The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council (MAC) is donating nearly twenty three thousand dollars to the National Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) on Tuesday, January 22, 2013.
Founded in 2003, WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured Service Members in addition to providing unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.
“So many wounded military personnel and their families will be positively impacted because of the outstanding support that our community has shown for this important cause. On behalf of the MAC, I cannot say thank you enough,” said Rachel Hinde, Director of Communications and Military Affairs at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.
The donation is made possible from several fundraising events and private donations made in 2012.
WWP board member and wounded warrior Brent Whitten will accept the donation on behalf of the organization at the MAC’s monthly meeting which will be held at 11:30am in the Visit Salina Annex, located directly behind the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 W. Ash St.
Whitten who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas was a specialist with the U.S. Army 3-67 Armor Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. In December of 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. For nine months his work consisted of daily patrols lasting up to twelve hours at a time. Thereafter, he was selected to be a gunner on a commander’s Humvee. After a few days on the new assignment a suicide bomber driving a van crashed into the side of the Humvee, detonating an explosion that killed three civilians.
“Everything was on fire. I was burning, but I couldn’t move. I had to look down and make sure my leg was still there. I crawled out of the Humvee and rolled off to the ground just as the ammo started to explode,” said Whitten. Whitten who suffered a broken pelvis and tissue damage to his leg couldn’t get up, so he rolled away from the fire until he hit a curb. He says he doesn’t know who came to his rescue. He only remembers being put into the back of another Humvee
and was driven from the scene. The convoy took him to a Baghdad hospital, where Brent was treated and eventually allowed to call his wife.
Whitten became involved with the WWP after he was sent to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. “They provided me with a backpack that included clothing, toiletries and other items designed to make a hospital stay more comfortable. After I left the Army, I was featured in the WWP magazine and began to attend WWP functions. As a member of the WWP National Campaign Team, I also attend events that help educate the public about the mission of the WWP.”
“The WWP’s mission is important because WWP allows for the country to connect to disabled veterans and for veterans to connect to each other. The WWP allows for the public to help give back and support the veterans that have sacrificed their bodies for the freedom that the country enjoys. The support of the country helps fund activities that help veterans cope from the trauma of war. WWP programs like the backpack program, Soldier Ride, and other numerous events help the soldier adjust to a life post-injury,” said Whitten.
Whitten (27), currently a senior at the University of Kansas, is majoring in Journalism and minoring in history. He is married and has an eight year old son. To learn more about him please visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/mission/meet-a-warrior/brent-whitten.aspx