, so it is a VA-USOC partnership with
World Sport Chicago.
In some markets, it might be a USOC-0led employee, in other
markets it might be a VA-led employee.
So I think that is a discussion based on what is going to
be the most significant impact in the market.
One of the things that we have allowed to do, and you know,
Joe Brown brought this today and it is back to that awareness
question of we have allowed our brand to be used by our
partners, so World Sport has Paralympic in their title, so it
is an employee of World Sport, but it is a VA-USOC program and
we are allowing them to say this is a Paralympic program, which
is something pretty unusual for us.
So really, I think it goes back to what is going to have
the most impact in a region, in a market and make the decision
based on that.
Mr. Stutzman. And you mentioned $40 million in grants; is
that correct?
Mr. Huebner. We are tracking this, and we are going to
track more importantly moving forward for all the entities we
are working with, what their programmatic budgets are, what
their private resources, their staff, their facilities and all
that it is north of $40 million that the partners that we gave
grants to are investing with their own resources.
So we are feeling that, you know, the leverage of a grant,
and I can speak to this in Colorado Springs. There was no
programming in Colorado Springs for veterans or for persons
with physical disabilities or injured servicemembers. You have
Fort Carson, a major veteran population. People were driving an
hour to 2 hours to play wheelchair basketball on a monthly
basis at the program north of Denver. Today, there is a program
lead by Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation, a Paralympic
sport club that is serving veterans in the community and Fort
Carson with consistent weekly basketball programming and
multiple sport programming. But the most important thing, they
brought their own budget of $400,000, their own staff to the
table to deliver that, plus they went out and raised additional
resources, because we provided a $25,000 seed grant from the
U.S. Olympic Committee and VA that they went and leveraged to
increase resources.
So they are the primary funder of the program, we have just
provided a targeted grant for them to focus on veterans.
Mr. Stutzman. Has the new grant program, has that helped
your ability to raise money privately?
Mr. Huebner. I think it has helped our agencies that we are
working with, and I think any of the panelists behind me, we
have heard this consistently, it has really helped them
leverage relationships, and Kirk talked about the three to one,
you know, dollars in terms of raising, it has helped them to
leverage our involvement with them.
And I will use a specific example of a quote from a
foundation leader in Chicago, it is a $1 billion community
trust. He said point-blank, the reason they wrote a $125,000
check to World Sport was because of the national, regional, and
local collaboration that we brought to the table with the VA
and with the local entities and that was compelling to them
because it showed efficiencies in collaboration and an
elimination of duplication.
So that local entity didn't write the check to us, they
wrote the check to our partner organization that is
implementing the program, and in our mind our role in all of
this was to grow the resource pie for the agencies that are
implementing it at the community level, and we have seen
multiple feedback from multiple agencies that that is
happening. It is something we hope to track better going
forward in our grant process and in evaluation process.
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you. Mr. Braley.
Mr. Braley. Mr. Nowak, Semper Fi.
My dad landed on Hiroshima the same day that both flags
were raised on Mount Suribachi, and Mr. Brown, he also had a
similar experience to you in his life because he fell 35 feet
from the grain elevator that he was working at when I was 2
years old and was lucky to survive, as were you. We are so glad
that you are with us here today, but he walked the rest of his
life with a 2 inch lift in his heel in his right leg, and back
then programs like the ones we are talking about weren't able
to our Nation's veterans.
And so I learned to play golf from my uncle, who is also a
World War II veteran and didn't face the same challenges
walking the hilly course in my hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa, that
my father did.
So one of the things that we are concerned about here today
is the fact that in a State like Iowa where you have an
extensive deployment of our National Guard on a regular basis,
they come back to communities where there is no large military
installation, reintegrate with the small towns and rural areas
that they came from. A lot of times those areas don't have the
same type of programs available on a larger scale like some of
the ones that we have been talking to.
My staff and I have a challenge because it is hard for us
even to track these disabled veterans when they go to Walter
Reed or Bethesda, to Brooke, to the Polytrauma Center in
Minneapolis. They are constantly moving back and forth, and a
lot of times when they finally get to their ultimate
destination that is when they are really focused on the future.
So how can we work with you to help identify people who can
benefit from these fantastic programs, reconnect them with the
passions they had before their disability, and help marry them
and their interests in athletics to the types of services that
are available from the VA?
Mr. Nowak. Well, sir, I think that is a great question. And
with my office, what we are doing is taking that as an
objective that we need to tackle head on, and we are doing that
in a couple different ways. And that is using our Web site that
we have, with find a sports club finder, which links with the
USOC, partnering with the USOC to have that educational
experience for VA clinicians, and I think they are the
gatekeepers for the good portion of this, and my office is
working to develop tools that will allow them to help these
veterans find these services in their community.
So we do recognize that and we are working on that. It is a
constant communication. It is communicating, letting these
veterans know that these opportunities are there and they are
there in their community, that they don't have to come to the
VA forum. And that is why this partnership is successful and
needs to continue, is we have so many veterans that don't live
close to VAs that need adaptive sports, so partnering with the
USOC allows us to provide them that.
Mr. Braley. Well, Mr. Huebner, I want to thank you for
coming to Iowa and being part of that conference and putting a
face on your organization and its broader reach in the real
world beyond what we see every 4 years when we watch a
spectacle on our television sets.
One of the things that I am so proud of is that Mike Boone,
who testified earlier, talked about getting the initial
information about the opportunities these grants provide
through his conversation with you.
One of the things that we are all interested in is how we
can use these programs to educate the broader public to the
benefits that this investment of their hard earned tax dollars
makes not just for our wounded warriors, but for our country.
And I talked earlier about some of those benefits. But I
think one of the things that you have seen through your work in
these programs is how they have the ability to motivate and
inspire others, and I would like you to talk about that if you
could and the impact you have seen from the work that your
organization has done.
Mr. Huebner. Yes, it is pretty overwhelming, and it was an
honor to spend that day in Iowa, and I have to tell you you
talk about leadership, the Iowa Sports Foundation and what they
are doing to have 75 organizations from all over the State, all
different, Red Cross, sport organizations, veteran
organizations, phenomenal, and that is how we meet the need.
And the nice thing about it is the model that we are
implementing together is a training and technical assistance
model. So if there is a veteran returning to Grinnell and the
entity in Grinnell is a YMCA we can go in cost efficiently and
provide training to that YMCA on how to provide sport
programming for a person with a physical disability, and that
is what makes this so incredibly efficient and effective, and
the resources allow us to have significant impact.
In terms of the awareness, and your timing is impeccable,
sir, major league baseball is in the playoffs right now and
college football is in the throws of their season, and one of
our partners, and this is one of the things we are leveraging
with our partners, we are asking them to feature veterans in
their ad campaigns. So the Hartford had a $75 million ad
campaign during March Madness this past year featuring Melissa
Stockwell, a veteran, an employed veteran who made our
Paralympics team in 2008. I mean she is on the Wounded Warrior
Project Board. We were just talking earlier with my colleague
from the Wounded Warrior Project. I mean this young lady she is
just remarkable. I mean she started her own nonprofit
foundation in Chicago to promote triathlon, but they featured
her and they are running ads as we speak. I saw one last night
during the baseball game featuring her in a national ad
campaign, and to me it is just telling all Americans about the
incredible young men and women that serve and the achievements
that they can have regardless of their disability.
And this morning I made a recommendation to a major multi-
national company that happens to be an international partner of
ours who they have requested a veteran in their lead-up
campaigns to London.
And you talked a little bit about awareness. We are
implementing multiple strategies. And when I say we, it is we
collectively. Multiple strategies to reach young men and women.
And my Marine friend over here, I have an Army first sergeant
dad so I try and bust his chops any time I can, but I know just
by listening to Marines, and I saw somebody back here with a
globe and anchor bag, that they usually pay more attention when
they get something that has Semper Fi on it. So it might not be
USOC, it might not be VA, but if you put something with Semper
Fi on it, those Marines usually open it and read it.
So we are implementing multiple awareness strategies to
targeted audiences based on their interests, and especially in
this new age of social media and technology, that is something
that we are implementing as we move forward, it is really being
targeted about our communication. We are developing USOC-VA
communication and awareness strategies, but we are also
targeting some specific strategies to these audiences, because
we host an event called Warrior Games, which the VA and the DoD
and the USOC will collaborate on that 177 media participated
in, national television coverage. I will make sure each of you
get a copy of the national program that was aired after the
games.
But you know, talking with those five different service
branches, I mean, the Coast Guard and the Marines talk
different languages, and we have to be smart enough to make
sure we are creating communication and awareness materials to
those special audiences as well as nationally.
And nationally, our research shows that there is 70-percent
awareness now about Paralympic sport in the United States. Pre
2002, it was less than 5 percent, so we are making progress
there, and one of the reasons we are making progress is because
our partners, the media, and the American public want to hear
about these young men and women who have done so much to serve
us, and we are making sure that we share those stories, and it
is in our objectives for 2012 is to make sure we share more
success stories about people like Joe Brown.
Mr. Braley. I am going to show you, I wish I had the
ability to show everyone on the screen, proof of what you were
just talking about. Because one of the most challenging things
any of us does is walk into the intensive care unit at a place
like Walter Reed or Bethesda with a wounded warrior who has
just returned without his arms, without his legs, and meet with
them and their families as they are facing an uncertain future.
And I had the honor of walking into Bethesda and meeting a
young Marine from Dubuque, Iowa, named Christopher Billmyer,
who had a bilateral above the knee amputation and was very,
very concerned about what kind of a future he would have. And I
put two things in his hand when I walked in. One was a coin
with the flag raising at Hiroshima and the words Semper Fidelis
on the back as a message from my father who has been gone for
30 years. And the other was a bottle of champagne to open when
he walked for the first time on his own.
And I recently had the thrill of welcoming him home to
Dubuque, along with about 15,000 other Iowans who lined the
streets from the airport to his home, and one of the things
that caught my attention was the stubbies he brought home with
him, including shoes made at New Balance here in the United
States in the Marine Corps colors with the globe and anchor
logo and Semper Fi on the instep, which is exactly what you are
talking about.
And I can guarantee you he will have a lot more motivation
to keep working to gain his mobility back because of those
shoes, and we have to develop specific programs and assistive
devices for our disabled veterans that inspire them to inspire
us.
So I thank you both for your testimony and look forward to
working with you to make this a reality for all disabled
veterans.
Mr. Stutzman. Thank you, Mr. Barley.
I would like to follow up just a little bit with you, Mr.
Nowak. On outreach, what is the VA doing as far as outreach? Is
there the ability to use mailings, TV ads, social media, plenty
of opportunities in communicating?
Mr. Nowak. Yes, sir. Currently we are using social media,
we are doing mailings, we have a poster campaign that is going
to print now that will be delivered to all the VA medical
centers, all the VBA offices, all the Vet Centers, as well as
to all of the OIF/OEF coordinators and their offices as well
throughout the country that shows the transition from warrior
to adaptive sport athlete.
We already did some test marketing with that and received
very, very good reviews. We partner with the USOC on that to
developing these products. We are doing that.
We are getting a lot of inquires from our Web site that
veterans are going on looking for adaptive sports and different
ways, so right now we are targeting those two areas, and as we
move forward in 2012, we are looking to go to a broader more
public type of target audience at that time.
Mr. Stutzman. With mailings are you able to use when checks
are sent out, inserts to notify vets that programs are
available?
Mr. Nowak. Right now, sir, we are doing mailings. We do
have a booklet that is going to print that outlines all of the
grants that have been awarded to the USOC and what those
adaptive sports are and where they can be delivered.
As far as checks go out, unfortunately, we really don't
mail that many checks out, which is good, it is all direct
deposit, but we do have mailings out and that is one area we
will look into is direct mailing to the veteran, sir.
Mr. Stutzman. Sure. Okay. And then I guess finally to Mr.
Huebner, I mentioned the expanding of the coverage of the
Paralympics Games. I know there was some coverage of last
winter games. Can you tell us anything what is being arranged
for the London Games?
Mr. Huebner. Yeah, I was with my CEO yesterday talking
about that exact subject. We want to enhance robust coverage of
the games no doubt as the U.S. Olympic Committee, and a lot of
people don't know our focus on Paralympics is really new. We
are in our infancy. And one of our objectives is to create
robust coverage, but also create using new media, expanded
coverage, and we are in negotiations right now regarding the
rights.
The U.S. does not own the rights to broadcast the games in
the United States, the International Paralympics Committee and
the Local Organizing Committee in London owns those rights, but
we are in negotiations right now and our plan is to hopefully
innovate in developing a robust broadcast of the games, but
also expanding the coverage, especially the daily coverage of
what we can push back to viewers in the United States, whether
it is online, streaming, You Tube, looking at a multifaceted
approach.
But you know, in the past three games, we announced our
coverage in Italy 2 weeks after the games started, in 2008 3
days before, last year a month before. Our goal by the end of
this year is to announce some coverage plans for the 2012
games, which we feel is an incredible opportunity just because
of the history of the movement, especially with the veteran
involvement from both the U.S. and United Kingdom, and we are
going to be very focused on telling that veterans story at the
Paralympics Games in 2012.
Mr. Stutzman. Do any of the U.S. networks currently have
rights to the games?
Mr. Huebner. NBC has rights to the Olympic Games. The
Paralympic, they are two separate organizations, International
Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, so we
are in discussions and negotiations right now with the
International Paralympic Committee, the local Organizing
Committee about the rights, and then also having at the same
time discussions with U.S. networks.
Mr. Stutzman. Very good. Well, I am looking forward to it
and excited about it, and I just want to thank both of you for
being here. And I would also like the mention--do you have any
other questions? Okay. Any further comments from either one of
you?
Mr. Nowak. Yes, sir. I know the earlier panel was talking
about the grant process. Myself and Mr. Huebner have spent a
lot of time over the last couple months examining that and how
we can redefine that the VA has a new grant management office
that is working with us, and we will have that corrected before
next year.
Mr. Stutzman. Very good. I think you can tell, and I am
speaking for the other Committee Members that aren't here, I
know that this is the type of program that is something we can
go back home and be excited about and also share with veterans
that are in our communities. And so the success of this program
is obviously very important to this Committee, and we want to
be here to help in any way that it can be successful, but
obviously execution is really up to you all, and we hope that
that is continued as you work together you will find continued
support with that.
So I would also like to mention finally that this
Subcommittee is going to hold two field hearings. We are going
to be in Iowa. Looking forward to being out in Hawkeye country
with Ranking Member Braley, and that will be on October 17th,
and October 19th we will be holding a hearing in Ft. Wayne as
well. So we look forward to meeting your constituents and of
course showing you some Hoosier hospitality.
Mr. Braley. And I would just like to note, Mr. Chairman,
that both Waterloo, Iowa, and Ft. Wayne, Indiana, were original
members of the National Basketball Association, and that is why
you should be interested in participating.
Mr. Stutzman. Ft. Wayne Pistons, actually, that is right.
That is right.
So any closing remarks?
Mr. Braley. No, just to thank everyone who came here today
and remind us all about why these programs are important not
just for the athletes they affect but for the greater good that
they provide to us as a country and as a society.
Mr. Stutzman. Very good. And I just want to thank the VA,
the U.S. Paralympics, and each of your partners for being part
of helping in the process of rehabilitating our veterans, and
we are all very proud of them and want to see them have every
opportunity after they have served our country.
So with that, this Subcommittee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:56 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Prepared Statement of Hon. Marlin Stutzman,
Chairman Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
Good morning. This Committee's first responsibility to our veterans
is enable those injured in military service have the broadest
opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and that is what today's
oversight hearing is all about.
While I was not a Member of the 110th Congress, one of the
legislative bright spots was the provision in Public Law 110-389 that
established the VA-U.S.Paralympics Adaptive Sports Program, an
initiative to expand the use of sports as part of a veteran's
rehabilitation program.
To do that, the law authorizes $8 million per year to fund veteran
adaptive sports programs from the local level through elite levels of
competition. The law limits use of the funds to disabled veterans and
servicemembers and includes a provision to pay a per diem to those
selected to participate in high-level adaptive sports competitions.
There was a good reason to direct VA to partner with
U.S.Paralympics and that was to use the cache of the Olympic brand and
it ability to attract local and national organizations. Just as
important, we saw how the Olympic brand would attract disabled veterans
to adaptive sports.
Given what we will hear today, that strategy has worked very well.
It appears that thousands more disabled veterans are now involved in
adaptive sports and at the elite levels, our national Paralympic and
adaptive sports teams now include many more disabled veterans. It seems
the program is also fostering further cooperation between adaptive
sports clubs and programs at the local and national level.
While the Paralympics has yet to draw the viewership like the
Olympics, I believe the next steps would be to expand media coverage
and I would ask Mr. Huebner to include their media plans in his
remarks.
In short, I believe the VA-U.S.Paralympics program is the right
thing at the right time and this why I have introduced H.R. 2345, which
extends this program through 2018. I am happy that we were able to
favorably report H.R. 2345 to the Full Committee in July, and I look
forward to its consideration at the Full Committee.
Before I recognize the Ranking Member, I believe it is important to
mention the role of recreational therapy as part of rehabilitation.
When Staff visited a Midwestern VA medical center and asked the
Director about the hospital's rec therapy program, the reply was, ``We
don't have Bingo here.'' I find that myopic view of a well-documented
rehabilitation resource incredible and I intend to speak with
Chairwoman Buerkle about taking a look at VA's national recreational
therapy program--or lack of a program. If nothing else, it should be a
major source of participants for the VA-Paralympic program.
I now recognize to the distinguished Ranking Member, Mr. Braley for
his opening remarks.
Prepared Statement of Hon. Bruce Braley, Ranking Democratic Member
Since the early years of our country, Congress has had to reassess
programs created to care for our men and women in uniform, our veterans
who have courageously answered the call to duty, and their families who
have shared in the military experience.
Fortunately, this Congress stands united in support of our members
of the Armed Forces and veterans who deserve the best resources we can
muster to help them succeed in life after their military service.
Paralympics sports have been used as a method of adaptive sports
therapy since World War II. Paralympics continue to provide
rehabilitation services to our disabled servicemembers who continue to
use them successfully and these services have proven to be popular.
Today's hearing will give the Subcommittee the opportunity to hear
from the U.S. Olympic Committee how the Paralympics program, first
authorized under Public Law 110-389 on October 10, 2008, has assisted
our servicemembers and veterans to heal from the wounds of war. The
price of war is not paid by money alone; servicemember that are called
upon to serve on behalf of our country pay the ultimate price. This is
especially true for those that have made the ultimate sacrifice of life
and injury sustained while in service.
I am pleased to welcome Mike Boone, the Director of Adaptive Sports
Iowa, who is here to testify today. In March, his organization hosted a
forum that brought people together interested in increasing
opportunities for persons with physical and visual disabilities to be
active in daily physical activity programs. Guests at this form
included the National Guard and the VA Hospital. Although I was unable
to attend, my staff was there at the forum. My staff has provided great
feedback on the work Adaptive Sports Iowa is doing and how it
positively impacts physically disabled athletes.
I also recently had the opportunity to meet with Andy Yohe from
Bettendorf, Iowa. He is a member of the Team USA sled hockey team, who
in 2006 helped his team win a bronze medal at the Paralympic Winter
Games in Torino, Italy. Then he helped the U.S. capture the gold medal
at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. He was
accompanied in the meeting by U.S. Olympic gymnast and fellow Iowan
Shawn Johnson, who has been a tremendous advocate on behalf of the
Paralympics. Shawn earned a gold medal and three silver medals at the
2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
We have an obligation to our servicemembers to provide them the
best training and equipment to ensure that they rehabilitate
successfully, as well as to provide post-military services to help them
live a healthy and active lifestyle in their civilian lives.
Many of my colleagues would agree that the Department of Veterans
Affairs provides world class care to our injured servicemembers and
veterans. Knowing this, I would like to hear about the VA and USOC
Memorandum of Understanding and its implementation. I am very
interested to see if there have been any issues of concern in the
partnership process. Additionally, I would like to hear about program
outreach to veterans, and outreach to other veteran organizations that
may help coordinate important events such as the National Veterans
Wheelchair Games.
I look forward to continue working with Chairman Stutzman and
Members of this Subcommittee to ensure that this program continues to
be successful in its mission to provide rehabilitative sports therapy
to our injured servicemembers and our veterans.
Prepared Statement of Colonel Richard G. Cardillo, Jr.,
USA, (Ret.), Military Sport Program Coordinator,
U.S. Association of Blind Athletes
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is a
Colorado-based nonprofit organization that has provided life-enriching
sports opportunities for children, youth and adults who are blind and
visually impaired for the past 35 years. Through our partnership with
the United States Olympic Committee, USABA has strengthened our
collective effort to enhance the lives of disabled Veterans and
disabled members of the Armed Forces who are blind and visually
impaired in order to enhance their rehabilitation process through
sport, physical activity, and recreation and, most importantly to
assist them in the reintegration back into their home communities.
This is a collective programming effort with the United States
Olympic Committee, the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as
national and community-based adaptive sports programs in an effort to
enhance the lives of Veterans who are blind and visually impaired. Some
of the USABA program accomplishments include:
Grown programming efforts from 19 Veterans in 2008 to
over 300 Veterans today
Includes recreational, developing, emerging athletes
Working collaboratively with the VA Blind Rehabilitation
Centers
Integrated/immersed select VA BRC staff into a ``train-
the-trainer'' model
Constant program expansion
Promote program participation with other community-based
programs
Established a formal relationship with the Department of
Defense Vision Center of Excellence
We see 3 recommendations in enhancing the current program
initiative.
Identification and sharing of contact information
Re-establish the funding stream from the VA for the
continued support to the BRCs
Spousal and family inclusion in the rehabilitation
process
USABA again expresses our thanks for the recent support that the
Subcommittee on economic opportunity has made to these various programs
over the past 2 years. Our Nation's greatest assets are those
individuals who have served and continue to serve . . . and we should
continue to provide opportunities for these individuals as best we can
for as long as we can.
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is a
Colorado-based nonprofit organization that has provided life-enriching
sports opportunities for children, youth and adults who are blind and
visually impaired for the past 35 years. Through our partnership with
the United States Olympic Committee, USABA has strengthened our
collective effort to enhance the lives of disabled Veterans and
disabled members of the Armed Forces who are blind and visually
impaired in order to enhance their rehabilitation process through
sport, physical activity, and recreation and, most importantly to
assist them in the reintegration back into their home communities. On
behalf of USABA, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to
present our views on the partnership and progress between the United
States Olympic Committee's Paralympics Division and the Department of
Veterans Affairs in promoting adaptive sports for our Nation's
Veterans.
This morning I would like to take this opportunity to explain what
this initiative has meant to USABA and, more importantly, to highlight
some of the accomplishments and the impact this has had over the past 3
years; none of which would be possible without the cooperation and
partnership with the United States Olympic Committee, the Department of
Veterans Affairs as well as national and community-based adaptive
sports programs in an effort to enhance the lives of Veterans who are
blind and visually impaired.
USABA has grown our Operation Mission Vision programming
efforts from a start of 19 Veterans interested in enhancing their
personal lives through sport and physical activity in 2008 to over 300
Veterans today. Those same Veterans are living at home and training in
local community-based fitness centers around the United States.
Chuck Sketch, U.S. Marine Corps, Wildomar,
California, blind and double above the knee amputee:
``Participation in sports has put my life into advanced hyper-
drive! Today, I'm living a life that my sighted friends can
only dream of.''
Many of these Veterans have recognized the health
benefits that physical activity has on improving their daily lives. A
select few of those Veterans have been able to take their level of
physical activity and skills to a higher level through the U.S.
Paralympic emerging athlete program in hopes of making the U.S.
Paralympic National team. For example:
Chester Triplett, U.S. Army, Mooresville, North
Carolina: recently participated at the U.S. Track Nationals in
Tandem Cycling in Carson, CA in hopes of making the U.S.
Paralympic National Team; Chester won the 200 meter time trial,
placed 2nd in the 1,000 meter time trial and qualified to
compete in the 2012 Para-Cycling World Track Championships in
the city of Los Angeles in February.
Through our Military Sport Program, we work directly with
the VA staff at 9 of the 13 VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) in
an effort to enhance the rehabilitation programs at the VA BRCs by
assisting them in connecting with local community-based organizations,
and in some cases, Paralympic Sport Clubs. Examples include:
Southeastern BRC in Birmingham, AL currently takes
Veterans on a weekly basis to the Lakeshore Foundation; a local
Paralympic Sport Club. The Lakeshore Foundation is an Alabama-
based non-profit organization that promotes independence for
persons with physically disabling conditions and provides
opportunities to pursue active, healthy lifestyles;
Western BRC in Palo Alto, CA has a tremendous weekly
relationship with a local tandem cycling club and is developing
a working relationship with the Riekes Center for Human
Enhancement; a local Paralympic Sport Club. The Riekes Center
for Human Enhancement is a California-based non-profit
organization that offers programs in athletic fitness, creative
arts and nature awareness;
American Lakes BRC in Tacoma, WA has a golfing
program with a local community golf course and is working to
expand their programming efforts with the Tacoma Parks and
Recreation and a local community-based rowing program.
We've worked closely with the Department of Veterans
Affairs over the past 2 years on immersing select VA BRC recreation
therapists and specialists into our summer sports program in a ``train-
the-trainer'' model. The adaptive sports programming knowledge gained
is easily transferable back into the BRC recreation efforts.
We are continuously expanding existing programming
efforts to include greater Veteran participation at USABA's Operation
Mission Vision sports programs; such as developmental and learn to race
cycling and rowing camps; and the California International Marathon.
Gilbert Magallanes, U.S. Army, Clarksville,
Tennessee: ``Without USABA's Operation Mission and many other
programs that help wounded Soldiers, I wouldn't have gotten
past my injury or depression as easy. I'm no longer depressed.
I stayed off the couch. I used to weigh 287 pounds and now I'm
213; and I'm not going back. I'm not quitting. Playing sports
and staying active outside saved my life.''
We encourage and assist Veteran participation at other
community-based programs, U.S. Paralympic programs and VA adaptive
sports programs being offered around the United States.
Lonnie Bedwell, U.S.Navy, Dugger, Indiana: (See
Attached Exhibit A.)
Facilitated in establishing a memorandum of understanding
between the U.S.Paralympic Military Program and the Department of
Defense Vision Center of Excellence (DoD VCoE). This memorandum of
understanding strengthens the on-going relationship between the two
organizations and will continue to enhance the rehabilitation of
Veterans and injured Servicemembers who are blind and visually
impaired.
We see three recommendations in enhancing the current program
initiative. In working with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense Vision Center of Excellence, our first
recommendation for program improvement is the identification and
sharing of contact information for every disabled Veteran who is blind
and visually impaired. Having that level of accessibility would then
maximize our efforts in reaching out to all disabled Veterans who are
blind and visually impaired. Secondly, USABA would like to re-establish
the funding stream from the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow for
the continuation of support and services to the VA Blind Rehabilitation
Centers in order to enhance the lives of Veterans who are blind and
visually impaired. Thirdly, with the continuation of this initiative,
we would like to see an expansion of the current programming efforts to
include the Veteran's spouse and family. Having spent the first 53
years of my life in the military I know all too well the positive
influence the military family has on the servicemember. The inclusion
of the family in these programming efforts is paramount to the success
of the Veteran's rehabilitation.
USABA again expresses our thanks for the recent support that the
Subcommittee on economic opportunity has made to these various programs
over the past 2 years. Our Nation's greatest assets are those
individuals who have served and continue to serve . . . and we should
continue to provide opportunities for these individuals as best we can
for as long as we can. On behalf of USABA, I've appreciated the
opportunity to testify today and I will be glad to answer any questions
at this time.
__________
17 March 2011
To Whom it May Concern,
I want to start this letter by thanking everyone involved with
putting this program together. As you will soon tell, I am not very
good with words. So please forgive me as it is truly heart felt. When I
sit back and reflect on this past weekend I am so humbled and grateful.
I had the opportunity to meet a little 7 year old visually impaired
girl who is completely full of life. I am in awe of someone that never
had the blessings in life to see as many years as I did. I also met a
man who sacrificed so much in combat and spent months in hospitals and
has had 58 surgeries to piece him back together. Even after all of
these surgeries he is still not whole. Not to mention all of the others
who I was so fortunate to meet. You can never walk in another man's
shoes. But, you can gain knowledge as well as draw strength and
inspiration from their life's experience.
Whether you realize it or not, you have made a major impact on so
many lives. Here are a few things you have done for those of us who had
the opportunity to participate in this program. We have developed new
friendships that in some cases I'm sure will last for years. Walls that
were solid, you not only placed a door in them; you also opened it for
us. You have provided us with a new since of hope and drive. Thoughts
like the following once again go through my mind: ``I really can do
this.'', ``I wonder how much better at this I can get?'', and ``just
what else can I really do?''. In my mind aren't these wonderful
thoughts?
With regards to my family, here are some of the things you have
done for them: you placed tears of joy in my mother's eyes. My father
told me ``I'm proud of you son''. At the age of 45 this almost brings
tears to my eyes. As for the rest of my family it also provides them
with joy and a new sense of strength.
In my community you have put me on a platform to help others as you
have helped me. What a humbling honor this is. In just a few short
weeks of people finding out I was heading to Colorado and 2 days of
being back the following has happened. Almost a countless number of
people have called my house or approached me to talk. A mother came up
to me crying and thanking me. She said ``You don't know how much of a
difference you make in my daughter's life as she watches and listens to
you''. A couple said ``You make us realize how little we have to
complain about''. A gentleman talked with me for 30 minutes about the
whole event in the local restaurant. That I know of, I had never spoken
to any of these people before. This doesn't include the others I don't
know and those I do.
For those who put this program together, took care of us at the
lodge, guided us on the slopes, and financially supported this I want
to thank you once again. So you see, you have not only touch the lives
of those of us privileged enough to participate in this event. You have
touched the lives of literally hundreds. I just hope that I can
represent all of your efforts and support in a manner that will also
make you proud.
Sincerely
Lonnie R. Bedwell
U.S.Navy
Dugger, Indiana
EXHIBIT A
Prepared Statement of Michael Charles Boone, Director,
Adaptive Sports Iowa, Iowa Sports Foundation, Ames, IA
Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley and Members of the
Subcommittee, I appreciate and am humbled to appear before you today to
discuss the partnership between the United States Olympic Committee:
Paralympic Division and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
I've never had the honor to serve within the United States
military. As a citizen of this country I cannot express enough the
gratitude I have for the sacrifice these honorable men and women of our
armed forces make. As a professional in the adaptive sports industry, I
realized that I can have an impact on the lives of those who have come
home with a physical disability. The opportunities I can provide will
have a positive effect on the quality of life for both the injured
members and their families.
Prior to 2010, the state of Iowa lacked the organization and
infrastructure to support the development of a successful and
sustainable sport and recreation program for the physically disabled.
The Iowa Sports Foundation recognized this need and our ability to fill
the void. Our organization possesses the leadership and organization to
make a difference within the state of Iowa and serve as a catalyst for
change.
Adaptive Sports Iowa is our answer to Iowa's need for adaptive
sport and recreation programming. Officially kicking off in March 2011,
Adaptive Sports Iowa was established with the mission of creating,
organizing and promoting sport and recreation opportunities for Iowa's
physically disabled population. The Adaptive Sports Iowa Summit, our
kickoff event, was held with the intention of bringing together like-
minded organizations, groups and individuals within the state of Iowa.
I would like to personally thank Congressman Braley for sending a
member of his staff to this event. The Adaptive Sports Iowa Summit was
intended to introduce our new program to the public and to be a forum
to discuss and gather information on the needs of Iowa's physically
disabled population. The Summit was a tremendous success and produced
positive results that have helped guide Adaptive Sports Iowa as we
continue to plan future programs.
As a part of the Summit, we were honored to host Charlie Hubener,
Chief of U.S. Paralympics. Mr. Hubener came to observe the event and to
present Adaptive Sports Iowa with a $25,000 grant from the U.S.
Paralympics and the Department of Veterans' Affairs. This grant allowed
for us to purchase new equipment and begin a program that would target
physically disabled veterans in the state of Iowa.
With the promise of that grant money, we launched Operation: ASI, a
program specially intended for Iowa's physically disabled veterans. To
assist in the planning and coordination of the new program we formed a
committee to oversee it. The Committee was comprised of representatives
from the Iowa National Guard, the Central Iowa Veterans' Affairs Health
Care System, Paralyzed Veterans of America-Iowa Chapter and myself.
According to a Cornell University report, in 2009 close to 5
percent of Iowa's 139,000+ veteran population live with a service-
connected disability.\1\ That accounts for more then 18,000 physically
disabled veterans living in Iowa. This is a significant number of
people who could take advantage of Operation: ASI.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Erickson, W., Lee, C., von Schrader, S. (2010, March 17).
Disability Statistics from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS).
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC). Retrieved
Sep 30, 2011 from www.disabilitystatistics.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We held our first event on July 9, 2011 which was set up as an expo
to introduce veterans to a variety of different activities. We had
stations for golf, hand cycling and so that an individual could
``sample'' each activity as well as a display for target shooting.
The partnership between the U.S.Paralympics and the Department of
Veterans' Affairs is an important and successful collaboration with
great potential. Nationally, there are organizations that provide
adaptive sports and recreation programs in their respective communities
and regions. The overwhelming majority of these organizations work
independently from each other with limited communication and
collaboration between organizations. U.S.Paralympics is in the unique
position to provide the necessary leadership and guidance to these
organizations to assist in the development of nationwide grass roots
support system. We attribute much of the success of Adaptive Sports
Iowa to this same concept. Prior to the existence of Adaptive Sports
Iowa, adaptive sports and recreation opportunities were extremely
limited within Iowa. Upon further research and examination into the
needs of Iowa, we determined that the pieces were in place to create
our organization. Overall, the need was there but the leadership was
not. By providing that leadership we have experienced tremendous
success within our programs.
There are a couple areas of improvement I suggest the Subcommittee
examine to improve this partnership:
1. The U.S.Paralympics has the passion, organization, and
resources to provide opportunities to demographics that the Department
of Veterans Affairs is targeting to serve. It is in the best interest
of those veterans that these two organizations continue to work
together. I do see opportunity for this relationship to develop. For
example, The Iowa Sports Foundation's fiscal years ended on September
30. To date, our 2011 grant awarded to us in March from the Department
of Veteran's affairs has not yet arrived. Adaptive Sports Iowa is
fortunate to be part of an organize that could support the purchases
and commitments we made to begin Operation: ASI but that is not the
case for most adaptive sports organizations.
2. There is a need to more efficiently disseminate information
regarding our programs to disabled veterans. Informing younger and
recently disabled veterans has been a significant stumbling block for
our organization. When a physically disabled soldier returns home
following rehab there is currently no way for our organization to
inform them of our programming opportunities. An easy and immediate
improvement to this partnership is to establish a way for soon-to-be
released rehabbing soldiers to be informed of the adaptive sports
opportunities near their home.
In closing, I would like to thank the Committee and the Department
of Veterans' Affairs for your support of adaptive programming for
physically disabled veterans. I grew up in a household with a blind
father. While he was not a veteran, I saw firsthand how opportunities
like these can change lives. What you are doing matters a great deal
and will have a positive and lasting impact for the program
participants, their family and friends, and their communities.
__________
Appendix A
OPERATION ADAPTIVE SPORTS IOWA
Operation ASI is designed to perform the following deliverables:
1. Develop a new program, Operation ASI, with the goal of
increasing adaptive sports and recreation opportunities for Iowa's
disabled veterans by the elements listed below:
a. Organize, promote and administer a variety of adaptive
sport and recreational programs targeting at least thirty (30)
disabled veterans by introducing them to a variety of
activities such as basic fitness and access to instruction and
equipment in cycling, bowling, golf and target shooting with
consistent weekly and/or bi-weekly training;
b. Increase the existing adaptive sport and recreation
opportunities in Iowa to include cycling, boccia, golf, and
target shooting for disabled veterans with consistent weekly
and/or bi-weekly training opportunities;
i. In recent years, Central Iowa has witnessed development of
many recreational trails. It's important that many of these
programs offer the opportunity for training and participation
away from VA and military campuses. There are many facilities
and locations the above mentioned activities can take place
that can effectively serve the needs of the program
participants.
c. Assist a minimum of five (5) disabled veterans in
participating in and completing a competitive level and/or
recreational event in any of the above motioned activities.
i. By working closely with the Iowa Games (another program of
the Iowa Sports Foundation), competitive opportunities will be
available and accessible to any and all disabled veterans that
have a desire to participate.
ii. RAGBRAI, an annual cycling event in Iowa with roughly
25,000 participants will be a target event for our program
participants. Progress has already been made with integrating
an adaptive specific team and disabled veterans within this
program will have the opportunity to participate with this
team.
d. Obtain the appropriate and necessary equipment for the
above mentioned activities that matches the needs of the
targeted disabled veterans.
e. Increase the number of disabled veterans participating in a
Paralympic Sport at any level to ten (10) or more
2. Organize and administer outreach efforts for recruitment,
educational and public awareness purposes:
a. Educate at least sixty (60) disabled veterans about
adaptive sports opportunities available to them locally and
throughout Iowa.
b. Collaborate with the following organizations to identify
community organizations and contacts that can assist in the
promotion of this program to reach disabled veterans.
i. Veterans Affairs Central Iowa Health Care System
ii. Iowa National Guard
iii. Paralyzed Veterans of America--Iowa Chapter
c. Organize and administer a ``kickoff'' event for disabled
veterans and veterans organizations no later then July 31, 2011
d. U.S.Olympic Committee, Paralympic Division will be
recognized appropriately as a supporter of this program in
local media and publicity.
Prepared Statement of Tina Acosta, MS, TR, Director,
Adult Day Services and Adaptive Sports and Recreation,
Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities,
Ft. Wayne, IN, and Secretary, Indiana Association of Adult Day Services
Executive Summary
Physical fitness activities are important to all people, but even
more so for people with disabilities. A person who is physically fit
protects his or her physical and mental health and enjoys a greater
quality of life. In northeast Indiana, more than 150,000 persons over
the age of 5 are living with a disability. Veterans with disabilities
account for approximately 5 percent of this figure. Unfortunately,
people with disabilities have few opportunities to participate in
fitness related activities. There are a plethora of opportunities in
the region for persons without disabilities to play sports, build
strength and engage in leisure activities, but for people with
disabilities, these opportunities are inaccessible or simply
unavailable.
In 1995, Turnstone addressed this lack of sports, recreation and
wellness activities by developing the region's only adaptive sports
program. In 16 years, Turnstone's program has grown to become a
Paralympic Sport Club which today serves over 500 people with physical
disabilities. But hundreds more, including our veterans and members of
the armed forces, could be served if programs were available.
Programs require funding. The funds provided through the Olympic
Opportunity Fund are vital to the success of agencies who dedicate
themselves to advancing and empowering people with disabilities. The
receipt of the Olympic Opportunity Fund will provide Turnstone with the
opportunity to bring the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program to
northeast Indiana. The program will address the exploding, and unmet,
demand for recreation, sports, and wellness opportunities for northeast
Indiana veterans and members of the armed forces. Through this program
health and wellness fitness memberships will be provided to veterans
and members of the armed forces with physical disabilities. An
introduction to Paralympic sports, as well as inclusive family
programming, will be offered to our servicemen and women who
participate in the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program.
Turnstone will serve 25 veterans through the Healthy Minds Healthy
Bodies program in the coming 2011-12 program year. While the VA and
Turnstone sought to work together in the past, there was not an avenue
to bridge the relationship. The Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program
creates this bridge. As a result of this program, which would not have
been possible without the support of the Olympic Opportunity Fund,
Turnstone and the VA will have the opportunity to work together.
Through our joint efforts linked by the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies
program, veterans with physical disabilities living in northeast
Indiana will have access to vital health and wellness programs as well
as Paralympic sports. Through the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program,
our veterans will reclaim their dignity and independence.
Founded in 1943, Turnstone is a not-for-profit health and human
services agency with an established history of serving children and
adults with disabilities living in northeast Indiana. Turnstone's
mission is to provide therapeutic, educational, wellness and
recreational programs to empower people with disabilities living in
northeast Indiana. In 2009, Turnstone became a designated Paralympic
Sport Club.
Current Programs
In 2011, over 2,200 children and adults with disabilities benefit
from Turnstone's unique programs and services. Turnstone offers the
only wheelchair accessible health and wellness center in Indiana, the
only competitive sports and recreation program in northeast Indiana and
northwest Ohio, and it is the only organization in the region that
provides speech, physical, occupational and aquatic therapy services
for children and adults on a sliding fee scale. Other programs and
services provided by the agency include a warm water therapeutic pool,
early intervention preschool and childcare services, case management,
residential ramp building, equipment loan and an adult day services
program.
2012 and Beyond
Turnstone's Madge Rothschild Pediatric Therapy Wing will be
completed in 2012. The addition of the wing will allow Turnstone to
serve the 50 children on the waiting list to receive pediatric therapy
services. An additional 100 children in need of therapy services living
in northeast Indiana will also benefit from this expansion. In 2012,
more than 600 children with disabilities will receive speech, physical,
occupational and aquatic therapy on a sliding fee scale at Turnstone.
Turnstone will continue to address the exploding, and unmet, demand
for therapy, recreation, sports and wellness opportunities for people
with disabilities in the coming years. The agency will soon embark on
the early stages of a silent $8 million capital campaign, which is
scheduled for completion in 2014. Turnstone will become the Midwest's
stage for innovation in the development of therapeutic and wellness
programs, including Paralympic sports, for people with physical
disabilities. The 2014 Turnstone will feature: an accessible fitness
center, warm water, zero depth therapy pool, as well as a cool water
pool and specialized fitness, recreation, aquatics and wheelchair
sports programs.
Paralympic Sports
Since becoming a Paralympic Sport Club, Turnstone has introduced
new competitive and leisure sports to children and adults with physical
disabilities living in northeast Indiana. This designation has also
increased the agency's access to resources and experts in the field of
Paralympic sports, thereby providing the agency with the ability to
build its existing sport programs. Programs which were in place in
2009, but that have been enhanced thanks to becoming a PSC include:
basketball, tennis, sled hockey, cycling and fencing. Since 2009,
Turnstone has established a boccia team and held several introductory
Paralympic sport clinics, including table tennis, archery, softball,
curling, fencing, rugby, kayaking and sit volleyball.
Olympic Opportunity Fund
As a Paralympic Sport Club, Turnstone has also been afforded a
vital link to new funding sources, including the Olympic Opportunity
Grant. In 2011, Turnstone applied and received an Olympic Opportunity
Grant to replicate the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program in
northeast Indiana. This program, which was piloted in the Chicago
region, will provide veterans with physical disabilities and post-
traumatic stress disorder with access to Turnstone's accessible health
and wellness center and an introduction to Paralympic sports.
Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies Program
Turnstone's development of the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program
will create new possibilities for veterans and members of the armed
forces living with physical disabilities. Turnstone could not have
brought the program to its community without the support provided
through the Olympic Opportunity Fund. These dollars are vital to the
development of the program and will have a lasting impact on our
veterans. The veterans of northeast Indiana need the Healthy Minds
Healthy Bodies program. Veterans like Tim, are the reason the program
is so needed.
In early 2011, Tim was featured in the local paper for a project--
``Operation Thank You''--he created as a student of Indiana Purdue
University of Fort Wayne. Through Operation Thank You, Tim gathered and
delivered thank you cards to veterans in the hospital.
Tim, age 25, uses a wheelchair as a result of an injury obtained
while in the military. He had heard about Turnstone, but never
investigated what the agency offered. Tim toured the agency, learned
that it offered wheelchair basketball, and immediately an interest was
sparked.
Then he saw the fitness center. Since May, Leonard has been working
out at Turnstone. At Turnstone he doesn't have to get out of his chair
to work out; he can roll up and lift independently. His focus--
weightlifting, and the results are in. He has lost more than 60 pounds
of fat; but, gained 30 pounds of muscle. His waistline has shrunk 7'',
while his chest has increased 10''. Tim is a machine.
In August, Tim, who was joined by Turnstone's Director of Adult
Services, Tina Acosta and the agency's Sports and Recreation
Coordinator, Kevin Hughes, participated in the Valor Midwest Games in
Chicago. He took part in the weightlifting competition and took gold.
He also competed in the shot put--he took silver.
This September, Tim rolled 4 miles in Fort Wayne's Fort-4-Fitness
Half Marathon 10K and 4 Mile event. This event drew over 9,500
athletes. Tim completed the 4 mile race in 50 minutes. Tim wheeled the
race with a 14-year old boy with cerebral palsy. The young man
completed the race 13 seconds faster than Tim. Both Tim and the boy
were winners that day. Tim says, ``Where there is a way, there is
how''. He's found the way and the how at Turnstone.
Tim's story is one of success. More successes are possible. More
possibilities can be created. The Olympic Opportunity Fund creates
possibilities.
Charlie Huebner, USOC's Chief of Paralympics stated in USA Today,
``The most important thing that we can do, and our partners do, is make
sure there's programming available for when young men and women
returning to their community because that's where the rehab process
really takes hold.'' Colonel Barbara Springer, former chief of physical
therapy at Walter Reed, witnessed the impact of recreational programs
on wounded warriors.
Colonel Springer states ``Once they see they can do that activity,
then they have the confidence, the self-esteem, to try anything''.
Huebner and Springer's words reinforce the need for Turnstone's Healthy
Minds Healthy Bodies program, as well as the Olympic Opportunity Fund.
According to the VA of Northern Indiana, there are 7,000 veterans
from OIF, OEF and OND living in northeast Indiana, while the local DAV
chapters in the region have a cumulative membership of over 2,500.
Nationally the VA reports, 77 percent of Veterans are overweight or
obese, and weight-related disorders, including diabetes, are common.
Turnstone has the resources and expertise needed to help our
Veterans and members of the Armed Forces get fit, become active in
sports and recreation and regain their independence. Turnstone's
Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program will expand Paralympic sports and
physical activity programs for Veterans and members of the Armed Forces
with physical disabilities and their caregivers.
The Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program will include four
components:
6-month membership to Turnstone's accessible fitness
center and warm water pool as well as 5 hours of personal training.
Access to Paralympic sports, including wheelchair tennis,
boccia, sled hockey, wheelchair basketball, rugby and snow skiing and
more.
A monthly family social event, focusing on health and the
introduction of Paralympic sports.
Establishment of a Veterans Services Advisory Committee
to ensure program sustainability.
It is projected that 25 Veterans or members of the Armed Forces
with physical disabilities (including amputations, spinal cord
injuries, visual impairment, post-traumatic stress disorder, cerebral
palsy, stroke and traumatic brain injury, age 21 to 55, in addition to
20-25 caregivers of similar age), will participate in the Healthy Minds
Healthy Bodies program.
Through the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program Turnstone is
investing in the long term health, wellness and quality of life of
veterans living with disabilities in northeast Indiana, a group whose
needs are underserved and unfilled. Our veterans are competent, self-
determined individuals who can, and should, live with the independence
and dignity they had become disability entered their life.
Veterans deserve to live the lives of their dreams with full
inclusion in all areas of life: educational, social, employment, and
recreational. Without the availability of the Healthy Minds Healthy
Bodies program, northeast Indiana will lack the specialized programs
and facilities that enable full participation of people with a myriad
of disabilities. The infusion of support provided by the Olympic
Opportunity Fund to Turnstone changes that.
Conclusion
``Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from
something they have deep inside them--a desire, a dream, a vision.''--
Muhammad Ali
The participants of the Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program are
champions. They are our veterans who had a desire and dream to protect
our nation--to protect our freedom and our independence. While
championing their beliefs, these veterans lost their independence.
Their life was changed in an instant, and they are now living with a
disability. They should be thriving; their disability should not define
their life or their livelihood.
The Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies program, which is made possible
thanks to the Olympic Opportunity Fund, redefines veterans living with
disabilities. It offers hope; it changes lives. Through this program,
veterans with physical disabilities will rebuild their physical
strength, mental wellness and confidence. They will regain their
dignity. They will rediscover their joy.
Past Federal Support
Turnstone received a 3-year grant from the U.S.Department of
Education in the amount of $130,000 in 2009. This grant funded the
ICAAN (Inclusive Community Athletics and Activities Now) Program, which
introduced various inclusive sports and recreation programs for persons
with physical disabilities and their peers.
Turnstone received the Carol M. White Award through the
U.S.Department of Education in the amount of $120,000 in 2002. This
grant funded Turnstone's Fitness for EveryBODY program and was
instrumental in the agency's development of its accessible health and
wellness fitness program and center.
Prepared Statement of Kirk M. Bauer, J.D., USA (Ret.),
Executive Director, Disabled Sports USA
Executive Summary
The VA funded Paralympic Sports has provided unparalleled
opportunities for Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA), working in partnership
with U.S.Paralympics, to provide health enhancing sports and physical
activity programs for severely wounded servicemembers, all at no cost
to the disabled veteran. Just this past year, it has enabled Disabled
Sports USA to identify and serve over 1000 severely wounded, including
those with single and multiple amputations, paralysis, visual
impairments and traumatic brain injury. Many of these are suffering
some degree of Post Traumatic Stress and have found that participation
in sports helps them to deal with PTSD more positively.
The funding provided by the VA program has enabled DSUSA to
``leverage'' its resources, drawing upon the community chapters'
commitments of local resources, and encouraging corporate and
individual donations to supplement the VA funding. Over $3 of funds
were raised by Disabled Sports USA in the private sector, to every
dollar provided by the VA grant funding.
In the fiscal year October 1 to September 30, 2011, Disabled Sports
USA has provided over 130 teaching and competition programs in over 20
sports, for over 1000 disabled veterans nationwide. This has included
instruction and advanced courses in the winter sports of alpine and
Nordic Skiing, snowboarding, Biathlon and sled hockey.
It has also included adaptive cycling, running and wheeling,
equestrian, golfing, shooting, archery, sailing, kayaking, rowing,
outrigger canoeing, swimming, scuba, fishing, water skiing, river
rafting, climbing, hiking and other sports.
One veteran with TBI, who is now training to become a Paralympic
Ski Racer, reported that he was able to reduce his medications from 15
per day to 3 per day because of his commitment to training and becoming
physically fit.
Another, a National Guard Non Commissioned Officer with TBI,
learned to ski and now has committed to become a certified Adaptive Ski
Instructor to help a local New York Chapter of DSUSA. He has also
become involved in helping to staff youth camps conducted by the
chapter, for children with disabilities. He reported at one camp this
summer that he became so involved in helping the kids; he forgot his
``alive day'', which had always caused him to become depressed and
despondent as he dealt with PTSD. His therapists remarked that this was
a major breakthrough for the veteran.
These programs have produced positive outcomes for hundreds of
disabled veterans who are struggling with readjustment to their new
physical and mental challenges.
Testimony
The VA funded Paralympic Sports has provided unparalleled
opportunities for Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA), working in partnership
with U.S.Paralympics, to provide health enhancing sports and physical
activity programs for severely wounded servicemembers, all at no cost
to the disabled veteran. Just this past year, it has enabled Disabled
Sports USA to identify and serve over 1000 severely wounded, including
those with single and multiple amputations, paralysis, visual
impairments and traumatic brain injury. Many of these are suffering
some degree of Post Traumatic Stress and have found that participation
in sports helps them to deal with PTSD more positively.
It also has provided the opportunity for DSUSA to develop
partnerships with 63 community based DSUSA chapters and Paralympic
Sports Clubs in 32 states; to help implement health enhancing sports
programs at the community level. The funding provided by the VA program
has enabled DSUSA to ``leverage'' its resources, drawing upon the
community chapters' commitments of local resources, and encouraging
corporate and individual donations to supplement the VA funding. Over
$3 of funds were raised by Disabled Sports USA in the private sector,
to every dollar provided by the VA grant funding.
Our chapters were so impressed with the programs provided through
U.S.Paralympics, that 39 of our 104 chapters have now become Paralympic
Sports Clubs; spreading the excitement of Paralympic Sport and the
benefits of physical activity for successful rehabilitation and
reintegration back to an active, social life. Finally, VA funding has
enabled DSUSA to leverage its private sector funding to provide
additional sports services that increase health and wellness and
provide increased opportunities for participation in Paralympic sport
training and competition programs.
In the fiscal year October 1 to September 30, 2011, Disabled Sports
USA has provided over 130 teaching and competition programs in over 20
sports, for over 1000 disabled veterans nationwide. This has included
instruction and advanced courses in the winter sports of alpine and
Nordic Skiing, snowboarding, Biathlon and sled hockey.
It has also included adaptive cycling, running and wheeling,
equestrian, golfing, shooting, archery, sailing, kayaking, rowing,
outrigger canoeing, swimming, scuba, fishing, water skiing, river
rafting, climbing, hiking and other sports.
Through the VA Paralympic program, as well as private sector
funding, DSUSA was able to expand training and racing opportunities in
winter sports to disabled veterans, providing increased opportunities
to achieve excellence in sports and train for possible Paralympic
participation. This included 8 ski race (intermediate-advanced)
training camps; 11 multi-level ski and snowboard training camps
(beginner-intermediate); 11 ongoing, community programs (offering
multiple participation opportunities, season long); grants to veterans
pursuing adaptive instructor certification; and four regional ``NorAm''
elite races which included Paralympic level competitors from Europe,
Australia and Canada.
Because of the partnership with U.S.Paralympics and the VA, DSUSA
is now working with more than 30 local VA Medical Centers on
identification, outreach and recruitment of disabled veterans to its
physical activity and sports programs. See appendix B for list of
facilities.
DSUSA is also working with more than 17 Military Medical Centers
and Warrior Transition Units at major military bases on identification,
outreach and recruitment of severely wounded warriors to its physical
activity and sports programs. See appendix B for list of facilities.
These programs have produced positive outcomes for hundreds of
disabled veterans who are struggling with readjustment to their new
physical and mental challenges. One veteran with TBI, who is now
training to become a Paralympic Ski Racer, reported that he was able to
reduce his medications from 15 per day to 3 per day because of his
commitment to training and becoming physically fit.
Another, a National Guard Non Commissioned Officer with TBI,
learned to ski and now has committed to become a certified Adaptive Ski
Instructor to help a local New York Chapter of DSUSA. He has also
become involved in helping to staff youth camps conducted by the
chapter, for children with disabilities. He reported at one camp this
summer that he became so involved in helping the kids; he forgot his
``alive day'', which had always caused him to become depressed and
despondent as he dealt with PTSD. His therapists remarked that this was
a major breakthrough for the veteran.
Another Chicago based disabled veteran, an Air Force Senior Airman
demolition expert was seriously injured when an IED in Iraq he was
attempting to diffuse exploded. He lost his arm, and had the skin on
his legs literally blown off so he had to be treated like a burn victim
and suffered extensive muscle and bone damage. He became involved in
the golf, scuba and skiing programs offered by DSUSA and has now become
a single digit handicapped golfer. Just this last month, in August, he
was offered a job with one of DSUSA's sponsors, AON, to help with their
crisis management program for U.S.corporations located in foreign
lands.
An Army Captain with TBI from an IED just finished competing in the
Hood to Coast Relay, a 12 man team that runs 197 miles from the top of
Mt. Hood to the Oregon Coast. DSUSA entered the only wounded warrior
team in the race which involved over 1,200 teams with nearly 15,000
runners. That veteran, who was encourage by DSUSA Chapter Team River
Runner, to become involved in kayaking in the hospital; is now teaching
kayaking and helping DSUSA start a new chapter in Portland, Oregon.
DSUSA is now surveying veterans participating in the Paralympic
Sport programs offered through the VA funding. Initial survey results
are showing that the veterans are now more active, committed to a
healthier lifestyle and coping with their disabilities better, because
of their involvement in sports and physical activity.
Finally, because DSUSA is able to promote the VA sponsored
Paralympic Sports Program on its Web site, in its national magazine
Challenge, and with its network of 104 chapters operating in 38 states;
thousands of readers and supporters are becoming aware of the
Paralympic Sports Program and of its positive, health enhancing
benefits to disabled veterans. Disabled Sports USA has provided several
veteran success stories for use on the new VA Paralympic Web site.
In addition, because of agreements with participating DSUSA
chapters to market the program, more veterans are learning about the
benefits of sports and physical activity through local chapter outreach
efforts.
In summary, the VA funded Paralympic Sport Program for disabled
veterans has been an outstanding success to date. More disabled
veterans are getting involved in the sports programs from entry level
to elite Paralympic levels. They are benefiting through increased
physical activity and are reporting that they are fitter, more active
and better adjusted to civilian life because of the sports
opportunities provided to them.
With the newly injured returning from Afghanistan, the need for
these programs is more urgent than ever before. Because the troops are
being forced to dismount their armored vehicles in the highlands of
Afghanistan, the military is reporting an alarming increase in the
number of single and multiple amputees getting injured by IEDs, mortars
and gunfire while dismounted.
DSUSA staff has been witnessing firsthand this resurgence for
several months; and now USA Today is reporting a doubling of the
amputee injured from recent previous years and a tripling of the number
returning with multiple amputations. These deserving wounded warriors
will need our help as they separate from the military and become
disabled veterans. With the help of the VA, DSUSA will continue to be
there for them.
__________
Appendix A
Testimonials
``I had the time of my life and learned something I thought I would
not learn very easy. I am looking forward to participating in more
upcoming events. My wife Amanda loved the trip also and was happy to
make new friends with spouses that deal with the same issues as herself
with me. You all have helped me cope even better with my disabilities
and raise my self-esteem.''
Army SSGT Olan W. Aldrich
Wounded Warrior, Traumatic Brain Injury
``You get injured like this, you tell yourself you'll be OK, but
deep inside you know there are limits. But doing something like this,
you realize there aren't as many as you think, if you put your mind to
it.''
Marine LCPL Ufrano Rios Jimenez
Wounded Warrior, Leg Amputee
``I wanted to touch base with you to thank you for an awesome
opportunity with The Hartford Ski Spectacular. I personally was
mesmerized by the organization and the overwhelming support provided to
me and my patients. My patients were glowing by the time they returned
to FL. Laurie and Jimmy progressed to higher functioning adaptive ski
equipment. Dustin was ``stoked'' that he can ski again, as he was a
snowboarder prior to his injury. Please let everyone know that we
greatly appreciated this program and it was an honor to have been a
part of such a wonderful program.''
Tammi Pasquel, Certified Therapeutic
Recreation Specialist & Brain Injury Specialist
Tampa VA
``Pushing myself to the limits, knowing that I can accomplish
anything regardless of my injuries is what the ski weekend represents.
I've done a lot of things that I never did when I was healthy and
definitely didn't think I could do when I got injured.''
Army SPC Mike Green
Wounded Warrior, Above Elbow Amputee
``We all found ways to grow and push ourselves on the Grand Canyon.
It gave us a look inside ourselves and gave us all the courage to say--
as my friends at Disabled Sports USA say ``if I can do this, I can do
anything''. You have started a new adventure and nothing, not a stroke,
not the loss of a limb, not the loss of sight, nor PTSD or TBI will
stop you from enjoying life.''
Army CAPT Chip Sell
Wounded Warrior, Traumatic Brain Injury
``I have observed firsthand how Disabled Sports USA's Wounded
Warrior Disabled Sports Project offers safe, reliable and effective
programs for the severely wounded servicemembers who undergo treatment
here. Your programming is always top-notch and provides high quality
adaptive instruction. Participation in recreation and sports has been a
key element in the successful rehabilitation of our population.''
Rebecca Hooper, PhD Program Manager
Center for the Intrepid
To All The People That Believe In Me.
I want to thank all these programs for helping me lose weight. I
used to weigh 275 lbs and now I'm down to 245 lbs. and going down. All
because I have been given a chance to be active as a disabled person.
Wounded Warrior Project, DSUSA, AbilityPLUS, Central Jersey Rifle &
Pistol Club, New Jersey Quail Project, Bart J Ruggiere Adaptive Sports
Center, Challenge Aspen, New England Disabled Sports, Wheelers for the
Wounded, Adaptive Sports Foundation. I want to give a very special
thank you to all the volunteer and supporters without you we wouldn't
have these program. God Bless You All.
Army SSG. Heriberto Vidro
Wounded Warrior, Traumatic Brain Injury
__________
Appendix B
List of VA Medical Centers
Tampa (FL) Saginaw (MI) San Diego (CA)
Palo Alto (CA) Johnstown (PA) Jewell VA Outpatient
Rehabilitation Center
(CO)
Richmond (VA) Missouri (MO) Stratton (NY)
Washington (DC) Hines (IL) Salt Lake (UT)
Northport (NY) Boston (MA) Johnson City (TN)
Los Angeles (CA) Martinsburg (VA) Asheville (NC)
Seattle (WA) Eastern Blind Phoenix (AZ)
Rehabilitation Center
(CT)
Albany (NY) Puget Sound Health care Tucson (AZ)
System (WA)
Syracuse (NY) America Lake (WA) Prescott (AZ)
Western (NY) Togus (ME) Cheyenne (CO)
Hampton (VA) Clement J Zeblocki (WI) Baltimore (MD)
List of Warrior Transition Units and Military Medical Centers
Walter Reed National Fort Belvoir (VA) Fort Drum (NY)
Military Medical
Center (MD)
Naval Medical Center Fort Sam (TX) 29 Palms (CA)
San Diego (CA)
Brooke Army Medical Walter Reed (DC) U.S.Marine Corp
Center (TX) Wounded Warrior
Battalion East
(Lejeune NC)
Fort Carson (CO) Fort Eustis (VA) U.S.Marine Corp
Wounded Warrior
Battalion West
(Pendleton CA)
Fort Bragg (NC) Fort Lewis (WA) U.S.Marine Corp
Wounded Warrior
Battalion HQ
(Quantico VA)
Fort Meade (VA) Fort Campbell (KY) Wounded Warrior
Detachment (HI)
Appendix C
List of participating (partner) organizations (*denotes DSUSA chapter
and Paralympic Sports Club)
Ability Plus*
Adaptive Action Sports
Adaptive Adventures*
Adaptive Sports Center, Crested Butte*
Adaptive Sports Foundation*
Arizona Disabled Sports*
Bart J. Ruggiere Adaptive Sports Center*
Blue Ridge Adaptive Snow Sports
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center*
Bridge II Sports*
Cape Ability Outrigger Ohana, Inc.*
Challenge Alaska*
Challenge Aspen*
Challenged Athletes of West Virginia
Colorado Discover Ability
Common Ground Outdoor Adventures
Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra*
Disabled Sports USA Far West*
Eagle Mount Bozeman
Friends of Stowe
Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association*
Greek Peak Adaptive Snowsports
Lakeshore Foundation*
Leaps of Faith Disabled Water Skiers
Maine Handicapped Skiing*
National Ability Center*
National Sports Center for the Disabled*
New England Disabled Sports*
New England Handicapped sports Association*
Northeast Passage*
Operation Comfort
Oregon Adaptive Sports
Outdoors For All*
San Diego Adaptive Sports Foundation*
SouthEastern Wisconsin Adaptive Ski Program
Sports Association, Gaylord Hospital
Sports, Arts, and Recreation of Chattanooga
STRIDE Adaptive Sports*
SUDS Diving, Inc.
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports Program Inc
Team River Runner
Telluride Adaptive Sports Program*
Teton Adaptive Sports
The Adaptive Adventure Sports Coalition
Two Top Mountain Adaptive Sports Foundation
U.S. Handcycling
UCO Sports & Recreation*
United States Adaptive Recreation Center
Wheelchair Sports Inc.
Wintergreen Adaptive Sports
Prepared Statement of Carl Blake, National
Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PVA Sponsors National Veterans' Wheelchair Games
2011 was 26th year PVA has co-hosted with VA
Held in Pittsburgh, PA
567 veterans participated.
41 were veterans of (OEF/OIF)
126 of the veterans were first-time participants
Next year will be held in Richmond, VA
Encourage Subcommittee Members to attend
PVA supported the provisions of Public Law 110-389, the ``Veterans'
Benefits Improvement Act of 2008''
The intent of the law is consistent with the mission of
PVA's Sports and Recreation
Program which is to expand the quantity and quality of
sports and recreation opportunities, especially those that promote
lifetime fitness and a healthy lifestyle, for PVA members and other
people with disabilities.
Law promotes disabled sports from the local level through
elite levels.
Creates partnerships among organizations specializing in
supporting, training, and promoting programs for disabled veterans
PVA has benefited directly from Paralympics support
Received $400,000 in December 2010
Funded activities for 805 unique disabled veterans; 4,261
participation opportunities
PVA Handcycling Program ($175,000); National Veterans
Wheelchair Games $125,000);
PVA National Trapshoot Circuit ($50,000); PVA/AWBA
Bowling Tournament Series ($50,000)
Much progress and enhanced cooperation has resulted from the
Paralympics Program and its partnership with VA
Disabled sports and recreation activities have a positive
impact not only on disabled servicemembers and veterans, but on their
families as well
Enhances self-esteem, reduces stress and the incidence of
secondary medical conditions, and obviously improves conditioning
Allows disabled servicemembers and veterans to reengage
with family, friends, and the community
PVA has transitioned a number of severely disabled
veterans from our sports and recreation programs into our Vocational
Rehabilitation program
Recommendations
Transparency for credibility
USOC-Paralympics should implement a review committee
that consists of leaders from the adapted sports and recreation
community who administer programs for disabled veterans
Congress complete appropriations; hindering
administration of program
__________
Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley, and Members of the
Subcommittee, I am pleased to be here today on behalf of Paralyzed
Veterans of America (PVA) to offer our views on the partnership between
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the United States Olympic
Committee (USOC) Paralympics program. As we have testified in the past,
treatment and rehabilitation through sports and recreation for severely
injured servicemembers and veterans is an important part of returning
these men and women to a normal life. We would like to thank this
Subcommittee particularly for its efforts to expand sports and
recreation opportunities for disabled servicemembers and veterans.
Perhaps no veterans' service organization understands the
importance of sports as a rehabilitation tool more than PVA. Since its
inception in 1946, PVA has recognized the important role that sports
and recreation play in the spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation
process. In fact, it was paralyzed veterans, injured during World War
II, who first started playing pick-up games of wheelchair basketball in
VA hospitals. This marked the birth of wheelchair sports. Doctors
quickly realized the significance of these types of activities and the
powerful therapeutic benefits on the physical, mental and social state
that could be derived from participating in wheelchair sports. It is
for this reason that PVA developed, and annually administers, a
comprehensive sports and recreation program for its members and other
Americans with disabilities.
PVA sponsors a wide array of sports and outdoor recreation events
to improve the quality of life and health of veterans with severe
disabilities. Most notable of these activities is the National Veterans
Wheelchair Games (NVWG) which PVA has co-sponsored with the Department
of Veterans Affairs for 26 years. In fact the most recent Games just
wrapped up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in July. This year, the NVWG
drew 567 veterans. Of that number, 41 were veterans of Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). More
importantly, 126 of the veterans were first-time participants. PVA has
one of the highest participation rates of members in this event. Next
summer, PVA, along with the VA, will host the NVWG in Richmond,
Virginia--site of the very first Wheelchair Games. We would encourage
the Subcommittee to consider a day trip (or longer) to observe this
incredible event firsthand. Likewise, we fully support the activities
of the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, the National
Veterans Golden Age Games, and the National Creative Arts Festival.
In recent years, PVA has conducted significant outreach at
Department of Defense (DoD) and VA hospitals to make its sports and
recreation programs available to recently injured Operation Iraqi
Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans, and now to
veterans of Operation New Dawn. In fact, PVA was recognized in 2007 by
the staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for our important work
with the men and women being treated at that facility. In addition, in
2008 PVA edited a chapter in the DoD medical handbook Care of the
Combat Amputee entitled ``Sports and Recreation Opportunities for the
Combat Amputee'' to be included.
PVA was pleased to support the provisions of Public Law 110-389,
the ``Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.'' Section 7 of the
law authorized the VA to provide assistance to the Military Paralympics
Program and expand sports and recreation opportunities available to
severely disabled veterans. The intent of the law is consistent with
the mission of PVA's Sports and Recreation Program which is to expand
the quantity and quality of sports and recreation opportunities,
especially those that promote lifetime fitness and a healthy lifestyle,
for PVA members and other people with disabilities. As we have
testified in the past, PVA's primary goal for its Sports and Recreation
Program is all about health care and rehabilitation first.
P.L. 110-389 specifically emphasizes the need to enhance the
recreation activities provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs by
promoting disabled sports from the local level through elite levels and
by creating partnerships among organizations specializing in
supporting, training, and promoting programs for disabled veterans.
This will be accomplished by providing training, technical assistance
and equipment and Paralympics mentors for injured veterans to
participate in daily physical activity at the community level as an
aspect of their rehabilitation.
PVA has been fortunate to benefit directly from the expansion of
activities under the USOC-Paralympics program. PVA was a grant
recipient of one of the first round of grants provided by the USOC. In
December 2010, PVA received a $400,000 grant of financial support from
the USOC for the U.S. Paralympics Integrated Adaptive Sports Program.
This funding was intended to cover program support activities through
June 2011, when the next round of grants would be disbursed.
With the financial support of the Paralympics, PVA was able to
provide sports and recreation opportunities to 805 unique disabled
veterans. Ultimately, 4,261 participation opportunities were made
available to disabled veterans. PVA allocated the grant funding in the
following manner:
PVA Handcycling Program ($175,000)
National Veterans Wheelchair Games ($125,000)
PVA National Trapshoot Circuit ($50,000)
PVA/AWBA Bowling Tournament Series ($50,000)
Funding dedicated towards the Handcycling Program allowed us to
move plans forward from preliminary stages and create 3,371 affiliated
recreational, competitive, and training participation opportunities. A
total of 83 unique disabled veterans took part in the program. We were
able to host four regional adaptive cycling clinics in the following
cities: Seattle, Washington; Palo Alto, California; Tampa, Florida; and
Boston, Massachusetts. The Paralympics grant was also used to fund
Paralyzed Veterans Racing team members who participated in the United
States Handcycling Federation racing series nationwide.
Support provided to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games provided
an excellent opportunity for the Paralympics to conduct outreach as a
part of its recruitment efforts for the 2012 London Olympic Games. We
were able to introduce events similar to those found at the Paralympics
at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which identified veterans
with the potential to be future Paralympics-level athletes.
PVA was also pleased to provide funding from the Paralympics grant
for shooting sports as a part of our National Trapshoot Circuit. The
grant supported a total of 77 unique disabled veterans who participated
in 187 participation opportunities. We successfully hosted 15 trapshoot
tournaments throughout the United States. These tournaments introduced
disabled veterans to the sport of trapshooting by providing certified
instructors and equipment for the disabled veterans attending the
events. Additionally, we were able to develop and administer secondary
shooting events, including rifle, pistol, air rifle and air pistol that
are held concurrently alongside the trapshoot tournaments. These events
are tailored to resemble shooting sports events that Paralympics
athletes also participate in during competition. As a result of this
financial support from the Paralympics, next year PVA will implement an
air rifle and air pistol program consisting of four regional
tournaments to be held throughout the United States.
Finally, PVA was pleased to partner with the American Wheelchair
Bowling Association (AWBA), with the backing of the USOC-Paralympics,
to conduct the Bowling Tournament Series. This series hosted a total of
62 unique disabled veterans representing 120 total participation
opportunities. PVA and the AWBA successfully hosted eight bowling
tournaments throughout the United States. Recently, the 50th American
Wheelchair Bowling Association's National Tournament was held in
Brockton, Massachusetts as part of the New England PVA Tournament.
We believe that much progress and enhanced cooperation has resulted
from the Paralympics Program and its partnership with VA. Under this
program, PVA has witnessed improved coordination between our
organization, USOC-Paralympics, and other veterans' and community-based
sports organizations that has enhanced existing programs and advanced
development of new programs in communities that previously had not been
served. The overall performance of the partnership between PVA, the
USOC-Paralympics and the Department of Veterans Affairs has
successfully produced an increased number of sports and recreation
opportunities for disabled veterans.
There is no doubt that activities such as those listed above and
all disabled sports and recreation activities have a positive impact
not only on disabled servicemembers and veterans, but on their families
as well. Research shows that physical activity is an important aspect
of the rehabilitation process for persons with disabilities. It
enhances self-esteem, reduces stress and the incidence of secondary
medical conditions, and obviously improves conditioning. Equally
important is that sports and recreation rehabilitation allows disabled
servicemembers and veterans to reengage with family, friends, and the
community. This contributes to a greater level of success in education
and employment. In fact, PVA has transitioned a number of severely
disabled veterans from our sports and recreation programs into our
Vocational Rehabilitation program. As those veterans became healthier
and more confident, they realized that they would not be satisfied
without becoming fully productive members of society once again.
In the past, we offered several recommendations that we believed
would expand veteran participation in programs administered by the VA
and the Paralympics program. While we believe that the Paralympics
program has helped alleviate some of these concerns, our principal
recommendation to remove barriers to participation remains the same.
Our concern is that newly injured veterans should be provided timely
access to education and training regarding sports and recreation
opportunities. We believe that the VA and DoD should continue to
improve coordination of outreach efforts between legitimate
organizations promoting sports and recreation opportunities and newly
injured veterans. As participation continues to improve, we look
forward to continued progress as a result of this program.
With regard to the USOC-Paralympics program specifically, both the
transparency and credibility of the process to award grants must be
improved. We are pleased to see that the USOC-Paralympics recently
provided an open accounting of how it has administered its funds.
However, we believe the USOC-Paralympics should implement a review
committee that consists of leaders from the adapted sports and
recreation community who administer programs for disabled veterans. The
Committee would be responsible for ensuring that funds are awarded
appropriately, efficiently administered, and used as intended.
Increased transparency will only instill greater confidence in the
success of the program.
Finally, we have some concern about the timeliness and efficiency
of funding the USOC-Paralympics program. In order for the organization
to disburse funding to grant recipients, the USOC-Paralympics program
must receive Federal funding in a timely manner. VA has been slow to
provide the necessary funding authorized by the original legislation to
USOC-Paralympics. The ability of the USOC-Paralympics to plan and
administer the grants it provides is hindered by the inability of
Congress to complete work on the appropriations for VA. As we
understand it, funding for this grant program is directed through the
Secretary's office through the Office of Public and Intergovernmental
Affairs. In other words, until the FY 2012 VA appropriations bill is
finally completed, funding for this program will be placed on hold. It
truly is a shame that the success of this program hinges on the ability
of Congress to fulfill one of its most important responsibilities.
Moreover, we must emphasize that the importance of this program should
preclude it from having its funding reduced as a part of deficit
reduction.
PVA appreciates the focus being placed on these important programs.
We look forward to working with this Subcommittee to ensure that a wide
range of sports and recreation activities are available to the men and
women who have served and sacrificed.
I would like to thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I
would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
Prepared Statement of Charles Huebner,
Chief of U.S. Paralympics, U.S Olympic Committee
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We accepted the responsibility and opportunity to serve those that
have served us and because of your leadership in developing and
providing funding for this USOC and VA partnership, we are here today
to report the following outcomes in the past 10 months:
The VA and USOC have distributed more 70 grants and
provided ongoing training and technical assistance resulting in more
than $5.9m in support.
These grant organizations are contributing more than
$40.0m in private resources and programmatic support.
More than 200 Paralympic Sport Clubs or community
sport organizations are currently providing programs for
Veterans or servicemembers.
More than 850 community, sport, military and Veteran
leaders have been provided training, technical assistance or ongoing
program support to develop or expand existing programs for Veterans.
More than 14,000 Veterans with disabilities participated
in programs and activities since the program's inception, with an
emphasis on programming at the community level.
Our focus moving forward are as follows:
Provide $7.5m in grants, training and programmatic
support, including grants to more than 100 organizations.
Implement the inaugural VA-U.S.OC Paralympic Adaptive
Sport Training Conference with more than 50 VA therapeutic recreation
coordinators participating in February 2012, at the U.S. Olympic
Training Center.
Reduce year one programmatic staff and reinvest those
resources into program needs to Veteran and community organizations
implementing sport at the local level for Veterans in 2011 and 2012.
Enhance educational materials and awareness of the impact
and importance of physical activity for Veterans at the national and
local level.
Pursue additional resources to support VA-U.S.OC regional
coordinators that can enhance collaboration and impact of programs in
targeted regions throughout the U.S. Projected need for eight regional
coordinators and program budget is estimated at $2.488m.
__________
Good morning Chairman Stutzman and Ranking Member Braley, and
Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Charlie Huebner and I am the
Chief of Paralympics, for the United States Olympic Committee. Thank
you for the opportunity to testify on progress of the Department of
Veteran Affairs, U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Paralympics
partnership.
By way of a brief background, the USOC is an organization chartered
by Congress and one of only four National Olympic Committees that mange
both Olympic and Paralympic sport. We are one of only a handful of
National Olympic Committees that are 100 percent privately funded, with
our major competitors outspending us often as much as 5-to-1.
Paralympic programs are sports for physically disabled athletes. The
Paralympic Movement began shortly after World War II utilizing sports
as a form of rehabilitation for injured military personnel returning
from combat. In 2012 the Paralympic Games return to Great Britain,
where with significant involvement from U.S. and U.K. Veterans, the
movement was founded.
Injured military personnel and Veterans are the soul of the
Paralympic movement. And when I speak of the Paralympic movement, I am
not just talking about a small number of elite athletes that will make
future Paralympic teams, I am speaking of the growing programs in the
U.S. led by the USOC and our partners like PVA, DSUSA and USA Shooting
that allow Veterans with physical disabilities an opportunity to re-
engage in life by simply skiing with their buddies or playing in the
backyard with their kids. As programming expands daily, we see a
population that has lower secondary medical conditions, higher self-
esteem, lower stress levels and higher achievement levels in education
and employment. Research proves that! More importantly, we see a
population that inspires all Americans to pursue excellence, in sports
and in life.
A few years ago this Committee, Congressional leaders and Veteran
and Military organizations asked the USOC to lead this effort, due to
our powerful and inspiring brand; our expertise in physical activity
and sport for persons with disabilities; and our significant
infrastructure of member organizations such as Parks and Recreation,
YMCA and USA Hockey, organizations that touch communities all over the
U.S., that allow for financial and programmatic efficiencies. We
accepted the responsibility and opportunity to serve those that have
served us and because of your leadership in developing and providing
funding for this USOC and VA partnership, we are here today to report
the following outcomes in the past 10 months:
The VA and USOC have distributed more 70 grants and
provided ongoing training and technical assistance resulting in more
than $5.9m in support.
These grant organizations are contributing more than
$40.0m in private resources and programmatic support.
More than 200 Paralympic Sport Clubs or community sport
organizations are currently providing programs for Veterans or
servicemembers.
More than 850 community, sport, military and Veteran
leaders have been provided training, technical assistance or ongoing
program support to develop or expand existing programs for Veterans.
More than 14,000 Veterans with disabilities participated
in programs and activities since the program's inception, with an
emphasis on programming at the community level.
Thanks to the leadership of this Committee, Secretary Eric
Shinseki, Executive Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Mike
Galloucis, VA Paralympic Director Chris Nowak, and VA Paralympic team
member Matt Bristol, all Veterans, we have completed the planning
phases for 2011 and beyond with an emphasis on expanded services,
greater efficiencies and significant impact on those that we owe so
much.
Our focus moving forward are as follows:
Provide $7.5m in grants, training and programmatic
support, including grants to more than 100 organizations.
Implement the inaugural VA-U.S.OC Paralympic Adaptive
Sport Training Conference with more than 50 VA therapeutic recreation
coordinators participating in February 2012, at the U.S. Olympic
Training Center.
Reduce year one programmatic staff and reinvest those
resources into program needs to Veteran and community organizations
implementing sport at the local level for Veterans in 2011 and 2012.
Enhance educational materials and awareness of the impact
and importance of physical activity for Veterans at the national and
local level.
Pursue additional resources to support VA-U.S.OC regional
coordinators that can enhance collaboration and impact of programs in
targeted regions throughout the U.S. Projected need for eight regional
coordinators and program budget is estimated at $2.488m.
In closing, I'd like to highlight one program that aligns all of
our strategies, collaboration, training, technical assistance,
awareness and financial support, along with an emphasis on hiring
Veterans.
Joe Brown was from Arizona. His family has a strong military
history. His grandfather died as a POW during the Korean War. His
father was an Air Force fighter pilot. Joe played football at the Ohio
State University and 3 years in the NFL. But the Army Rangers were
continually a calling, so he joined the Army, the Rangers and deployed
to Iraq in 2004 and again in 2007.
During his 2007 tour he was calling in air strikes atop a three-
story building, trying to help a unit in trouble. As his unit was
leaving the building, Brown fell down a 30-foot shaft, suffering a
severe brain injury.
Brown new the importance of physical activity and sport in the
rehabilitation process. He attended the USOC VA Paralympic Leadership
Conference to gain valuable training and connect with other
organizations and agencies in his region. He pursued a position in the
parks and recreation industry near a military facility so he could
serve injured servicemembers and Veterans
He was hired by Harker Heights Parks and Recreation outside of Ft.
Hood. Harker Heights, was awarded a $23,000 USOC-VA grant in 2010.
Today more than 80 Veterans are participating consistently in an array
of physical activity programs led by Joe.
Harker Heights Hired a Hero! I would like to recognize U.S. Army
Veteran Joe Brown.
And again, I would like to thank the Committee, VA leadership and
organizational partners with us today for supporting this partnership
that is so critical to supporting our Nation's finest.
I am available for any questions.
Prepared Statement of Christopher Nowak, Director,
Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events,
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Good afternoon Chairman Stutzman, Ranking Member Braley, and
Members of the Subcommittee. I am Chris Nowak, Director, Office of
National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, Department of
Veterans Affairs. I am honored to be here today to share the success of
the partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the
United States Paralympics to promote adaptive sports. I am also a
disabled Veteran, and I believe that my personal participation in
adaptive sports as part of my rehabilitation provides me with a unique
perspective on this very important VA program.
Adaptive sports can be an integral part of a Veteran's
rehabilitation from traumatic injury, illness or disease. My office is
committed to providing Veterans with the opportunity to engage in
adaptive sports as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program based
on clinical outcomes. Our partnership with the United States Olympic
Committee (USOC) allows us to provide adaptive sporting opportunities
year-round in communities where our Veterans live.
The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-389)
authorized the formation of the Office of National Veterans Sports
Programs and Special Events, which is to be headed by a Director who
reports to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary or an appropriate official
within the Veterans Benefits Administration. When I joined the team as
its first Director in February 2011, the office managed all VA
Paralympic-related programs, to include grants, allowances and
outreach, and reported to the Secretary as necessary.
On September 22, 2011, the VA's existing office of National
Programs and Special Events (NPSE), which managed VA's National
Rehabilitation Special Events, was consolidated with the Office of
National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events. This
consolidation permits more efficient utilization of personnel and
increased capacity and flexibility to support VA adaptive sports and
art therapy programs at the community and national level. I now oversee
VA's Paralympic programs as well as the six rehabilitation special
events detailed below. I report to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
The Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events
is currently staffed by 19 full time employees. In addition, the team
includes a consultant to aid in the consolidation of the National
Rehabilitation Special Events and Paralympic programs, and a detailee
from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide clinical input
to the programs. These staff not only coordinate VA's partnership with
the USOC, to include grant awards and oversight, monthly allowance
assistance to Veterans and related outreach, but also to plan and to
manage VA's National Rehabilitation Special Events: the National
Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, National Veterans Wheelchair
Games, National Veterans Golden Age Games, National Veterans TEE
(Training, Experience, Exposure) Tournament, National Veterans Creative
Arts Festival, and the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic.
Additionally, the office coordinates VA's commemorative event
activities, such as the National Veterans Day Observance, and manages
VA's participation in the National Memorial Day observance.
The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act also authorizes VA to seek
sponsorships and donations from the private sector to defray cost of
carrying out the integrated adaptive sports program. As Director, my
focus has been to ensure proper use of VA grant funding, enact the
monthly assistance allowance payments, and develop outreach materials.
I have also taken steps to establish sponsorship as an objective for
2012. These steps include:
Establishing a Deputy Director within the office with the
capability to develop clinical support for adaptive sports programs.
This will allow us to validate the clinical benefits of adaptive sports
as a form of rehabilitation.
Hiring my first staff member who has already established
connections with media to aid in distribution of promotional materials
related to the program.
Developing promotional materials that will aid in
recruitment of eligible Veterans as well as potential sponsors. These
materials include: an adaptive sports brochure, stickers, posters, fact
sheet, outreach tool kit, a Web site and Web-based tools.
In fiscal year 2010, VA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding
with the USOC to provide Paralympic sport programming and additional
community support, including funding and resources, to injured
servicemembers and Veterans across the country. VA subsequently awarded
$7.5 million to the USOC for the integrated adaptive sports program. VA
also published regulations, developed forms and established procedures
for awarding the monthly assistance allowance as authorized in Public
Law 110-389.
Moving forward in 2012, I expect to see greater coordination within
VA as we consolidate the National Rehabilitation Special Events and
Paralympic programs while continuing to develop our relationship with
the USOC. The overarching objective is to provide disabled Veterans
with adaptive sporting opportunities year-round and to ensure that
these opportunities are consistent with appropriate clinical guidelines
to aid in their rehabilitation.
While VA continues to improve its current National Rehabilitation
Special Events program, VA is continuing to look for new ways to
enhance the rehabilitation experiences of our Veterans. We are meeting
the challenges head on and constantly exploring ways to strengthen our
partnership with the USOC. This concludes my statement, and I am happy
to answer any questions you may have.