thedrifter
05-08-06, 08:11 AM
A Cingular donation
May 08,2006
ANNE CLARK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
It’s at night that memories of war can make a hero restless.
“Sometimes guys wake up in the middle of the night and need something to distract them,” said Sgt. Karl Klepper, who was injured in Iraq last year.
He’s now a squad leader at the Wounded Warriors Barracks aboard Camp Lejeune, where Marines and sailors live and recover together from injuries sustained in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Rather than do another load of laundry in the unrelenting dark, these troops can now switch on the PlayStations in their room and play a game.
“It calms them down, it’s therapeutic and entertaining,” said Klepper.
Cingular Wireless donated the games May 3 in a brief ceremony in the lounge area of the Wounded Warriors Barracks.
Camouflage-clad troops gathered around IIMEF Commanding General Lt. Gen. James Amos, Cingular executives, and the 10 Sony PlayStation 2 consoles and games, stacked in boxes.
A war game, “Brothers in Arms”, was loaded on the common area’s TV. Cingular’s gift will let Marines and sailors play from the comfort of their rooms.
“We’re excited to express our gratitude for what you’ve done for our country,” said Alison Hall, vice president and general manager for Cingular Wireless, Carolinas Region.
The games are a welcome distraction, but they can also be physical therapy to a Marine or sailor with a hand injury.
After Gunnery Sgt. Ken Barnes was hit by a roadside bomb in late 2004, he lost all feeling in the top half of his left hand.
“Part of therapy was learning how to move my thumb again,” said Barnes, who is Staff NCOIC of the Wounded Warriors Barracks. “Physical therapy is torture, but (with the video games) you can do part of it and have fun.”
Even though the young men - many in their early 20s – can play war or sports games alone, most likely they’ll be joined by a few of their fellow warriors.
Their friendship is similar to the bond they each shared with their deployed unit, a fidelity that makes them want to rejoin that unit as quickly as possible.
Their immediate mission here is to get better.
“The team members have a purpose, looking out for each other,” said Barnes. “We’re going to heal together.”
There are 29 men staying at the Wounded Warriors Barracks, and they form three squads that keep a fairly busy schedule.
Lance Cpl. Pete Dmitruk, 20, was hit by a mortar in Saadah, Iraq. He’s lost all the bone in his right forearm and faces another surgery, a bone graft, followed by several months of recovery.
Remarkably, Dmitruk talks about the post-surgery pull-ups he’ll do to pass his next physical fitness test so he can redeploy with Third Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment.
For now, a typical week at the Wounded Warriors Barracks starts off with administration work on Monday, for troops who have paperwork or pay matters to straighten out.
The next three days, each squad goes to regular jobs on base. In between, troops might go to physical therapy or counseling sessions.
And they all visit the naval hospital to check on the newly arrived injured Marines and sailors, to tell them about the barracks and offer their help.
Fridays are for group activities. Recently they volunteered at the Special Olympics and went to the Naval Academy to watch a lacrosse game.
Other weeks, they might play golf or shoot skeet; anything “to get them out of the house,” said Lt. Col. Tim Maxwell, OIC of the barracks, and his words suggest the family unit they’ve become.
The young men who play games together will also share quieter moments, just talking.
“Real therapy comes from being in small groups, talking about things you saw,” said Amos. “We are our brother’s keepers.”
Ellie
May 08,2006
ANNE CLARK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
It’s at night that memories of war can make a hero restless.
“Sometimes guys wake up in the middle of the night and need something to distract them,” said Sgt. Karl Klepper, who was injured in Iraq last year.
He’s now a squad leader at the Wounded Warriors Barracks aboard Camp Lejeune, where Marines and sailors live and recover together from injuries sustained in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Rather than do another load of laundry in the unrelenting dark, these troops can now switch on the PlayStations in their room and play a game.
“It calms them down, it’s therapeutic and entertaining,” said Klepper.
Cingular Wireless donated the games May 3 in a brief ceremony in the lounge area of the Wounded Warriors Barracks.
Camouflage-clad troops gathered around IIMEF Commanding General Lt. Gen. James Amos, Cingular executives, and the 10 Sony PlayStation 2 consoles and games, stacked in boxes.
A war game, “Brothers in Arms”, was loaded on the common area’s TV. Cingular’s gift will let Marines and sailors play from the comfort of their rooms.
“We’re excited to express our gratitude for what you’ve done for our country,” said Alison Hall, vice president and general manager for Cingular Wireless, Carolinas Region.
The games are a welcome distraction, but they can also be physical therapy to a Marine or sailor with a hand injury.
After Gunnery Sgt. Ken Barnes was hit by a roadside bomb in late 2004, he lost all feeling in the top half of his left hand.
“Part of therapy was learning how to move my thumb again,” said Barnes, who is Staff NCOIC of the Wounded Warriors Barracks. “Physical therapy is torture, but (with the video games) you can do part of it and have fun.”
Even though the young men - many in their early 20s – can play war or sports games alone, most likely they’ll be joined by a few of their fellow warriors.
Their friendship is similar to the bond they each shared with their deployed unit, a fidelity that makes them want to rejoin that unit as quickly as possible.
Their immediate mission here is to get better.
“The team members have a purpose, looking out for each other,” said Barnes. “We’re going to heal together.”
There are 29 men staying at the Wounded Warriors Barracks, and they form three squads that keep a fairly busy schedule.
Lance Cpl. Pete Dmitruk, 20, was hit by a mortar in Saadah, Iraq. He’s lost all the bone in his right forearm and faces another surgery, a bone graft, followed by several months of recovery.
Remarkably, Dmitruk talks about the post-surgery pull-ups he’ll do to pass his next physical fitness test so he can redeploy with Third Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment.
For now, a typical week at the Wounded Warriors Barracks starts off with administration work on Monday, for troops who have paperwork or pay matters to straighten out.
The next three days, each squad goes to regular jobs on base. In between, troops might go to physical therapy or counseling sessions.
And they all visit the naval hospital to check on the newly arrived injured Marines and sailors, to tell them about the barracks and offer their help.
Fridays are for group activities. Recently they volunteered at the Special Olympics and went to the Naval Academy to watch a lacrosse game.
Other weeks, they might play golf or shoot skeet; anything “to get them out of the house,” said Lt. Col. Tim Maxwell, OIC of the barracks, and his words suggest the family unit they’ve become.
The young men who play games together will also share quieter moments, just talking.
“Real therapy comes from being in small groups, talking about things you saw,” said Amos. “We are our brother’s keepers.”
Ellie