The wounded warrior program

The wounded warrior program

 The wounded warrior program is a non-profit program that aims to assist American warriors and other service members. Warriors are military veterans as well as service members who were physically and mentally injured, wounded, or ill while on military duties. The initiative was formed by John  Melia, who was injured in 1992 in Somalia. The program was supported by family members as well as other veterans. The program assists soldiers who are severely wounded and injured, veterans, and both their families and caregivers. They support without considering where the participant is from or their military status. The organization split from the associated organization and set its headquarters at Florida (Jacksonville). The non-profit organization has rapidly grown over the years; it has created employment to 118 people. Furthermore, it has raised millions of finances to facilitate supporting of veterans.

The organization mission is supporting united states war veterans through honouring and empowering them. However, the phrase non-profit organization indicates the incapacity of society to offer necessary and deserved financial help to veterans. The organization’s vision is fostering wounded veteran’s generation to which would be adjusted to modern social realities and the most prosperous the Unites States history (Cerully et al., 2014). The organization has a purpose of improving social awareness on injured service member’s special needs. Moreover, it encourages the community to offer necessary assistance to the wounded warriors. The project provides wounded warriors with opportunities to help each other. The significant goals are achieved by the implementation of special programs that are in line with wounded warriors needs.

The organization aims at promoting social awareness on the unique need for wounded service members. Also, motivates the community to assist both wounded warriors and their respective families. Wounded warrior core values are illustrated as FILIS, meaning fun, integrity, loyalty, innovation, and service. These values are accompanied by a teamwork culture to boost employee performance for organization success by motivating them.

The program is structured in a way that it takes care to the wounded warrior’s body and mind as well as promoting their economic and social empowerment. Therefore, the program’s activities are categorized into four groups which include body, mind, social engagement, and economic empowerment. Furthermore, it is free to contribute to these programs. Nonetheless, military service experience and service-related wounds have to be verified for someone to be eligible. For instance, qualified wounded warriors can be registered into the transition training academy, combat stress recovery program, soldier ride, and physical health and wellness. The organizational structure comprises nine departments that include financial, development, special projects, business, mental health and warrior engagement, direct response, communications, physical health and wellness, economic empowerment, and government affairs. Whereas, the executive staff comprise 14 members who have a responsibility in the implementation process (White, 2016). The leaders bring practical knowledge which is vital in the creation of action plans.

The organization has a weakness in non-accepting government financing. The wounded warrior program is a non-profit making organization whose purpose is donating to support military veterans and their families. As a result, the organization avoids compromising its independence by refusing to accept government financing. The government adopts non-government financing principle, but it fails to demonstrate the best interests of the wounded war veteran’s community that it helps.

The organization can take advantage of opportunities that are occurring in its external environment. To serve its community effectively, the organization can explore new opportunities in technological, political, social, economic, demographic, technological, and legal trends. Furthermore, it can benefit from growing concern about fortunes for wounded warriors and their families. Various technological changes are occurring, and the organization can apply the innovative method to benefit from such changes. For example, it can publicize its programs through electronic marketing (e-marketing) to invite new wounded veterans, volunteers, and donations. Additionally, the wounded warrior organization can use social networking platforms to attract more people. The social networking program can be useful in a decrease in advertisement expenses and its strategies effectiveness.

Some challenges occur in the external organizational environment that should be, controlled to avoid hindering its activities. These obstacles may exist in political, social, economic, demographic, legal, and technological trends (Hutson, 2016). The challenges significantly obstruct the organization from achieving its purpose. Also, the organization has to be ready for the growing veteran’s populations since participants are increasingly willing to join the organization. Finally, worldwide economic crises tend to affect the organization by reducing the number of ow willing donors and veterans employment options.

The strategic issues

The first goal is the improvement of wounded warrior program decision making and effectiveness.  Financing is a significant challenge that faces the program, and the issue has to be well addressed. To solve the issue, stakeholders can be engaged in a revision of government funds non-acceptance policy. Then strict accounting procedure had to be formulated so that stakeholder’s confidence in government finance can be boosted. External and internal auditors can be contributing to ensuring that the accounting process is smooth. Furthermore, there should be a six-monthly review of accounting books and reports published in the trustworthy journal. Secondly, qualified employees can be hired and employed according to the organization culture. Human resource is vulnerable in the organization, but they are essential in developing effective strategies for solving challenges in the external environment.

The second goal is supporting more worriers and their families. The organizational strengths interconnect with external environment opportunities. There are new opportunities for advertising wounded warrior’s programs and increasing community awareness activities. The organization can attract new donation through advertising its goal on numerous social networks and websites (McChrystal, 2018). Creation of public awareness on the program goals is essential since it will be possible to form collaborations and partnership with willing donors.

The third goal is an increment of several sponsors as well as boosting the donations amounts through collaborations and partnerships.  Wounded warrior program believes that no organization can solely satisfy all the needs of wounded, ill and injured veterans. Their needs can be adequately fulfilled by collaborating and partnering with other veterans as well as military support organizations. Unfunded partnership’s and the investments boost the organizational efforts by taking care of the existing program gaps. The organizations attempt to use all available media channels to improve their visibility. New internet social media provide a platform that increases awareness and public participation if it is utilized effectively. The success of has indicated the need to inspire sponsorships among organizations. The most appropriate technique to generate more funds is by participating advertisement to publicize the organization.

Secondly, the organization programs are structured uniquely to take care of wounded veteran body and mind as well as empowering them both economically and socially. The organization has to ensure that participants benefit from the program and innovate more activities for taking care of their needs. There are several organizations that have contributed significantly to the wounded warrior program efforts (Reyes et al., 2013). These organizations include Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), Sentinels of freedom, Procter and gamble, AGTA group, and NOVA community college. Booz Allen Hamilton is a has collaborated with the wounded warrior program for several years.

BAH provides the organization with logistical support as well as other support areas. It played a crucial role in setting wounded warrior mentor program outreach programs. Sentiments of freedom are non-profit making organization operated by Mike Conklin and located at San Ramon. It offers a variety of services and assistance like education to severely wounded warriors. More than a quarter of WWMP mentored wounded worries receive support from the organization. In 2019 the organization publicized its investments and partnerships with twenty-four military service and veteran organizations. These partners would assist the organization in satisfying the extensive national need of injured, ill, and wounded veterans and also, their families. Furthermore, WWMP granted at least $6.9 million to these organizations to strengthen their support for existing programs. These partners included Hiring Our Heroes (HOH), Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Combined Arms, Military Child Education Coalition, The mission continues, among others.

The fourth goal is improving family participation in the program by 30% and more over the next years. Also,  increasing service staff effectiveness in boosting email and phone call by enhancement of capacity to deal with increased demand and improving physical wealth and wellness program. The plan should entail a monitoring and evaluation schedule, a statement, and an operation plan that highlights changes resulting from the implementation process. Action plan has to define a timeline for implementing each strategy, roles, and responsibilities.

The fifth goal is the implementation of The wounded warrior organizational core values. The flexibility of the injured warrior program management and significant core values embraced by the organization can be applied in turning challenges into opportunities. The organization can attract qualified and talented employees since it is reputed as the best non-profit sector employer.  The wounded warrior organization need to apply international benchmark in its performance reporting and analysis (Reyes et al., 2013). The global benchmark tool will exhibit the organization commitment in serving wounded warriors, thus portraying it is worthy of being supported. The application of balanced scorecard in monitoring strategy implementation success would be achieved.

In conclusion, the wounded war program organization is successful in accomplishing its goals and purpose in supporting wounded warriors and their families. The organization success is brought about by its unique assets and resources that enable it to benefit from external opportunities. Furthermore, the resources will allow the organization to overcome challenges effectively and demonstrate its exceptional competencies. The organization effectively empowers war veterans and other service members. Some of its outstanding skills are the provision of social and psychological support to both wounded warriors and their families. Psychological and social support is provided by engaging the participants in specialized programs as well as offering them jobs. The organization has a strength in that it can benefit from the government legislation that encompasses supporting veteran’s rights and others with service-related disabilities. These legislations include uniformed service employment and redeployment rights (USERRA) and title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

References

WHITE, D. (2016). The First Casualty: A Report Addressing The Allegations Made Against The Wounded Warrior Project In January 2016.

Cerully, J. L., Smith, M., Wilks, A., & Giglio, K. (2016). Strategic analysis of 2014 Wounded Warrior Project annual alumni survey: A way forward. Rand health quarterly, 5(4).

Hutson, J. T. (2016). The integrity of veterans charity organizations (Doctoral dissertation, Utica College).

McChrystal, S. (2018). Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict. U of Nebraska Press.

Reyes, V., Scurfield, R. M., & Platoni, K. T. (2013). Enhancing resiliency through creative outdoor/adventure and community-based programs (Vol. 22, pp. 267-282). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.