Laptop donations help Wounded Warriors, families stay connected

Wounded Warriors from Fort Belvoir are "booting up" after receiving donated laptop computers during an event at the Soldier Family Assistance Center on Belvoir last week.

Operation Homefront, in collaboration with CDW Government LLC, presented 20 new laptops to wounded servicemembers and their families.

Expected to enable wounded, ill and injured Soldiers to stay connected with their families by using e-mail and other tools, leaders at Belvoir's Warrior Transition Unit said the laptops also provide the added luxury of providing communication from a Soldier's bedside - a definite plus to those who need to rest. In addition, the laptops enable Soldiers to work on résumés, explore opportunities in higher education and remain up-to-date with world news.

"While most would agree that our focus is providing world-class health care to facilitate recovery of our wounded, ill and injured warriors, we also must ease uncertainties the servicemembers may feel about the next steps in their lives - especially when determining whether they will return to duty or transition to civilian life," said Capt. Eduardo Moten, WTU commander at Belvoir. "During the rehabilitation and transition phases, which can last six months or more, our Wounded Warriors must stay connected with their families to receive support. Therefore, having access to the tools and information they need to help them take that next step in their lives becomes even more critical to their healing."

In a difficult economic climate, family members of Wounded Warriors cannot always be at the bedside of their loved ones, said Jim Knotts, chief executive officer of Operation Homefront. Having the laptops will help the families stay in touch, "which is so important," he said.

Echoing those sentiments, Sgt. Oscar Matos said the laptop is a "wonderful gift" in many ways.

"Our home computer is not very good," he said. "This laptop is much faster. It is very good," he said.

While deployed to Iraq, Matos injured his leg when he leaped from a vehicle to escape enemy fire. Though he is receiving physical therapy and is recuperating, he still needs to rest often. The laptop will allow him learn a lot while resting, he said.

"This laptop will be great to help me learn other languages," Matos said. "It will also help my kids so they can do homework and keep in touch with family."

Operation Homefront and CDW-G worked together to donate the laptops at Belvoir. Both organizations also co-sponsored donating 20 laptops to wounded, ill and injured Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"I was wounded in Vietnam and was a patient at Walter Reed. At the time, no one other than the family thought about the wounded Soldier," said John Howard, CDW-G DoD business development manager and a retired brigadier general. "We are grateful that, through our continued partnership with Operation Homefront, we are able to highlight the sacrifice of military families and help alleviate some of the stress they often feel during rehabilitation."