Recovery care coordinators watch over Airmen in greatest need

Published Oct. 7, 2015
By John Parker
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla -- Living with post-traumatic stress disorder, some days are better than others for retired Air Force Maj. Josh Leete.

Dec. 4 last year started as a rough one. Before it was over, though, what happened that day may have saved his life, the major says.

The career air traffic control officer parked his car at Tinker Air Force Base's Airman & Family Readiness Center about an hour early for a job search class. He was in transition to civilian life following a distinguished 13-year career. Millie, his long coat German shepherd and PTSD service dog, sat up front at his side.

"It was a terrible time," Major Leete said. "I tried going through all the coping mechanisms that mental health had taught me. I had Millie there, petting her. I mean, I was shaking because it was so bad. There are days that you'll just see it on my face -- like torture and defeat. It's just PTSD so bad that you're just ... you can't function."
Jerry Melton, the Air Force Wounded Warrior representative at the center, said he saw that face.

"Once I started speaking with him it was obvious that he needed some assistance,"
Mr. Melton said. The readiness specialist told Major Leete he should go immediately to see Air Force Recovery Care Coordinator Tony LeGree across the base.

The RCC program is centralized from the Air Force Personnel Center's Directorate of Airman and Family Care. The program provides care and support to wounded, ill, and injured Airmen and their families to enable them to go forward as productive and proud members of society whether continuing in or out of uniform.

Mr. LeGree recalls that he met an "extremely fragile" man that afternoon who didn't know where to turn for help personally and professionally as a still-active duty Airman.

Major Leete was facing a Medical Evaluation Board that would decide his fate in -- but more likely out, due to his medical conditions -- of the Air Force. He was mired at the time jumping through bureaucratic hoops with memory troubles and emotional turmoil from PTSD, plus a severe spinal neck injury from a DC-10's catastrophic hard landing in Baltimore while returning from duty in Iraq.

"That program, and Tony specifically, may have saved my life on more than one occasion," the major said. "He's an incredible man and there aren't many of those. He is something special."

Mr. LeGree is one of about 40 recovery care coordinators in the Air Force Wounded Warrior program. Based at the 72nd Medical Group, he covers seven Air Force installations in Oklahoma and Kansas.

His job is to be an up-close-and-personal, dedicated advocate and problem-solver for Airmen, including Reserve and Guard. Although known as the Wounded Warrior program, it includes service members seriously wounded in combat, with major illnesses such as cancer, or severe injuries from accidents on- or off-duty.

On medical issues, Mr. LeGree works through a nurse case manager. "Everything else in their life, the full spectrum of life, falls on my plate," he said. "That's anything. Whether it's their work environment, their physical fitness, their finances, child care, school issues, domestic violence -- anything that is of a concern to them is a concern to me."

The disabled veteran is an expert in dealing with people. He was a first sergeant for 12 of his 29 years in the force. "First shirts" take care of enlisted Airmen's personal problems at work or home so they don't affect a unit's mission.

Mr. LeGree's work often involves wounded Airmen living with PTSD or traumatic brain injury. Most of the Airmen are headed for a Medical Evaluation Board that will decide if their conditions can be accommodated or if they must be discharged.

Mr. LeGree meets Wounded Warriors and their families in hospitals, homes or at his office, usually immediately after a traumatic incident or a significant diagnosis.

Working with the Airman, he'll work up a Comprehensive Recovery Plan based on his or her goals - from staying in the service to the smoothest possible transition out, if desired or necessary.

Recovery care coordinators were created under a 2008 federal law after the media exposure of poor conditions and patient care at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Their job is to be the "ultimate resource" working closely with the high-priority military members identified by the program.

When he met Mr. LeGree, Major Leete was struggling with an avalanche of appointments to keep, forms to fill out, deadlines, etc. He also put himself under pressure because of fears that the wrong word on a form or an awkward office encounter might foul up benefits or income for his wife Mary, and sons Landon, 10, and Aiden, 8.

Major Leete said Mr. LeGree acted immediately in his behalf with the zeal of a family member. His personal cloud of pressures and worries was "gone," he said.

"He started making these phone calls for me," Mr. Leete said, "and he started making things happen. It just blew my mind because it went from me being alone on an island trying to run an entire factory, to me being on an island while somebody else took care of the factory."

Mr. LeGree said he has since witnessed "incredible growth and acceptance in Major Leete towards his ability to assimilate into his 'new normal.'"

"I simply provided him an honest perspective on the significance of his worth and asked him not to give up," he said. "Together, we would find the strength to conquer whatever came next. Being available to him was part of engaging in his recovery and rehabilitation. Because of it, we have forged a good friendship."

Recovery care coordinators make a difference in significant ways. One of Mr. LeGree's cases involved an Airman who suffered burns on 26 percent of his body in a backyard accident. Mr. LeGree's research led to a $100,000 insurance payment for the Airman's family. The Airman's chain of command didn't know about traumatic injury coverage that is part of Servicemembers Group Life Insurance.

Mr. LeGree also helped an Airman who lost a leg after a motorcycle accident to return to active duty. "That's really the goal here. I approach this as my boss is you, the service member that's sick, so whatever you need is my job," he said.

"In this program, you have case management for life. When you're 80 years old and in the rocking chair on the porch, the Air Force Personnel Center will call you and continue to provide care and work whatever issues you may have."

The Air Force Wounded Warrior program proactively identifies qualifying Airmen from daily medical status reports sent to all major commands, but encourages self-referrals from anyone who may qualify.

For more information about this and other programs for wounded, ill or injured Airmen, visit www.woundedwarrior.af.mil.

For more information about Air Force personnel programs go to the myPers website. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions on the Air Force Retirees Services website.