By Emily D. Anderson, WTC Communications Division
Lt. Gen. Andrew Gregory (left), United Kingdom Chief of Defence Personnel and Thomas D. Webb (right), Deputy to the Commander for the Warrior Transition Command, met to discuss ongoing effors to provide superior care and support to wounded, ill and injured Soldiers.
Wounded, ill and injured Soldiers prove on a daily basis that life continues after injury, and the Warrior Transition Command (WTC) continues to work hand-in-hand with allied counterparts to assist with this “new life” regardless of geographical location.
In an ongoing effort to provide superior care and support to wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gregory, United Kingdom Chief of Defence Personnel, met with several key leaders of WTC to discuss current practices.
“Our commitment to our service members doesn’t end in theater,” said Thomas D. Webb, Deputy to the Commander for the Warrior Transition Command (WTC). “Coalition partners serve alongside us in threat, so it’s a natural extension.”
“Some of their service members go through some of the same experiences as our wounded, ill and injured,” Webb added. “It only makes sense to compare the similarities and differences of these two countries’ programs to learn some best practices.”
Gregory is the principal adviser to the UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ministers and the Defence Board on personnel and training policy.
One of Gregory’s main responsibilities include creating policy to allow transition of service personnel to civilian life and for ensuring Veterans’ care is delivered appropriately by wider government, including to the wounded, ill and injured..
“The volume of our wounded, ill and injured population is different, but the challenges are the same,” said Gregory. “The challenge is encouraging wounded, ill and injured Soldiers to be independent rather than dependent.”
During the meeting, Gregory reiterated the importance of gaining the trust of those who serve and ensuring they are supported.
Although this is not a new meeting between the two countries in relation to warrior care and transition, WTC leadership capitalized on the importance of learning best practices and lessons from each other.
“In order to be effective, we have to develop and nurture relationships with our partners to leverage the successes they have had,” said Webb. “Wounded, ill and injured service members can take solace in the idea that we are leveraging all resources to provide superior care that will help our population successfully return to military service or transition into the civilian workforce.”
Gregory also noted the similarities in the two programs and how both programs are essential to ensuring both population’s wounded, ill and injured are receiving top-notch care.
“From my perspective, it behooves us to take from each other to continue our efforts to make sure we set our populations up for success as they continue their journey,” Gregory said.
For more information on how WTC continues to support Soldiers who become wounded, ill and injured prepare for the next step in their careers, whether they’re returning to the force or transitioning to civilian life, visit www.WTC.army.mil.