Imagine, if you will, being able to do some of your rehab work alongside members of the New Orleans Saints Football team!
There are 22 men who were serving in either OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) or OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) that are now able to do just that, thanks to a new program called Rehabbing With The Troops (RWTT). The site tells us “It’s A Different Kind of Rehab” to which I have to agree. It sounds fantastic!
I am sure you have heard of Pro vs. GI Joe which is the brainchild of Greg and Addie Zinone, who have spent several years getting "Rehabbing With The Troops" up and running.
RWTT’s goal is simple:
"to create a virtual community, called the Wounded Warrior Arena, in which our warriors can find common ground and a mutual understanding while simultaneously working on both their physical rehabilitation and emotional well-being."
Currently there are 22 wounded warriors participating in the program and they come from all branches of our military.
"The Wounded Warrior Arena is the place our troops maintain all the information related to their Rehabbing with the Troops season including pictures, videos, blogs (see individual profiles), workouts, statistics and standings. Each warrior controls his or her own page and are encouraged to make it their own."
What makes this program different from all the other rehab programs out there?
"In partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project and the USO, and sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance, Pro vs. GI Joe created Rehabbing with the Troops."
By using their concept of connecting pros and troops through video games Pro vs. GI Joe is
"focusing solely on wounded warriors and fun, yet intense workouts on the Wii console with professional athletes acting as their ‘trainers’."
"Season 1’s pro trainers are the Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints."
My first thought was, wow that is going to be pricey, because each of the participants will need to go out and buy EA Sports Active for Wii plus the Wii if they don’t already have it! Then I read a bit further and found that….
“The warriors are given all the equipment they need to succeed, including a Wii console, EA Sports Active, hand weights, elastic straps, a HD handheld camera for videos and pictures, RWTT workout gear and much more.”
As far as working out using Wii? I chuckle when anyone tells me that you can’t really get a good workout that way. They obviously haven’t given it a real good try, because you can indeed get a great workout. Do you really think the Wounded Warrior Project and the New Orleans Saints would put their stamp of approval on this project if it were bogus? I don’t think so!
"Rehabbing with the Troops consists of ‘seasons’, with each ‘season’ lasting several weeks.
Each week the wounded warriors will be given intense, customized workouts they must complete using EA Sports Active on the Wii.
For Rehabbing with the Troops Season 1, each warrior is required to complete a minimum of two workouts per week for 10 weeks. The season lasts from the kickoff on June 10th to August 21st."
If you go to the home page of their website, Wounded Warrior Arena, you will find a listing of the top 10 contenders which changes each week based on the number of points a participant earns through various activities.
Remember, Rehabbing With The Troops is not just about physical training. They incorporate fun right alongside the workouts, as well as working on the social aspects of helping these wounded warriors merge back into society.
Why do I say merge back into society? Think about it for a minute. Many of these men have spent years in the military, they had a close knit support group and no matter whether they were deployed or back home, that support group was there. People to talk to, people who understood what they were going through, people who have shared the ups and downs of life in the military.
But what happens when they are medically retired or discharged from the military? They no longer have that support group around them, their social life most likely changed dramatically and they need to get socially connected with a different group of people. How do they do that?
Rehabbing With The Troops has taken care of getting them on track for that also. When you go to the roster of participants and click on the individual photos/names you will then find a link to their Twitter account and Facebook page. Rehabbing With The Troops also has a Facebook page.
Now I want to leave you with a couple of final thoughts.
One:
Check out these two sites Rehabbing With The Troops and their Facebook page Rehabbing With The Troops Wounded Warrior Arena.
Two:
If you are a troop supporter and are active on Twitter then follow these 22 wounded warriors and encourage others to do the same. Connect up with them on Facebook. It is easy, just click on their photos and you will see the link to connect up with them on Twitter AND Facebook.
Finally:
Consider taking the Warrior Challenge yourself! How? Just go here and follow the instructions. It is as simple as that.
Whenever I have had the honor of talking with our military I come away impressed as all get out. On the rare occasions I have spoken to a few of our wounded warriors either in person or on the phone, I find myself in awe of their drive and dedication to push forward at all costs.
They are incredibly strong men and women who haven’t given up on themselves, and they would certainly benefit from your support as they continue to conquer the new challenges life has thrown at them. So hook up with them on Twitter, send a quick message of support to them. Go to their Facebook page and leave a message there.
We continue to live in freedom because our military are willing to do what it takes to protect us, protect our way of life. Let them know they have your support, your prayers for strength and please don’t forget to thank them for their service!
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