Mount Rogers Supports Our Nation’s Veterans and Service Members

In a press release dated June 29, 2010, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell spoke of his “commitment to make Virginia the most Veteran friendly state in America.” Mount Rogers Community Services Board shares this commitment and has the great honor of doing our part to support and implement this goal through our Industrial Developmental Centers (IDC), Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, and the partnerships we have formed with the Department of Defense, Virginia Department of Veterans Services, and Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services.Mount Rogers IDC, provider of employment and day support services to individuals with disabilities, is a supplier of products for the United States military. Since 1987, the IDC has produced men’s handkerchiefs, personal effects bags, helmet covers, and sleeping shirts for the U.S. Army, and cleaning cloths used in U. S. Navy nuclear submarines.In September, 2009, the IDC was selected as one of three Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) qualified to manufacture the new Advanced Combat Shirt (ACS) for use by military personnel in the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force. In addition, the National Industries for the Blind are working in partnership with the IDC to produce a significant portion of the total product requirement. These combined collaborative efforts will produce one million shirts in support of American military while creating meaningful jobs for people with disabilities.

Mount Rogers IDC is a participating non-profit agency with AbilityOne, a program that, among many other projects, delivers more than two hundred different apparel products to federal and Department of Defense customers.

The Advanced Combat Shirt is a modular, flame-resistant combat uniform shirt that can be worn with body armor during combat operations. It has a lightweight knit/stretch body with flame-resistant protective covers for the arms and shoulders.

The addition of the ACS project has helped the IDC to bring many individuals back to work from layoff, has increased the number of work hours for those who have recently been employed on a reduced schedule, and, through the employment of support personnel, has helped to lower the unemployment rate in the service area of the Counties of Smyth, Wythe, Bland, Carroll, Grayson, and the City of Galax.

Mount Rogers IDC and the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program have worked in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitative Services in offering the opportunity to participate in the ACS project to a local wounded warrior from our community.

The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program was established in 2008, in response to the growing need to improve and expand services to our nation’s veterans and services members. The program is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and is currently implemented in the southwestern region by Mount Rogers Community Services Board and New River Community Services in partnership with Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia.

The program coordinates services for Virginia veterans of any era and their families as well as National Guard or Reservists not in active federal service, who may be faced with “invisible wounds”, associated with their military service, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The Veteran Resource Specialist provides individual services such as Case Management; Evaluations for: employment, housing and transportation assistance, counseling and substance abuse services; Peer Networking/Support Groups; Community Education; and Outreach events.

Mount Rogers Community Services Board is honored to have the opportunity to offer multiple programs that provide a variety of tools and services to the community of veterans and their families who call Southwest Virginia their home.