Warrior and Family Coordination Cell: An Overview

Mission:

The Warrior Family Coordination Cell (WFCC) serves as the central coordination point between military branches and commands for all non-medical support with Wounded, Ill and Injured (WII) members.

WII support is the collaboration of all logistics and resource components on the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), Bethesda campus that provide continuous non-medical support to the WII service members and their families.

WFCC Operations

The Operations Section provides Event and Donation coordination for the WII and their families. Their mission is to provide the WII and their families at WRNMMC opportunities to enjoy wholesome activities on and off the campus, which are crucial in the service member’s reintegration back into society after very serious injury or illness. In keeping with this mission, Events/Donations staff coordinates with benevolent organizations and individuals within the global community who supply goods and services to our recovering WII population and their families.

“Events” include: White House, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Army and Air Force, Capitol Hill special invitational events as well as all other types of offerings. This office coordinates with over 550 benevolent organizations and coordinates 90-100 events per month. Since Sept 16th 2011, we have coordinated and executed 4700+ events. This far exceeds the number of events handled by Walter Reed Georgia Ave and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth combined, and is four times the number of events that the National Naval Medical Center was accustomed to prior to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).

Since Sept 16th 2011, this section has effectively managed over $500K in proffered goods from benevolent organizations and individuals within the global community.

Gift Procedures

Gifts to individuals are prohibited unless an exception applies, such as:

Gifts to the organization (WRNMMC) for WII and Non-WII
For the benefit of all or a specified clinic/population
Such as cash, art, equipment
Individual items given to WRNMMC for distribution as determined by the organization
Such as tickets to a sporting event or an outing

Please submit proffers in advance of allocating your resources and no less than 30 days prior to preferred date

Letters proffer must:
Describe in detail the gift and provide estimated value
Provide sufficient details to prevent misunderstanding between your intent and WRNMMC execution
Specify whether the gift is unconditional or with conditions/restrictions
Provide sufficient evidence that you are authorized to offer the gift on behalf of your organization

Proffers must be specific and completed in its entirety. Additional goods, services, visitors, etc. not specified in the proffer will not be accepted the day of the event.

Submit proffers to WRNMMC for “WII” and “All”
Email: dha.bethesda.ncr-medical.list.wrnm-gift-donation@mail.mil
Telephone: 855-360-HERO(4376)
Website: WFCC Events Request
If you send to WFCC, we will ensure it gets to the correct point of contact

Donated Items Donations by mail or by drop-off for WII and/or Non-WII will be coordinated with, received, and distributed by American Red Cross (ARC) at WRNMMC

Donations cannot be received after hours
ARC may be reached at 301-295-1538, 8 am-4 pm, Monday-Friday

All donations, including those sent by mail or dropped-off, must be coordinated in advance.

If a benevolent organization desires to distribute donated items, coordinate with WFCC .

If benevolent organization desire to distribute donated items to WII and/or “All”, coordinate with GDA.
Gift Procedures: WII Only

Gifts to individuals are prohibited unless an exception applies, such as Gifts to WII (per FY06 NDAA)

Staffing of proffered events
We encourage the independence of all patients in order to achieve rehabilitation and reintegration goals
Assignment of medical/staff attendant is the exception, not the rule:
Each event is reviewed on a case-by-case basis
Assignment of attendant requires senior leadership approval
If deemed necessary and attendant available, WRNMMC will assign attendant at government expense

Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS)

One of the largest volunteer programs in the Federal government
More than 7,400 national and community organizations
Supported by a VAVS National Advisory Committee, comprising 55 major Veteran, civic, and service organizations
136,275 volunteers in 2013, with 79,154 active
$86M in gift and donations in 2013
VAVS: authority to accept gifts/donations, policy, collaboration
Sabrina Clark, Director, VA Voluntary Service
(202) 461-7300; sabrina.clark@va.gov

Recreation Therapy: outings / events

Larry Long, Director, Recreation Therapy

National Programs & Special Events: adaptive sports/National sporting events/Creative Arts

Jose Llamas, Community & Public Affairs, National Veterans Sports Programs & Special Events

Ongoing outreach and collaboration

Kathleen Sullivan, Director, Office of Outreach Collaboration

USO Warrior and Family Center Bethesda

A new venue; > 16,000 sq. ft. BBQ terrace – outdoor seating for 125 and 2 gas grills and one charcoal grill
Community room – divided into three rooms which seats 75 persons/room in theater style and/or a 50 persons/room in banquet style. Three 90” flat screen TVs in each community room
Dining room (only if event is open to all AD) – seating for 96 persons
To reserve, please contact Pauline Sumner, 703-899-2751, pauline@usometro.org

"All" Monetary Donations

POC: Mr. Wertin
Phone: 301-400-0458
Email: adam.s.wertin.civ@mail.mil

Base Access

Please visit the WRNMMC Planning Your Visit page for more information, or call Pass & ID at (301) 295-4607 or (301) 400-2434.

Transportation

Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), DoD 5500.7-R, prohibits WRNMMC from:
Providing government transportation
Chartering non-goverment transportation with appropriated funds
WRNMMC may use other limited gift funds to charter non-government transportation when transportation is not provided by the donor if:
Gift funds are available, and
The event is within 50 miles of WRNMMC
At least 10 WII and/or non-WII service members participate, and
Cost of transportation does not exceed fair market value of gift