The Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Celebrates Five Years of Serving Virginia Veterans
Under a beautiful afternoon sky and the serene majesty of the Virginia War Memorial Shrine of Memory, the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program celebrated its Fifth Anniversary on October 18, 2013. Governor Robert F. McDonnell praised the program, its leadership and its staff. In a Proclamation issued under his hand, Governor McDonnell said, “the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program is recognized across the Commonwealth [of Virginia] for including a safety net of healthcare, behavioral healthcare, rehabilitation and community support services for not just veterans, but members of the Virginia National Guard and Reserves and their families.” Calling VWWP a “national model”, Governor McDonnell stated that the program has served over 17,000 veterans and family members in the past 5 years.
Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, Paul Galanti, said, “This program has gone from nothing to world class in 5 years. The reason the program has been so successful in such a short period of time is that it’s a good program!” Deputy Commissioner and Executive Director, Catherine Wilson, recognized and praised the staff of VWWP who work tirelessly across the state to connect veterans and their families to services. She said, “The VWWP is second to none. It is comprised of a group of people who have so much passion and devotion for taking care of our men and women who have worn the uniform. We now support veterans and families who may be at risk of homelessness or who are homeless. We support veterans involved with the criminal justice system with the goal of preventing incarceration. We reach out into communities, in person and virtually, to encourage veterans and their families to seek help early, to take advantage of the healthcare and behavioral healthcare available to them.”
The entire staff of VWWP was present for the event, sitting center aisle in the large outside amphitheater while Governor McDonnell, Commissioner Galanti, and Deputy Commissioner Wilson each praised the work and dedication of the staff and the services they provide to veterans and families across Virginia.
The ceremony was attended by hundreds representing the community partners who support the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program. The Colors were posted by an all female team from the Surry County Virginia High School Junior ROTC and Virginia Commonwealth University Brass Ensemble provided the music for the formal ceremony and for the reception that followed. A brief video history of the VWWP was shown in the theater of the Virginia War Memorial. The film can be accessed at the following link https://vimeo.com/77792443