The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Jacksonville, Fla, and the Amputee Coalition of America, Knoxville, Tenn, are expanding the Military Amputee Peer Visitor Program at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), Houston, with Train the Trainer sessions followed by an amputee peer visitor training seminar this week in San Antonio.
The sessions for seven members of the WWP will be held from 9 am to 5 pm on November 20 and 21. On November 22, up to 14 wounded warriors who are outpatients at BAMC will attend the training seminar to become certified amputee peer visitors.
“We realize that often the most positive influence on the initial recovery of a seriously injured service member is the friendship and understanding of a fellow wounded warrior,” says Jim Mayer, director of peer mentoring and training for the WWP.
Training sessions will take place at the Holiday Inn, 3855 IH35 North, in the Fiesta Room. Pat Isenberg, COO for the Amputee Coalition and master trainer for the program, will lead the sessions.
The Coalition pioneered the concept, training, and certification of the peer visitors. The group initially developed the program’s protocol at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, and it was later expanded to provide support for armed services members with traumatic brain injury and burns.
The Coalition has certified 127 peer visitors. Overall, the group’s National Peer Network includes 900 civilian and military certified peer visitors and 255 registered support groups.
